Inside the Coliseum

Leipsic Lifts Hawks to 2-1 Series Lead

2011-04-28T12:16:00.000-07:00

Brendan Leipsic's overtime winner last night lifted the Portland Winterhawks to a 3-2 victory over the Spokane Chiefs in Game 3 of the Western Conference Championship Series. Leipsic, a 16 year old forward from Winnipeg, Manitoba, picked up a chip pass by Taylor Peters and carried down the left wing on a 2-on-1 with Peters. Leipsic's patience caused Spokane goaltender James Reid to make the first move, and then Leipsic beat Reid to the nearside post to cause the Hawk bench to pour onto the ice. Peters, who picked up an assist on the play, also scored the Hawks first goal, a shorthanded marker just 66 seconds after the Chiefs took an early 1-0 lead. The goal by Peters was the 9th goal the Hawks have scored in the postseason within 1:10 of clock time after a goal by either team. In fact, the Hawks have outscored their opposition 9-1 in the playoffs in those scenarios and 44-18 in the regular season and playoffs combined.

Last night's contest was very different than the first two games down in Portland from a special teams perspective. While the two teams combined for just 12 powerplays in the two games in the Rose City, there were 11 powerplays last night. And while the powerplays were perfectly even in the first two games combined, last night the Chiefs had 7 more (9-2) than the Hawks did. But, the Portland Winterhawk penalty kill outscored the Chief powerplay 1-0, killing off all 9 opportunities for the top ranked powerplay in the WHL's regular season. Taylor Jordan shut down Jared Cowen at the point, not allowing the Ottawa Senators' first round pick get pucks through to the dangerous areas. Taylor Peters, Ryan Johansen, Craig Cunningham, Brad Ross, and Nino Niederreiter also contributed up front for the Hawks when they were a man down. On the back end, the Winterhawks were led by Taylor Aronson, William Wrenn, and Tyler Wotherspoon, all of whom logged significant minutes on the penalty kill. Aronson, in fact, made a tremendous block on a backdoor play that would have given the Chiefs a 2-1 lead at that point early in the third. But Aronson came sliding across and helped out Mac Carruth, who made 41 saves on 43 shots. Any of about 12 Winterhawk penalty killers could have been in the 3 stars last night.

And now the two teams have a day off here in Spokane before facing off at the Spokane Veterans' Memorial Arena on Friday night in Game 4. The Hawks come into the game proud of incredible work ethic on the penalty kill, timely scoring by Ryan Johansen, who has goals in all 3 games of the series, and knowing that a 6th straight postseason win in Spokane would give them a stranglehold on their first conference title since 2001. The Chiefs on the other hand are looking to rebound from what was clearly a missed opportunity to take another lead in this series and defend home ice in the playoffs, something they haven't done against the Hawks since game 7 of a first round series on April 2, 2003. Tune in on 95.5 The Game with myself, Andy Kemper, and John Kirby bringing the action your way, starting with the pregame show at 6:30 or 6:35.

Game 3 Tonight

2011-04-27T11:07:00.000-07:00

The Portland Winterhawks and Spokane Chiefs enter into Game 3 tonight tied at one game a piece in their Western Conference Final Series. In a series between two teams that scored 300+ goals in the regular season, goals have been few and far between. In Game 1 Spokane scored the lone powerplay goal of the game and won 2-1. In Game 2 Portland scored the lone powerplay goal of the game and won 2-1. But now the series shifts from the Rose City to Spokane Veterans' Memorial Arena. The Hawks come into this building with a bit of confidence, having won 3 games in the Arena this year, and all four playoff games in the building last year on their way to a first round victory over the Chiefs.

Tune in tonight to our pregame show on Freedom 970 as myself Andy Kemper, and John Kirby will dissect the matchup between the two teams. You'll hear from both coaching staffs, a bit about the uniqueness that is the bench setup in Spokane, and what we view as the intriguing matchups and keys to victory for each team. The pregame starts at 6:35!

Game 4 Tonight

2011-04-13T13:24:00.000-07:00

As I sit here in the business centre (yes, we're in Canada, it's a centre) preparing for tonight's broadcast, a few things come to mind:

First, great effort by the Hawks last night in securing the 5-4 victory in game 3. They battled hard, capitalized on powerplay opportunities, and deserved the victory. Ryan Johansen and Joe Morrow continue their hot play, with Johansen notching 3 assists, and Morrow chipping in a goal and an assist. Back-to-back multi-point nights for both of those players.

Ryan Johansen and Nino Niederreiter each eclipsed the 30 point plateau for their postseason careers. Now both averaging more than 1.5 points per game in the playoffs over the past two seasons. They elevate their play when things get tighter in the postseason, and almost seem to thrive on having less time and space to make their decisions. Columbus and the Islanders have to be excited on the way their prized 2010 NHL draft selections are progressing.

Brad Ross has now served 2 games of his 3 game suspension for the charging major that sent Zach Franko to the sidelines in game number 1. Neither player has played since the hit occurred. My two cents on the hit are that in today's atmosphere of hockey, where concussions and head checks are at the center of the consciousness, a hit like the one Ross delivered is almost automatically a suspendable offense. I don't believe there was any additional ill-intent by Ross in the check, it was an attempt at a physical play in what is turning out to be a very physical series. Franko never saw the hit coming til the last second, and though the WHL doesn't have a rule in the books against blindside hits to the head like the NHL does, it is still a dangerous play that is looked at severely by the league. The positive that fans of the Winterhawks can take out of this is the fact that the Hawks just continued with the gameplan despite the fact they were missing a point per game player in the regular season, a player who had scored in all 4 games of the Everett series. I'm sure Ross will be looking to add to that total when game 5 rolls around on Friday night.

Game 4 tonight at Prospera Place. Keys to the game for me are faceoff play, neutral zone discipline, and compete level in the corners. The Hawks have dominated the circle in games 2 and 3, which has directly led to 5 of their 11 goals in the last two games. The Hawks are difficult enough to cover in normal play, if you don't mark up on them at the dot, it is almost like gifting goals to one of the most talented teams in the league. In game 3 the Rockets capitalized a few times off of neutral zone turnovers by the Winterhawks, either to gain scoring chances or draw penalties. The two teams have seen what the other likes to run in their controlled breakout system, and now the time is coming for adjustments to those systems. Don't be surprised if the Hawks throw a new wrinkle or two in their neutral zone play tonight to try to break through Kelowna's defense. And I'd expect Kelowna coach Ryan Huska to do the same.

