The Portland Winterhawks welcomed Luca Cagnoni as the Player of the Week this week before they embarked on a three-game, three-night US Division battle.
First up would be the Tri-City Americans, looking to move up the standings as they returned from the Northern trip this past week.
The Hawks started well with goals by Gabe Klassen and Josh Davies, both on the powerplay in the first period. Tri-City came back on the powerplay early in the second period to halve the score, but Gabe Klassen’s second of the night just past the fifteen minute mark. With a couple of minutes to go in the third period, Tri-City Made it close, but with their goaltender out with less than a minute to play, the Hawks shut down the Americans to win 3-2. The shots favored the Hawks 35-25, and the powerplay at 2-3 vs. 1-5.
The Hawks continued on the road, stopping in Spokane to face the Chiefs. Luca Cagnoni scored just a couple of minutes into the game with a shot from the left point to the far left side of Dawson Cowan’s net while on the powerplay. Tyson Yaremko padded the lead just over thirty seconds later with a wrister to the far right side of Cowan. Carter Southern added to the total just past the midway mark of the first when he poked the puck in following a Luca Cagnoni shot. The Chiefs finally got on the board with just over two minutes remaining in the period with their powerplay, and then, just over two minutes into the second period, pocketed yet another powerplay goal, and it was now 3-2. James Stefan restored the two-goal lead a couple of minutes later, only to see Spokane pull it close again just five minutes later.
Three minutes later, James Stefan put the Hawks up by two again while on the powerplay. Spokane would get another three minutes later while on the powerplay but could get no closer, and the Hawks won 5-4. Spokane got the nod in shots at 36-29, and the Hawks were potent on the powerplay 3-4, but Spokane also got three goals on seven attempts.
The weekend’s final game was a makeup game versus the Seattle Thunderbirds, postponed due to the ice storm a couple of weeks prior. The first two periods were a heavy defensive effort, but the Hawks were definitely the aggressor in shots, with 22 shots in the first period alone. Josh Zakreski put the Hawks on the board first, but Seattle tied it up while on the powerplay. Tyson Jugnauth scored with a couple of minutes remaining in the period. No scoring occurred in the second period, but the third period went the Hawks way. Goals by Hudson Darby and Diego Buttazoni just thirty seconds apart broke the game wide open.
Seattle pulled their goaltender with just over three minutes remaining, but Luke Brunen shut the door on every Thunderbird attempt. Portland held the shot advantage 43-29 but were shutout on their two powerplays with Seattle going 1-1.
With their fourth straight win and the sweep on the weekend, the Hawks have now moved to first in the Western Conference as Prince George lost a shootout on Sunday to Wenatchee. The Hawks still have a game in hand on the Cougars.
Portland remains ninth in the CHL rankings, though they might move up with three wins this week.
Baie-Comeau Drakkar remains on top after outscoring opponents 22-3 in three games. Saskatoon Blades hold down second as they have almost reached 70 points in the standings for the WHL. London Knights take third, the Prince George Cougars are fourth. The rest of the rankings see Saginaw Spirit, Drummondville Voltigeurs, Everett Silvertips, Kitchener Rangers, the Hawks, and Rouyn-Nornada Huskies round out the top ten.
The Hawk shit the screen again with games on February 3 and 10th and then the game on March 17 from Climate Pledge Arena in Seattle. The building was formerly known as KeyArena. The last time Portland faced Seattle there was in 2008.
