WHL Portland Winterhawks

Hitmen Whack Hawks, 4-1

Published on January 28, 2006 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


Calgary, AB - The Winter Hawks led the game until late in the second period, but Calgary's Fredrik Pettersson scored an electrifying go-ahead goal five minutes into the third period and the Central Division leading Hitmen skated to a 4-1 win over Portland on Saturday night. Jon Bubnick played his 300th career WHL game and scored his team leading 24th goal of the season. Portland netminder, Dustin Butler, picked up the loss but was impressive with 30 saves.

Saturday night's game will be re-broadcast in Portland on Comcast CNW-14 television on Sunday at 1 PM, Portland time.

The Hawks return to Portland to prepare for the final game of their season- high 7-game road trip, a Friday night meeting with the Chiefs, February 3rd in Spokane Arena at 7 PM. The Chiefs were the last team Portland beat as the Hawks have lost six in a row since defeating Spokane at home, 3-2 on January 16th. The Winter Hawks' next home game is Saturday, February 4th at 7 PM against the Everett Silvertips. The game was originally scheduled for Memorial Coliseum but has now been moved to the Rose Garden.

Saturday was the final game of Portland's Central Division swing and the Hawks finished winless (0-4-1-0), managing one point from their 3-2 overtime loss to the Swift Current Broncos on Tuesday. Two years ago, Portland was (1-3-1-0) on the trip and the Hawks skated to a 4-4 tie with Calgary on November 17, 2003. In fact, prior to Saturday night, Portland was unbeaten in their last four meetings with the Hitmen, (3-0-1). Last season, the Hawks beat the Hitmen 3-1 on Portland's "Teddy Bear Toss" night, November 27, 2004.

The Winter Hawk are now (21-23-3-2) and in third place in the U.S. Division with 47 points. The Hawks have now lost their last seven road games and 13 of their last 14. Portland hasn't won away from Portland since January 6th. Portland has only won one game this season when scoring less than three goals and that came on November 25th, a 2-0 win over Prince Albert in Memorial Coliseum.

Dustin Butler made his fourth start of road trip and his fifth start in seven games. On Wednesday, Butler made 30 saves in Portland's 4-2 loss to Medicine Hat.

Calgary had two power-plays before Portland even had their first shot on goal. But Butler was sharp in the first period, holding the Hitmen off the scoreboard with a handful of big saves in the opening ten minutes. Calgary monopolized territorial play and the Hawks didn't generate a real scoring chance until late in the period. Kyle Bailey and Jon Bubnick created a short-handed up ice rush with 3:42 remaining, which seemed to jump-start the team's offense. A minute later, Frazer McLaren nearly had his fifth goal of the road trip as he tipped a Colton Sceviour pass that almost got through Calgary goaltender, Justin Pogge. In the first twenty minutes, the Hitmen had nine scoring chances on ten shots to the Winter Hawks' pair of chances on four shots.

After getting outplayed for most of the first period, the Winter Hawks finally found their stride and did something they hadn't done the entire road trip-score a goal in the second period. In the previous five games, the Hawks had scored six of their eight goals in the third period. Kyle Bailey and Jon Bubnick teamed up to give Portland a 1-0 lead, 3:22 into the second period. Bailey put up a screen in front of Calgary's net and Bubnick lasered a shot past Pogge for his third goal in as many games. The goal was Bubnick's 15th power-play goal and team best 24th of the season, giving him a career-high 50 points on the year. Riley Merkley tied the game 1-1 when his low wrist shot snuck through Butler's leg pads with 38 seconds remaining in the period. Shots favored Calgary in the second period, 10-5.

The end-to-end action continued in the third period. Moments after a pair of Portland scoring chances, Calgary's Fredrik Pettersson made an elite move around the Winter Hawks' defense, skated across the front of the net and filed the puck past Butler to give the Hitmen a 2- 1 lead at 5:55. Calgary extended their lead with a power-play goal at 10:10. Brett Sonne tipped in a point shot that deflected off the end-boards, giving Calgary a 3-1 lead. The line of Frazer McLaren, Colton Sceviour, and Brayden Nargang continued to create chances in front of Pogge but just couldn't finish. Trailing by two goals, head coach Mike Williamson elected to pull goaltender, Dustin Butler, with four minutes remaining in the third period. And Carson McMillan topped off the scoring with an empty-net goal at 18:25. The Hitmen outshot the Hawks 13-10 in the third period and 33-19 in the game.

Jon Bubnick extended his goal-scoring streak to three games with his second period goal. Bubnick has 7 goals and 10 assists in his last 14 games.

Jordie Fike, who had missed three games with a charley horse after colliding with Frazer McLaren during Monday's practice, returned to the lineup on Saturday night. Scott Gabriel was a healthy scratch. Brandon Dubinsky missed his eleventh game with a knee injury. Cameron Cepek missed his 30th straight game with a broken wrist. Both Cepek and Dubinsky are listed week-to-week.

Portland's Saturday night game against Calgary will be televised on Comcast CNW-14, by tape and delay, in Portland on Sunday at 1 PM and ON DEMAND for two weeks. The Hawks continue their stretch of road games on Friday, February 3rd in Spokane at 7 PM. The Winter Hawks return home to host Everett on Saturday, February 4th at 7 PM, a game originally scheduled for Memorial Coliseum that has now been moved to the Rose Garden. Call 236-HAWK (4295) for tickets.

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Western Hockey League Stories from January 28, 2006


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