This series has been a physical one, and the corner play and battling is taking its toll now on both teams' defense corps. Now the time has come for the players to show true toughness in the corners. Toughness doesn't mean fighting, or charging halfway across the ice to finish a check. Now the type of toughness these teams have to show is the ability to take a check to make a play. Or to have a good second effort in the corner if you lose an original battle. Last night's contest saw 3 separate checking from behind penalties, and players were occasionally going over the edge on both sides. So which team comes back tonight and is willing to go into the corners hard again, knowing they may be blasted into the unforgiving endwalls? Don't be surprised if a defenseman or two on both sides is hesitant to go back and retrieve the puck. If they bail, they may pay on the scoresheet. Grit and a willingness to take punishment will be key.

Game time tonight is 7:05, pregame show on Freedom 970 will be at 6:35.

Hawks Players, Staff Receive Accolades

2011-03-24T00:36:00.000-07:00

The Winterhawks got some accolades for their performance this season with some recognition from the WHL's postseason award nominations and all-star selections.

Ryan Johansen was selected to the Western Conference's first team all-stars. Johansen, from Port Moody, BC finished his second season in the WHL with 92 points. Johansen's 92 points led the Winterhawks in scoring, and was 7th in the league despite playing only 63 games. Johansen, the Columbus Blue Jackets' fourth overall NHL draft selection in 2010, averaged 1.5 points per game in the WHL this season. As arguably Team Canada's second best forward at the World Junior Championships, Johansen drew the attention of the hockey world this season, and helped explain why his draft stock went through the roof in the second half of last year. Part of that was because his play elevated last season in the playoffs. If Johansen's numbers jump similarly in this postseason, he may lead this Winterhawks team deep into the postseason this year.

Johansen won't have to do it alone, as he'll be joined by the Western Conference's rookie of the year Sven Bartschi. Bartschi, the 18 year old freshman from Switzerland, led the WHL in Goals, Assists, and Points. Teaming up with fellow 2011 NHL draft prospect Ty Rattie, Bartschi led the team in goals for the majority of the season. Bartschi, like teammate Nino Niederreiter, represented his team at the World Junior Championships, and helped them remain in the A pool for another season. Rattie and Bartschi combined for two outstanding seasons in their draft year, and in fact both put up better numbers offensively than Johansen and Niederreiter did last season in their draft years. With Bartschi's work ethic, speed, and shooting ability, some NHL team will be rewarded with undoubtedly an impact NHL player this summer at the draft in Minnesota.

Mike Johnston, the Winterhawks' Head Coach and General Manager, was named the Western Conference's Executive of the Year. Johnston has been in charge of the team since the fall of 2009, and in his brief 2 and a half years has returned the Winterhawks franchise back to their former glory. Johnston has proven that he's a quality recruiter in his time in the WHL, bringing impact players to Portland. He's also shown he's not gun shy in the trade market either, acquiring impact players Luca Sbisa last year and Craig Cunningham this year. With the former NHL assistant coach and known as one of the smartest men in the business at the helm, the Winterhawks fans can be assured that this team will continue to thrive for years to come.

One final note: The pipeline show blog has done a profile about which WHL defenseman should go first in the upcoming NHL draft. A compilation of scout opinions are there, and many have good things to say about Hawk defenseman Joe Morrow. To read the blog, go here: http://thepipelineshow.blogspot.com/2011/03/pickin-brains-top-whl-d-man-for-2011.html

Playoff Time!

2011-03-21T23:12:00.000-07:00

When looking at what to write this week in the interim between the regular season and the playoffs, I've decided to just put a mix of all my thoughts about all things hockey, as well as some predictions for the first round of WHL playoffs:

First off, what an amazing accomplishment by the Portland Winterhawks this season to wrap up their first division title since the 2001-02 season. It's been a long time in Hawkville since a banner was raised to the rafters in the Memorial Coliseum for accomplishments on ice. When looking at the Winterhawks' roster this season, many experts in the junior hockey game thought a division title was a certainty. However, what actually transpired was one of the best races for a division title in recent memory. The Hawks didn't secure their crown until Game 71. Until the injury bug hit the Tri-City Americans in the last month of the season, any of 3 teams could have skated away with the title. The games between these teams down the home stretch were played at a high level, and the Hawks and Spokane Chiefs were two of the hottest teams in the league in the second half of the season. Over the final 10 games of the season before the 72nd game between the teams, with the division title obviously on the line for both clubs, each stepped up their play big time. The Hawks and Chiefs both went 9-1-0-0 over these games. Clearly both teams play their best when the pressure increases, and that may poise them both for extended playoff runs.

Now a prediction from yours truly about 7 of the 8 playoff series (I won't predict the Hawks-Silvertips series. Since I'll be calling those games, and cannot claim to be impartial about that series)

Eastern Conference:

1. Saskatoon Blades (115 pts) vs. 8. Prince Albert Raiders (67 pts)
This series, on paper, looks to be heavily lopsided in favor of the Blades. With 11 more points in the regular season than any other team in the league, Saskatoon comes into the playoffs the clear favorite. However, upsets occur, and in a similar matchup last season between Calgary and Moose Jaw, the Warriors pushed the Regular Season and Postseason champion Hitmen to 7 games. However, I don't see the Raiders being able to stop the Blades' potent offense. The Blades had 4 80 point players this season, and none of them were named Brayden Schenn. Raiders will be lucky to steal one game in this series. Saskatoon in 4

2. Red Deer Rebels (104) vs. 7. Edmonton Oil Kings (69)
This series, to me, comes down to defense. The Red Deer Rebels gave up 93 fewer goals in the regular season than the Oil Kings. Darcy Kuemper tied the league record for most shutouts in the history of the league with 13. Edmonton has to match the defensive intensity of the Rebels, and it's imperative they don't allow top draft prospect Ryan Nugent-Hopkins too many opportunities on the powerplay. Edmonton puts up a fight, but Red Deer closes this series out in 5 close games.

3. Medicine Hat Tigers (100) vs. 6. Brandon Wheat Kings (73)
Medicine Hat comes into this series hot, going 8-1-0-1 in their final 10 regular season games. They have league leading scorer Linden Vey, as well as Anaheim Ducks 1st round pick Emerson Etem. The Wheaties have put up goals in bunches ever since the trade that sent Brayden Schenn to Saskatoon. This series will be the most offensive in the league in the first round in my opinion. Brandon pushes it 7, and anything can happen in a game 7, but Medicine Hat will pull it out thanks to the experience advantage they have in net with Tyler Bunz.

4. Kootenay Ice (97) vs. Moose Jaw Warriors (86)
3 weeks ago, I'd have said that this series would be an upset for the Warriors. They have Dylan Hood who's very hot up front and first round pick Dylan McIlrath anchoring their defense. The Kootenay Ice on the other hand had stumbled through late February and early March, and looked very much like a team struggling to adjust to deadline acquisition Cody Eakin. However, near the end of the season they've looked close to figuring it out. This series goes 7, and I could see either team winning that game 7. However, Eakin is a big-game player, and he'll have a big game 7. Kootenay advances.

