The WHL season always brings its challenges. Long road swings can be brutal, and the dreaded “three games in three nights” stretch tests every team’s depth and stamina. The Portland Winterhawks survived the swing and rolled straight into one of those three-in-three battles, starting with a road game in Langley against the Vancouver Giants, then a home matchup with the rival Seattle Thunderbirds, and finally another home game against Vancouver.
Game 1: Vancouver Edges Portland Late, 3–2
The first game at Langley Events Centre opened with Giants goaltender Burke Hood being tested early. He stood tall in the first period, keeping Portland off the board. Vancouver struck midway through the second on a strong end-to-end sequence, then made it 2–0 on the power play after sustained pressure in the Portland zone.
The Hawks answered when Carter Southern stripped a Giant on a rush and set up a clean shot past Hood to cut the deficit. Later, Ondrej Stebatek denied Vancouver on a penalty shot, shifting momentum to Portland. On a late power play, a missed shot bounced out front, and Ryan Miller tucked it under Hood to tie the game.
But in the final seconds, Vancouver held the zone, connected on a quick corner-to-slot passing play, and tipped the puck in for the 3–2 winner. Portland outshot the Giants 41–23 and went 1–for-4 on the power play, while Vancouver finished 2–for-4.
Game 2: Hawks Storm Back to Beat Seattle, 4–3
Back home, the Hawks hosted their I-5 rivals for the first time this season. Seattle opened the scoring early and added another in the second period on the power play. A fight between Ben Millar and Vanek Popil brought the crowd to life, but Seattle soon struck again on the man advantage for a 3–0 lead.
During a second-period interview, former Winterhawk Troy Rutkowski said the team just needed to take the next shift and not worry about the score. Right on cue, Portland went to the power play and broke the goose egg. Moments later, Alex Weiermair was checked into the Seattle net but managed to redirect a puck behind Marek Sklenicka to cut the deficit to one heading into the third.
The final period belonged entirely to Portland. Will McLaughlin blasted home the tying goal midway through the period, and with less than two minutes left, Weiermair struck again, deking through defenders and firing in the go-ahead goal to complete the comeback.
Seattle narrowly outshot Portland 40–39, but the Hawks were sharper on special teams, going 2–for-3 compared to Seattle’s 2–for-4.
Game 3: Hawks Take Rematch vs. Vancouver, 4–2
The weekend wrapped with a home rematch against Vancouver, where Portland looked to answer Friday’s loss. Stebatek made several key first-period saves to keep things scoreless. Just forty seconds into the second, Ryan Miller struck again after a Giant screened his own goaltender and lost sight of the puck. Kyle McDonough then shoveled one through to make it 2–0.
Vancouver responded quickly, scoring twice in under 90 seconds to tie the game. But Portland took over in the third. Miller scored early on the power play for his second of the night, and with four minutes remaining, Weiermair cleaned up a loose puck in front for his 18th of the year. Vancouver pulled the goalie but couldn’t break through, and Portland secured a 4–2 win.
The Hawks outshot Vancouver 39–30 and went 1 for 5 on the power play while holding the Giants scoreless on four attempts.
Standings and Notes
With the victory, Portland sits third in the Western Conference with 34 points in 29 games, holding a two-point lead over Kamloops and three over Penticton, who have two games in hand. Everett continues to pace the league with just three regulation losses in 29 games and a 23-3-2-1 record.
Winterhawks Community Events
Sunday night’s Hawks Toy Drive received a major boost from former Winterhawk Seth Jarvis, who donated several thousand dollars to purchase 400 toys. The team typically collects close to 4,000 toys each year, with final numbers expected soon. The annual Teddy Bear Toss is set for December 14 during the second game of a doubleheader against the Penticton Vees.
Portland’s schedule remains tough with another three-in-three ahead: a road game in Spokane, two at home versus Penticton, and then one more trip to Spokane before a short Christmas break. The season resumes December 27 in Kennewick against the Tri-City Americans.
Around the CHL
In the OHL, several teams are struggling to find wins. Sarnia has just seven wins in 28 games, while Oshawa and Sudbury sit at 9 wins each. Brantford remains dominant with only two regulation losses and a 21-2-4-1 record.
The league also handed out a major suspension to Brampton Steelheads player Luke Dragusica for a dangerous chop to the head of an Oshawa player. He is suspended for the remainder of the regular season and playoffs, avoiding what could have been a lifetime ban. His NHL draft prospects are now uncertain, as teams often put significant weight on discipline and conduct.
In the QMJHL, Moncton leads the league by a point over Chicoutimi, while in the west, Blainville-Boisbriand holds the top spot with several teams close behind as the season reaches its halfway point. Baie-Comeau continues to struggle with only five regulation wins in 28 games.
CHL Top 10 Rankings
The Brantford Bulldogs lead the national rankings, followed by Everett, Edmonton, Prince Albert, Ottawa, Chicoutimi, Blainville-Boisbriand, Flint, Windsor, and Moncton.
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