Hockey returned to the Rose City following the Portland Winterhawks’ longest road trip in franchise history — 11 straight games — which wrapped up in Langley against the Vancouver Giants. The Hawks had crisscrossed through Prince George, several BC Division cities, and the Central Swing, where they went 3–2, before finally heading home for a much-needed three-game stretch at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Road Trip Finale vs. Vancouver
Facing the Giants, Portland needed a strong performance — and got one. Vancouver struck first on an early power play when Blake Clark made the initial save from the point, but Ty Halaburda tipped in the rebound for a 1–0 lead.
The Hawks quickly answered. Two crisp passes in the Giants’ zone set up Alex Weiermair inside the left faceoff dot, and his wrister beat Burke Hood to tie it. Moments later, on the power play, Weiermair found Nathan Free for a dribbler past Hood that required review before being confirmed as a goal. Portland’s momentum continued when Sam Spehar deflected a point shot on another man advantage, giving the Hawks a 3–1 lead.
The teams traded goals from there. Vancouver scored on the power play midway through the second, but Reed Brown answered five minutes later, chasing Hood from the net in favor of Kelton Pyne.
The third period followed the same pattern: Vancouver opened the scoring, Portland countered through Free, and the Giants closed the gap again before Jordan Duguay restored the cushion. Vancouver added a late goal with Pyne pulled for an extra attacker, but Portland held on for a 6–5 win.
Despite being outshot 35–25 (17–6 in the third), the Hawks went a perfect 2-for-2 on the power play, while Vancouver finished 3-for-5.
Homecoming vs. Saskatoon
Back home at VMC — on a night competing with both a Trail Blazers game across the street and a Ducks game in Eugene — nearly 7,000 fans saw the Winterhawks dominate the Saskatoon Blades, 6–3.
Ondrej Stebatek got the start in net and shut down the Blades early as Portland exploded for three first-period goals: two from Carsyn Dick and another from Will McLaughlin.
In the second, Nathan Brown and Reed Brown extended the lead to 5–0 before Saskatoon finally got on the board on a power play. The Blades cut the deficit to 5–2 midway through the third, but Weiermair’s empty-netter sealed the deal. Saskatoon added a late power-play goal, but it wasn’t enough. Portland outshot the Blades 33–32 and went 1-for-3 on the power play (Saskatoon 2-for-3).
Sunday Matinee vs. Victoria
Less than 24 hours later, the Hawks hosted the Victoria Royals. Victoria capitalized on a first-period turnover and then added a power-play marker in the second to take a 2–0 lead.
Just 41 seconds into the third, the Royals struck again to go up 3–0. Portland finally broke through when Reed Brown scored midway through the period. With time winding down, the Hawks pulled Stebatek for an extra attacker and were rewarded with a Ryan Miller goal to make it 3–2. Despite heavy pressure and a 42–27 shot advantage, Portland couldn’t find the equalizer, finishing 0-for-4 on the power play.
Around the League
Portland will next face the Prince George Cougars on Halloween night, then Kamloops, and again Prince George a week later.
The Hawks made a minor trade, sending Kayd Reudig and a 2027 fifth-round pick to Kamloops for a 2026 second-rounder. The move frees up roster space and gives Reudig, a versatile 18-year-old, more ice time with the Blazers.
In the standings, several teams are beginning to separate. In the Western Conference, Wenatchee remains the only team without double-digit points (six through 11 games). Over in the East, Brandon, Regina, and Red Deer hover around nine points, while Lethbridge has seven through 15 games.
Across the OHL, Windsor leads the pack with 26 points (12-2-1-1), followed closely by Brantford (11-0-1-1, 24 points), still unbeaten in regulation. In the QMJHL, Charlottetown tops the league at 23 points (10-2-1-2), while Baie-Comeau, despite early struggles, has closed to within five points of a playoff spot.
The Memorial Cup Question
As the season nears the quarter mark, attention turns to the Kelowna Rockets — the 2026 Memorial Cup hosts. Despite their hosting status, Kelowna currently sits 11th in the Western Conference, three points out of a playoff spot.
It’s rare for a host team to miss the postseason. The only team to ever have its host rights revoked was the 1990 Hamilton Dukes, who finished last in the OHL and declined to host, transferring the event to Kitchener.
Hosting the Memorial Cup is both an honor and a gamble. The tournament often features teams loaded with veteran 19- and 20-year-olds poised to turn pro. After an “all-in” season, many teams face rebuilds as players age out or move on, creating natural cycles of success and struggle. For Kelowna, the next few months — leading up to the January 8 trade deadline — will determine whether they contend or become a cautionary tale.
Expansion Notes
Reports out of British Columbia indicate that the WHL’s planned Chilliwack expansion franchise has been delayed a year. According to The Vancouver Province’s Steve Ewen, the league is still searching for an ownership group.
It’s unclear if the team will revive the “Bruins” name, last used before that franchise relocated to Victoria as the Royals. The BCHL’s Chilliwack Chiefs continue to play at the Chilliwack Coliseum and could remain there if delays persist.
Rumors suggest the new WHL franchise fee could range from $5–15 million, including a $1 million payment to Kelowna for territorial rights.
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