Western Conference:

2. Kelowna Rockets (87) vs. Prince George Cougars (70)
This series looks to be a wash in skill on the front end, with Prince George perhaps having the slight advantage. Kelowna has a group of forwards who work hard, and Geordie Wudrick has captured his sniping form in the second half of his 20 year old season. Brett Connolly has been healthy this season, and has shown why Tampa Bay decided to select him as the 6th overall NHL selection last summer. Both teams have skilled defensemen, with Tyson Barrie leading the Rockets, and Martin Marincin leading the Cougars. In the end, goaltender Adam Brown for the Rockets will be the difference. His play has been outstanding in the second half, and he'll lead the way in a long series against the Cougars. Kelowna wins in 6.

3. Spokane Chiefs (103) vs. Chilliwack Bruins (74)
The Chiefs missed out on the division and conference title by just one point. They have the second leading scorer in the league in Tyler Johnson, the tied for leading scorer among defenseman Brendan Kichton, and first round NHL draft selection and massive anchor on defense Jared Cowen. They tied for most goals scored in the league with the Saskatoon Blades. They had the second most shutouts in the league as a team behind the Red Deer Rebels. They finish the season with the top ranked Powerplay and Penalty Kill. But they have to start the series on the road, and Chilliwack has shown they're dangerous on home-ice. And the Bruins have Lucas Gore, who was credited with 77 saves last week in a game against the Chiefs. Ryan Howse, Roman Horak, and Brandon Manning are top flight players in this league. But the Chiefs will be too much for the scalding hot Bruins. Chilliwack will put up a great fight, and Gore will steal them a game. But unfortunately for the Bruins, he won't steal the series. Spokane in 5.

4. Tri-City Americans (92) vs. 5. Vancouver Giants (75)
The Americans floundered a bit down the stretch, suffered injuries to key players like Adam Hughesman and Drew Owsley. The last month of their season didn't go as planned, and the Americans were unable to defend their division crown. But Owsley's back, and they're playing the team that comes into the playoffs as one of the coldest in the league in the Giants. However, the Giants lost many of those games without Brenden Gallagher. He's back, looks healthy, and is ready to lead his team deep. You can't bet against a Don Hay coached team in a series, no matter who the opponent is. But the Americans had the goaltending and skill to get past the Giants last season in the conference final. I think the Americans are better built for the playoffs than they were last season, and the Giants aren't as good this year as they were last. Tri-City in 5...

So, I picked the higher seed in all 7 series profiled. So much for being bold. Bring on the Games!

Everett Liveblog 3/12/11

2011-03-11T22:09:00.000-08:00

With Dylan not available to run a Live Blog for the second Everett game, I'll be hosting it on this site. Since I'll be color commentating as well, comments will not be posted immediately as i won't be able to really focus on the blog... However, once I give you pre-approval it will be business as usual!

Hawks @ Everett

10-5. A 2011 Blowout: A 1980 Typical Wednesday

2011-02-10T19:25:00.000-08:00

The Portland Winterhawks rolled through the Spokane Chiefs, exploding for 5 goals in 1:59 in the first period and skating to a 10-5 victory Wednesday. The Hawks got a 5 point night from Ryan Johansen, and a hat-trick from Brad Ross to lead the way offensively. The victory extends the Hawks' lead over Spokane to 7 points in the standings, and are now 8 points ahead of the Tri-City Americans leading up to their showdown Friday night in the Memorial Coliseum.

The Hawks victory last night, however, is nowhere near the most lopsided in the history of the two cities. Let's look back now to another time and era in the Western Hockey League: The 1980-81 season. That season, the Western Hockey League had 13 teams, 8 in the Eastern Conference and 5 in the Western. And whereas the league currently has parity, with teams rotating in and out from the top of the standings year by year, and the U.S. division arguably the strongest top-to-bottom in the league, the early 1980's were a very different story. In the early going of the WHL, teams didn't select players in a drafting system. In fact, the bantam draft wasn't initiated until 1990, and even then was only 2 rounds. The disparity between teams in the early seasons of the league was shocking. In particular, teams that attempted to make it in the United States had a very difficult time finding and recruiting western Canadian talent to come to America to pursue hockey. The Great Falls Americans only lasted 28 games before folding as a franchise. The Spokane Flyers lasted a bit longer, surviving a season and a half from the start of the 1980 season until December 2, 1981. It was in this time of turmoil that the most lopsided game in Winter Hawk history occurred.

The lone full season of the Spokane Flyers saw their franchise achieve 35 points in the 72 game 1980-81 season. That season, the Winter Hawks, already established in the WHL thanks to Brian Shaw's clever ownership decisions, finished second in that regular season with 113 points. Shaw, unlike the rest of the teams who came into the U.S. in those times, negotiated a key advantage in acquiring players. Shaw had relocated the team from Edmonton to Portland, taking a big risk in coming into the U.S. Having not moved into a market rich in young players of a high calibre, Shaw wanted to keep the advantages they had built in recruiting in Edmonton after the relocation of the franchise. What resulted was a "protected area" that the Winter Hawks had within a 90-mile radius of the city of Edmonton. Within the first few years the Hawks were in Portland, in order to establish the franchise, the Hawks had first crack at any players coming out of that area. What resulted was an influx of talent to the Hawks in their early going, culminating in the franchise's first Memorial Cup in 1983.

With these two vastly different groundbreaking U.S. teams squaring off, it was a definite case of David vs. Goliath. The Hawks, with their protected area and the hockey knowledge of fans in Portland thanks to the Portland Buckaroos playing in the city previously, were considered one of the league's powerhouses. The Flyers, in their brief history, never defeated the Hawks in 12 tries, being outscored 92-32. Never was this more evident than on December 10th, 1980. That night, Ken Hodge, who was upset previously at the Spokane franchise (in particular having 8 players on a last place team who would finish the season with over 175 PIMs), said before the game he would score 20 goals that night. The Hawks came out firing, and by late in the third period held an 18-2 lead. That's when Hodge decided that he would do anything in his power to come true on his word and score that 20th goal. So, he pulled his goaltender in order to do so. Not exactly sending your fourth line out in a powerplay late in a blowout like we see often today. Hodge made it very clear that he didn't hold the Spokane organization in the highest regard, and wanted to make a statement. However, one may argue, poetic justice was served, as the Flyers scored twice into the gaping net to cut the deficit to 14. In a bit of a twist, the two teams played in Portland just 3 nights later. That game saw the Hawks narrowly defeat Spokane by a count of 4-2, and in fact took the Hawks to overtime in Spokane less than a month later. Perhaps Hodge's pulling of the netminder motivated the opposition in the next few contests between the sides. Or perhaps not, as the night before the overtime game in Spokane, the Hawks defeated the Flyers 11-2.

Clearly the early seasons of the WHL were full of turmoil, with teams often having to cease operations in the middle of campaigns. The teams that attempted to become expansion franchises occasionally had owners with a false belief of knowledge about running a junior hockey franchise. What resulted was a climate where the established franchises, such as the Winter Hawks who scored 18 goals on the Flyers, or the Saskatoon Blades who scored 5 goals in 1:16 against the expansion Prince Albert Raiders, dominated the weak.

Perhaps we would see franchises in Billings or Grand Rapids currently if the league had provided expansion drafts, competitive leveling of the playing field, and bantam drafts for incoming players. Or perhaps the owners who had the foresight and knowledge about hockey survived. Those who hired the intelligent hockey people, smart marketers to sell tickets, and were clever businessmen. Perhaps teams like the Spokane Flyers had to fold, so that teams like the Spokane Chiefs could thrive and create something special, in the same market, only 5 years later. Saskatoon dominated Prince Albert in 1982, but the Raiders are still alive today. Perhaps it was the job of teams like Saskatoon and Portland to show no mercy to the weak. Like pulling the goaltender in an 18-2 hockey game.

Even if it didn't work.

Weekend Thoughts, Spokane Preview

2011-02-09T17:15:00.000-08:00

The Winterhawks came out and played their two best first periods all season long on Friday and Saturday, and the strength of those starts helped propel them past Edmonton 5-2 on Friday, and beat division rival Tri-City 8-2 on Saturday. There has been a lot of discussion on message boards and other blogs about the starts of the Winterhawks, in particular during their "slump" in December and January. As Samantha Meese wrote on her blog on Oregonlive, the Hawks make it a goal every night to generate 10 shots in the first 10 minutes. Friday night the Hawks were opportunistic in their capitalizing on chances, scoring 3 goals on 11 shots. Saturday the Hawks jumped on Tri-City quickly, leading to a 4-1 lead at the end of the first period.

The Hawks have shown an ability all season long to generate beautiful passing plays to move defense and goaltenders of the opposition side-to-side. When the Hawks are on their game passing, they can generate goals in this manner. However, when the Hawks had trouble in the middle part of the season executing these plays, they struggled to generate the "garbage goals". There was plenty of garbage goals this past weekend, which was oh so sweet for the Hawks. The Hawks scored 13 goals this weekend. Excluding the two empty net goals, the Hawks scored 5 of their 11 goals on rebounds, deflections, or screens. These are the type of "garbage goals" that teams thrive upon. The traffic generated in front of opposition goaltenders is crucial, in particular down the stretch versus the good goaltenders in the U.S. division.

Looking to tonight's matchup against Spokane, the Hawks have yet another "4-point" game. Spokane has cooled off from their blistering pace slightly since the injury of their starting netminder James Reid, going 3-2-0-0 since the injury occurred. Both losses came against the Tri-City Americans. The Winterhawks have had success in Spokane over the last two seasons, having only lost one game in Spokane since the start of last season. The Chiefs are led offensively by Tyler Johnson, who is second in the WHL with 86 points in 51 games. Portland will have to focus on shutting down the Johnson line tonight like they did on Saturday against the Tri-City line of Brendan Shinnimin-Adam Hughesman-Carter Ashton. However, this will be more difficult as the Hawks will not have last change like they did on Saturday night as the home team. Just an example of why teams fight so hard for home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs. With the Hawks unable to get the matchups from the faceoffs, we may see head coach Mike Johnston attempt to do some quick changing through the gameplay in order to get the matchups he desires. This may prove to be difficult however, as Spokane Arena has the weird long change twice rink configuration. Either way, the Winterhawks will need players to step up all through their lineup, in particular when facing the Johnson line.

Another point where the Winterhawks really excelled over the weekend was in the faceoff dot. Ryan Johanson won well over 60% of his faceoffs through the weekend, and when the Hawks win draws they get puck possession, a crucial part of their overall strategy. Look for the Hawks Craig Cunningham, Ryan Johansen, and Taylor Peters to try to match against one of the WHL's best faceoff men in Tyler Johnson tonight. When the Hawks win over 50% of faceoffs, particularly if they win over 50% of defensive zone draws, it limits opposition scoring chances and time on attack. And the less time the Hawks spend in their own zone, the more opportunities for the skill players to establish an offensive zone presence.

A Blog Post? What???

2011-02-05T17:52:00.000-08:00

I'm Back!!! Post to follow tomorrow...

Central Scouting Rankings Out: 4 Hawks in Top 10

2010-11-16T17:41:00.001-08:00

The NHL central scouting bureau, the premier system for public information on scouts' views on NHL draft-eligible talent, has ranked 4 Winterhawks in the top 10 of their initial WHL rankings. This initial ranking separates out players by league. Sven Bartschi comes in at number two on the initial rankings. Bartschi, in his rookie season for the Hawks, has scored 33 points, including 16 goals, in his first 23 games in the WHL. Bartschi has a tremendous wrist shot, good speed, and a tenacity that and offensive instincts that create opportunities for himself and his teammates. Ty Rattie is the third ranked draft-eligible skater in the initial rankings. Rattie is tops on the Hawks roster in scoring and second in the entire WHL with 38 points in his first 23 games. Rattie skates well, has a quick and accurate shot, and has worked a nice chemistry with Bartschi.

Joe Morrow is 5th on the list, and second among defenseman. Morrow has 13 points in 14 games in the early season, viewed by scouts as a smooth skating defenseman who is solid in his own end, with tremendous offensive upside and a cannon of a slapshot. And finally, Tyler Wotherspoon is ranked 9th on the central scouting initial list. Wotherspoon, in his second season in the WHL, has 5 points and is a +5 rating. Wotherspoon, perhaps the most physical of the Hawks' defense, plays a very rugged game. In the mold of a Brett Ponich, but perhaps with a bit more offensive upside, Wotherspoon is the kind of defensive defensman that all teams covet.

Comparing this season's initial rankings to last season, the Hawks have the same number of skaters on the list as last season. Troy Rutkowski was tops for the Hawks on the initial rankings, coming in at number 5. Nino Niederreiter was 6th, Ryan Johansen 9th, and Brad Ross came in at 13th. Considering that Johansen went 4th overall in the NHL draft, and Niederreiter 5th, clearly there is a lot of time and a lot of room for changes. At this point last season, Niederreiter and Johansen, who both went in the top 5, combined for 17 goals and 38 points. This season, Ty Rattie and Sven Bartschi have combined for 30 goals and 71 points. So perhaps the Hawks will see another pair of players go early this coming June in St. Paul, Minnesota at the NHL entry draft.

Rattie, Bartschi Continue Hot Play

2010-10-18T22:39:00.000-07:00

The first-place Portland Winterhawks got three more points from Ty Rattie and Sven Bartschi as they steamrolled the Kelowna Rockets Saturday night at Prospera Place, winning 5-1. Rattie scored a pair of tallies as well as assisting on one of Ryan Johansen's two goals to lead the way for the Hawks. Rattie now has 13 points in his last 5 games, and 8 in the two games the Hawks played this weekend. Bartschi has a streak of his own going, as he had three assists on Saturday night to give him 12 points in his last 5 games. Ryan Johansen was united with those two on Friday night, and though he didn't get on the scoresheet in Kamloops, Mike Johnston on our pregame show called it "one of the best games he's had all season, points don't always tell the full story". Well Johansen continued his solid play on Saturday, and this time he was rewarded with a pair of goals. The Rockets simply didn't have any answers for the "Addition Line" (Rattie wears #8, Johansen #19, adds up to Bartschi's #27).

Mac Carruth played very well in net for Portland, making 32 saves on 33 shots. He made all the saves that he should have, and was really active with his pads. The defense in front of the Hawks did a great job of forcing Kelowna to mostly shoot from the perimeter, and though Kelowna outshot the Hawks 33-32, they generated only a couple quality scoring chances. Kudos once again go to the Hawks' penalty killers, as Tayler Jordan, Spencer Bennett, Taylor Peters, and Tyler Wotherspoon in particular were exceptional as Kelowna barely got a sniff at the attacking zone, let alone the Hawks' net, on their 5 powerplays.

Three Stars of the Weekend:
1. Ty Rattie- Absolute no brainer here, his 5 point outburst on Friday night was the first in a Winterhawk sweater since Braydon Coburn scored 5 points against the Seattle Thunderbirds in February of 2005. All he did for an encore was score 2 more goals and add a helper on Saturday night to help the Hawks improve their road record to 5-1-0-0.

2. Sven Bartschi- The Swiss Sniper v. 2.0 had another phenomenal weekend. A 4 point night on Friday night including a goal late in the third period after Kamloops had taken a bit of momentum helped propel the Hawks to victory. He followed it up with three assists on Saturday night, and although he saw his goal streak end at four games, he extended his point streak to 5.

3. Ryan Johansen- Though he didn't score on Friday, he was instrumental in helping the Hawks bounce back from defeat. The Hawks have now gone 3-0-0-0 and outscored their opponents 21-10 in games following a loss or shootout loss this season. Johansen was all over the ice both nights, and showed his commitment to the game all weekend, watching video of his shifts, trying to improve himself as a player. The Columbus Blue Jackets wanted to see Johansen improve his defensive game, and he's been tremendous this year blocking shots on the penalty kill. His +5 rating through 8 games is 5th on the team.

Honorable Mention:
Derrick Pouliot played a solid weekend and chipped in with 4 assists.

Rattie, Hawks Explode Offensively, Beat Kamloops 8-6

2010-10-16T01:18:00.000-07:00

The Portland Winterhawks' Ty Rattie put up 3 goals and 2 assists, and Brendan Leipsic chipped in a pair of goals as the Hawks outgunned the Kamloops Blazers 8-6 in Kamloops Friday. Rattie was all over the ice tonight, scoring a powerplay goal early in the second to give the Hawks a 2-1 lead, then following it up 2:59 later with a beautiful toe-drag move and finish on a two-on-one. Between the two Rattie goals, the Hawks got a goal from Spencer Bennett, and looked firmly in control with a 4-1 lead. But Kamloops came storming back with three goals in the second half of the period, and the two teams headed to the third knotted at four. Ty Rattie planted his hat-trick goal early in the third period to give the Hawks the lead, a lead they wouldn't relinquish. Rattie was set up back-door by Sven Bartschi perfectly, and Bartschi followed it up with a goal of his own on the powerplay later in the period to give the Hawks a two goal edge. Brendan Leipsic also scored a goal early in the period set up by Rattie and Bartschi. Kamloops kept battling hard, and Dalibor Bortnak's goal in the last minute made things interesting. However the Hawks were able to hold on to their edge, and Riley Boychuck sealed it with an empty-netter with one second left on the clock. The biggest offensive performance of the night was Ty Rattie's 3 goal, 2 assist, 5 point effort, clearly the best player on the ice. Brendan Leipsic was very good offensively as well with a pair of tallies, including a beautiful finish in the third off the post and in. Sven Bartschi had a goal and three assists as well. For Kamloops, they were led by Brendan Ranford's 2 goals and an assist, and Chase Shaber's goal and three assists.

Up next for the Hawks is the Kelowna Rockets in Kelowna tonight. Pregame show is 6:40 with the opening faceoff at 7:00 on Freedom 970 KXFD.

Smash, Meet Grab

2010-10-10T03:59:00.000-07:00

The Portland Winterhawks got tremendous goaltending and timely scoring in their 2 games this weekend in Spokane, winning by scores of 3-2 and 2-1. Mac Carruth made 46 of 48 saves Friday night, with Taylor Aronson's goal with less than a minute stealing the victory away. Saturday night, the Hawks got an equally impressive performance from Ian Curtis, making 34 of 35 stops in the 2-1 victory. It was great to see both these netminders back in action, and playing well following injuries in the early season that resulted in Keith Hamilton playing the Hawks' first 6 games of the season. The Hawks' three goaltenders have now combined for a .936 save percentage and a 2.35 Goals Against Average. It will be very difficult for the coaching staff to make a decision on the three goaltenders, as all three have been playing very well in the early season. The Hawks are only carrying three 20 year-olds on their roster currently, so they don't absolutely have to make a decision on the three goaltenders anytime soon.

Three Stars of the Weekend:
1. Mac Carruth- His 46 save performance on Friday singlehandedly stole two points against the Chiefs.
2. Sven Bartschi- Scoring two goals on Friday, following it up with two goals on Saturday, Bartschi is off to a tremendous start to his WHL career. The Winterhawks seem to have found a gold-mine in the country of Switzerland, and Bartschi just may be Nino v.2.0
3a. Ty Rattie- Rattie now leads the Hawks in scoring, assisting on all three of Bartschi's four goals on the weekend. Rattie now has 11 points in 8 games to tie him for 10th in the WHL in scoring.
3b. Ian Curtis- Curtis. in his first game back after offseason shoulder surgery, turned in a 34 save night on Saturday to help propel the Hawks to their 10th consecutive win in the Spokane Arena over the past two regular seasons and playoffs.

NHL NOTES:

Nino Niederreiter made his NHL debut in a 5-4 shootout loss to the Dallas Stars. Niederrieter recorded a couple shots on goal, including a dangerous chance in the first that snuck through the legs of Dallas goaltender Kari Lehtonen and out the far side. It'll be interesting to see the impact of John Tavares' concussion on both the early portion of the regular season, and the decision to keep Niederreiter up. Brenden Morrow scored twice in the victory for the Stars, giving him three goals in two games. Another former Winterhawk scored twice on Saturday, with Brandon Dubinsky scoring two goals in a 6-3 Ranger victory over the Buffalo Sabres.

Live Blogging vs. Seattle

2010-09-17T23:51:00.000-07:00

Saturday, September 18th you can access my live blog from the Portland Winterhawks' final preseason game versus the Seattle Thunderbirds. Game time will be at 7 o'clock, I'll be opening the blog a bit earlier than the game to provide the rosters and background information. You can access it by clicking here.

Bartschi, Rattie Dismantle Kootenay 6-2/ Prospect Camp Info update

2010-09-12T12:54:00.001-07:00

Sven Bartschi notched four goals and Ty Rattie put up 3 assists as the Winterhawks wrapped up the Tri-City Preseason tournament with a convincing 6-2 victory over the Kootenay Ice. The Hawks put forth a phenomenal effort, as only 4 players on the roster for the game spent the entirety of last season with the Winterhawks. A newcomer to the roster this year who has the look of another superstar, Sven Bartschi certainly made his mark. Along with another newcomer in Teal Burns, and the second year former first round bantam pick Ty Rattie, that line appears to have the makings of being the Winterhawks' next great line. I've been so impressed with Rattie this preseason, as he has thoroughly dominated each and every game he's played in. I was also very impressed with Nic Petan, the Hawks' 2010 first round bantam pick. Petan played all preseason with a lot of confidence, and was rewarded with a goal and an assist in the game.

Now, looking to former and possibly current Winterhawks at the Traverse City Prospect tournament. Ryan Johansen notched 2 assists in the Columbus Blue Jackets' opening 5-4 loss to the New York Rangers. Also scoring in the game was former Winterhawk Chris Francis, also playing for Columbus. Oliver Gabriel played in this game as well, but failed to make an appearance on the scoresheet. In game number two for Columbus, they failed to really get going against the Minnesota Wild, trailing 4-1 late in the third period. The lone goal so far for Columbus, however, was scored by Oliver Gabriel. Notching the primary assist on the goal was Chris Francis. Francis now with (1-1-2) in two games, Johansen with (0-2-2) in two games, and Gabriel with (1-0-1) in two games. Columbus will play again on Tuesday in their final game of the tournament, and then the Blue Jackets will make cuts and begin their main camp later in the week. Johansen will certainly make the cut and go to main camp, Gabriel and Francis are longer-shots, but given the way they've started this tournament, just may earn a place in the main camp. Also playing in the tournament for St. Louis, Brett Ponich has yet to make an appearance on the scoresheet in either game. For a full look at all the scores, check out the pointstreak site here

UPDATE:
In London, Ontario, Taylor Peters notched an assist on Pittsburgh's first goal in their 2-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs Sunday. That moves Pittsburgh's record to 2-0 in the tournament after beating Ottawa 5-3 on Saturday. Brad Ross was held off the scoresheet in the game, but did notch a first period marker in the Leafs' opening victory on Saturday over the Chicago Blackhawks. Both teams will wrap up their tournaments on Tuesday, with the Leafs facing the Senators, and the Penguins squaring off against the Blackhawks.

UPDATE 2

Tuesday's action in the NHL camps saw Taylor Peters' Pittsburgh Penguins fall 9-5 in a wide-open barnstorming game in London, Ontario. Peters was held off the scoresheet in the mad scoring rush. This concludes Taylor's preseason with the Penguins, as he is headed back to Portland this week. Also playing in London, Brad Ross returned to the Toronto Maple Leafs' lineup after sitting out Sunday's game (thank you to the reader who pointed that out to me previously). The Leafs played the Ottawa Senators in a preseason version of the Battle of Ontario, but Ross' Leafs fell to the Sens 3-2. Ross did manage to score in the game, and to watch a 6 minute highlight of this and the Saturday game the Leafs' played, which includes lots of Brad Ross action, head to mapleleafs.nhl.com

It was a bad night all around for the current Winterhawks playing in these preseason tournaments. In Traverse City, the Columbus Blue Jackets fell 8-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes. The lone goal for the Jackets was scored by Chris Francis, who finishes the tournament with 2 goals and an assist. Oliver Gabriel also got on the gamesheet, with his second period fight. Ryan Johansen did not play in the contest. Brett Ponich's St. Louis Blues fell to the Detroit Red Wings 2-1, also in Traverse City. Ponich was held off the scoresheet.

Hawks drop Tips 6-4

2010-09-10T18:00:00.000-07:00

The Portland Winterhawks improved their pre-season record to 3-0-0-1 with a 6-4 victory over the Everett Silvertips Friday morning in Kennewick. Ty Rattie again put forth a strong performance for the Hawks, notching a goal and two assists. The Hawks got off to slow starts in each of the first two periods, but were ultimately able to pressure the Everett defense with strong forechecking and take control of the game. The line of Ty Rattie, Teal Burns, and Sven Bartschi were particularly dangerous all afternoon. For a bit of time during the second period, 16 year old rookie Brendan Leipsic filled in at center on the line, and turned in perhaps the prettiest goal of the pre-season. Rattie fed Bartschi in the slot for a one timer which was kicked out by the Everett netminder. Leipsic picked up the rebound at the bottom of the right circle, and seeing the goaltender already down and committed, deked to his backhand around behind the netminder and then stuffed it home on the forehand. A great sign of patience from last year's 5th leading scorer in the Manitoba Midget league. The Hawks dominated the third period in particular, not allowing Everett a single shot on goal for the first 19 minutes of the period. Up next for the Hawks is another 11 a.m. game on Saturday, this time against the Kootenay Ice. The Ice lost today 6-2 to the Seattle Thunderbirds. As has been the case all pre-season, head to Andy Kemper's blog during the game for live updates from the arena.

Tri-City Preseason Tournament Notes

2010-09-09T23:07:00.000-07:00

The Portland Winterhawks will play 2 games this weekend at the Toyota Center in Kennewick this weekend, starting with an 11 am meeting with the Everett Silvertips. Both teams will be missing players to NHL camps, which should allow the younger players from both teams to shine. The Hawks will be missing 11 players to NHL camps, with Troy Rutkowski and Luke Walker still available as the Colorado Avalanche haven't entered any prospect tournaments this weekend. The Everett Silvertips will be missing 7 players, including their two highest profile goaltenders in Thomas Heemskerk and Kent Simpson. Everett will be participating in their second game of the weekend, as they opened today by falling to the Seattle Thunderbirds 6-2. I'd expect many of the younger players for both teams to be looking to make a case for an early season roster spot, as the final preseason games next weekend will most likely have many of the veteran players back from NHL camps and the teams will be trying to solidify their strategies for the beginning of the season. As he did last weekend, my radio broadcast partner Andy Kemper will be running a live blog from the game. The link to his website is on this page. Just make sure to remember to have the fake spreadsheet ready if the boss walks by at work!

Team Canada Camp Update

2010-08-09T14:51:00.001-07:00

Hockey Canada held the intra-squad scrimmages of their World Junior evaluation camp this weekend, the White team coming out on top in each game. The focus of the games however wasn't the scores, but the evaluations of individual players. From a Winterhawk perspective, Ryan Johansen scored 2 points in the two games playing for the weaker Red side. Brad Ross was held out of the on ice sessions for the camp, as he was suffering from a groin pull. Brett Ponich participated in the camp with the Red Team as well, but did not appear on the scoresheet. Johansen scored both his points in the first game on Friday night, notching assists on goals 2:27 apart. Johansen put in a good performance by all accounts, yet another accomplishment in his rise to prominence in the last two years. This was Johansen's first experience in a Canadian National Team camp. Up next in the process is a final camp in December in which the final roster will be decided. It was unfortunate for Ross to not be able to participate in the camp, but it doesn't necessarily hurt his chances on making the final roster. The teams are decided not only on the camps, but how the players perform in their regular seasons.

On another note, only a few weeks until the Winterhawks open their training camp, and this story marks my return to provide updates and insights into the world of Winterhawk hockey.

Bantam Draft Today

2010-04-29T13:52:00.000-07:00

The Winterhawks, as well as the rest of the Western Hockey League convened for the Bantam Draft for players born in the year 1995. I cannot summarize it any better than my colleague Andy Kemper, so to see what the Hawks have done so far, click here. You can also follow the draft live on the WHL's website (www.whl.ca).

Vancouver Game 6 Thoughts

2010-04-15T15:13:00.000-07:00

First of all, I want to say thank you to the Hawks organization for this incredible first year that I've had in the broadcast booth. And to the fans who've been so supportive to me as well. It truly has been one of the best years of my life.

Now, to Game 6 of the Portland-Vancouver series. The Hawks couldn't muster up a comeback and fell to the Giants by a score of 3-1. Throughout the course of the game, I always felt like Vancouver were the ones setting the pace of play. As is often the case in a game, the road team can kind of dictate how wide open or defensive the game is. It seems backwards to think like that, but generally teams tighten up and play more conservatively in the neutral zones, perhaps forechecking a little less hard. I thought that on Tuesday that's exactly what happened. It seemed like a mirror image of Game 3, when the Hawks played a suffocating defensive style and chipped in some timely goals when needed. I don't think that the Hawks were "robbed" or that the team vastly outplayed the Giants. On my final tally sheet, I had the scoring chances at 19-16 in favor of Portland. This included a flurry of 6 straight chances in the final 4 minutes of the game. So in the first 55 minutes, the Giants outchanced the Hawks 16-13 in my book. I thought the Giants played their best overall game of the series in Game 6, and deserved the victory. Because they got in on the cycle when they could, were conservative when they didn't want to take chances offensively, they limited Portland's chances significantly.

The most important goal of the game was obviously the game-winner, as Tomas Vincour tipped home a James Wright point shot on the power play to make it 2-1 early in the second period. I've read some complaints about the call to Nino Niederreiter that led to the powerplay, but in all honesty both live and on the replay it was a textbook case of interference. Some people didn't like the fact that the near official didn't call it, but he was too busy avoiding the actual check to be able to see just where the puck was. What this goal allowed the Giants to do was play a defensive-minded game the remainder of the contest. Early in the third, the defense created turnovers and counter-attacking scoring chances, leading to James Henry's insurance goal midway through the third. From Vincour's goal to Henry's, the Giants were all over Portland in all three zones, and were playing perhaps the best road performance I've seen all season, and certainly comparable to when the Giants shut-out the Hawks in the Rose Garden back in November.

Simply put, to say the Giants got "lucky" in winning the game or the series is a slight to what Don Hay has put together. Mark Segal made the big saves when necessary, and the top two lines buzzed all series long. James Wright and Tomas Vincour are co-MVP's of the series in my book, I thought they were the best Giants from Game 3 on. Honorable mention also has to go to Brendan Gallagher, who was very very good all series long. I thought overall the bounces and officiating (the two things the teams cannot control) evened out. There were missed calls both ways, and bounces that cost both teams goals, but overall the best team for the 6 games won the series. However, I would have liked to have seen what would have happened had Taylor Aronson not been injured in Game 4. His loss was significant, and perhaps the series would have gone another way if not for the injury.

The blog posts will be more and more sporadic as the summer wears on, but sometime next week I will be putting up a few prospect bios on players that will be looking to make the Hawks' roster next year. I'll also work on who each team is losing in the offseason, and begin handicapping the 2010-2011 season. These updates will occur later in the summer.

Hawks Trail 2-0 for Second Straight Series

2010-04-05T17:05:00.000-07:00

The Vancouver Giants showed again on Sunday exactly what they displayed on Saturday: tenacious forechecking and deadly finishing. The Giants put up a touchdown and extra point, beating the Hawks 7-4. So through two games, the Giants have scored 16 goals. Subtract the two empty netters, and the Hawks have still given up 7 goals per game in the series. The Hawks have yet to solve the top line of the Giants, as Craig Cunningham, Brendan Gallagher and Lance Bouma have combined for 9 goals, 8 assists, and 17 points. Portland has yet to show a real ability to slow down the speed through the neutral zone of the Giants. The one positive that the Hawks can take from the weekend is they've had little trouble solving the Giants defense either. 10 goals in two games in the playoffs you'd figure would get two victories, but instead the Hawks have lost twice.

Looking ahead now to game number three in Vancouver on Wednesday, I wouldn't expect the offensive fireworks to dissipate. Both of these teams have high-octane aggressive styles, and both have unproven netminders and defense corps. The cream of the crop for both teams is their offensive abilities, and it wouldn't shock me to see high-scoring games the rest of the series like we've seen the first two. The games I think will be a touch slower at Pacific Coliseum in Vancouver, as the ice-sheet is standard length as opposed to the Memorial Coliseum's 185 feet of length. I believe the shorter ice sheet was a big reason the transition games for both teams were so effective. Tune in to our pregame show on Wednesday night for some more intriguing numbers from myself and Andy Kemper. Airtime is 6:40 on Freedom 970, puck drop will be around 7 pm.

No Words...

2010-04-04T12:49:00.000-07:00

There are no words that can adequately describe just what occurred last night in the Giants' 9-6 victory over the Hawks in Game 1. Just suffice it to say that in the post-game show we had forgotten how a goal or two actually happened. Goals, chances, penalty minutes galore. After tonight's game, I'll try to recap both games as well as I can...

More Tomorrow...

Round 2 Predictions

2010-04-02T12:32:00.000-07:00

And then there was Round two. Whereas we thought we knew edges in the match ups in Round one, I know I'm much less certain about what's going to happen in Round number two. However, predictions are fun, and given my poor record in round one(3-4, didn't predict the Hawks' series) I'm going to try and redeem myself here in round two. As I did for the first round, I won't predict the Hawks' series.

Calgary vs. Medicine Hat
In this series, I think that if Martin Jones can get his game back straight, the Hitmen should have a good chance of knocking off the upstart Tigers. He'll most likely face more work than he did against the Moose Jaw Warriors, but I think that will actually benefit him. The Tigers need their best guys to really step up and try to match the offensive ability of the Hitmen. I don't see that happening, but I think it will be a very close series. Calgary in 7

Brandon vs. Saskatoon
Brandon has the better offense, they have the better defense. The are more disciplined, have more skill, are overall just a better team than the Blades. Of all the second round match ups, this is the one I have the most confidence in my picks. The Wheat Kings will lord over the Blades. Brandon in 5

Tri-City vs. Kelowna
This match up is highly intriguing. The Rockets showed in round number one that they will not give up their WHL crown easily. They showed grit and heart at times throughout the series, but were lucky to have caught the 'Tips with a very wounded back-end. If Gudas is healthy that entire series, the Rockets don't make it out of the first round. They now come upon a Tri-City team that was pushed hard by the Chilliwack Bruins. This will help them be more battle tested for round two in my opinion. I like Tri-City in this match up, their speed will put the Kelowna defense under pressure all series long. Unless Mark Guggenberger stands on his head, the Rockets will find this a long, uphill battle. Tri-City in 6

What A Game...

2010-04-01T20:27:00.000-07:00

As I'm sure you already know if you're a regular reader of this blog, the Portland Winterhawks came back from 3-0 down in Game 7 to win their first round series versus the Spokane Chiefs. Sitting here writing this at 8:30 the following night, I am still having difficulty understanding and absorbing just what occurred in Spokane Veterans' Memorial Arena last night. Midway through the second period, the Hawks trailed 3-0, but a huge goal by Nino Niederreiter set up by Bradley Ross helped the team claw back. To me, that shot by Nino was the biggest moment of the entire game, because after that goal the Hawks really settled down and started to play very very good hockey. Before it, they seemed rattled. The other key to the early part of the game was that the Winterhawks were a perfect 4 for 4 on the penalty kill. The penalty killers really helped keep the Hawks in it early while Spokane had all the momentum. When Ryan Johansen scored to cut the lead to 3-2 late in the second period, it looked like it would set up an unbelievable third period. And that's exactly what we were treated to last night. Spokane's Kyle Beach put home his seventh goal of the series early in the third period and the Chiefs started trying to protect that lead at that point. The Hawks kept fighting hard, and clawed their way back in on gritty goals by Riley Boychuck and Luke Walker. And that would set the stage for overtime.

Overtime in Game 7 is an experience unlike any other. Your heart jumps to your throat with every shot on net in either direction. Early in the period Taylor Aronson drove hard down the wing and cut towards the front of the net, but wasn't able to get it to his backhand due to good back-pressure by the Chiefs. In the overtime period, it seemed as though Aronson played about 17 minutes of the 17:29 that was played. Of course this is an exaggeration, but he was so dominant in the period that his play sticks out more than anyone else. He was unbelievable both offensively and defensively. Along with Luca Sbisa, that defensive pairing took over the entire overtime. Brett Ponich and Eric Doyle were also real good in shutting down Mitch Wahl and Kyle Beach in the overtime session. Mike Johnston mentioned in our postgame interview that he thought the Beach line got tired as the game wore on because they were on the ice so much. I'd tend to agree with that statement, as Hardy Sauter put them out on every other shift nearly the entire game. The Hawks depth really shone through, as Taylor Aronson drove hard wide with just over two and a half minutes in the overtime remaining. The third line of Stefan Schneider, Riley Boychuck, and Ty Rattie were on the ice. When Aronson beat the defenseman wide and picked his head up towards the front, he saw Riley Boychuck driving hard towards the near post. Patient behind the net, he waited until Ty Rattie found an opening in the high slot and put a perfect feed right on Rattie's tape. And 16 year-old Ty Rattie didn't miss, putting it through the five-hole of James Reid and home for the Hawks Series-clincher. And then there was pandemonium. On the bench, on the ice, in the broadcast booth, in homes all throughout the greater Portland Area, from Placentia, California to Airdrie, Alberta and so many places in between, the shouts were all the same. The Hawks have won, they're going to round two!

It is difficult to put into words the emotions that myself, Andy Kemper, and John Kirby went through all last night. Game 7's are always a roller coaster and the one we went on last night was unbelievable. I feel privileged to have been a part of it. I'll be back with more tomorrow on the upcoming series with the Vancouver Giants, which opens up on Saturday Night in the Memorial Coliseum at 7 pm.

Game 7 Coming...

2010-03-30T15:12:00.000-07:00

In a fitting conclusion to the tightest series in the WHL playoffs this season, the Portland Winterhawks and Spokane Chiefs will be heading to Game 7 Wednesday in Spokane. The Chiefs came into Portland on Monday night and got 2 goals from Levko Koper, as well as 3 assists from Tyler Johnson to escape with a 4-3 victory in front of 6000+ in the Rose Garden. Johnson was named number one star, and at times took over the game with his speed and skill on the puck. Koper, who hadn't scored yet in the series, scored the Chiefs second goal, and the eventual game-winner on a 2-on-1 with Johnson late in the second period. The Chiefs also got goals from Kyle Beach, his sixth of the series, and Kenton Miller, his third. For the Hawks, they came out a bit sluggish and on their heels, and dug themselves into a 2-0 hole and never were able to claw themselves back level. Troy Rutkowski scored his third of the series on a wicked wrister high blocker to open the Hawks scoring. Luke Walker then scored on a beautiful tic-tac-toe passing play with Chris Francis and Oliver Gabriel to make it 3-2. But Johnson and Koper made it 4-2 on their rush late in the second. Nino Niederrieter benefited from a Ryan Johnansen rush up ice and cross-ice feed to cut the Chiefs' lead to one. But that would be as close as James Reid would let the Hawks, the netminder from the Chiefs making all the saves from that point in, including an incredible glove save on Luke Walker with just under 2 minutes remaining, to ice away the victory.

Now there is Game 7, in the Spokane Veterans' Memorial Arena, a building where the Hawks are 7-0 on the season. But as I said in the post game show last night, all the statistics go out the window in a game 7 situation. I think that the first period will be massive in game 7, as often times in these situations momentum plays a huge role in deciding the victory. The first goal and first-period lead may prove to be the deciding factor, as they were in games 5 and 6. Game-time is 7:00, and you can listen to myself, Andy Kemper, and John Kirby on Freedom 970 am starting at 6:40.