Sports stats



WHL Portland Winterhawks

Buttazzoni's Hat-Trick Helps Hawks Past Giants 6-1

October 7, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


Portland, Ore. - Diego Buttazzoni starred with a hat-trick and an assist as the Winterhawks breezed past the Vancouver Giants for a 6-1 victory on Saturday night. Portland has won four straight and moves to 4-1-0 on the year.

The win also marks the fifth consecutive game to start the year in which the Winterhawks have scored at least four goals.

Portland's dominance wasn't immediate on Saturday - Vancouver picked up the first goal just 3:11 into the contest on Logen Hammett's first of the year - but it arrived before too much damage was done. Luca Cagnoni responded to Hammett's opener just 65 seconds later with a laser from the left circle. Just under a minute later, it was Buttazzoni's turn as the second-year sniper finished off a Josh Zakreski feed in the low slot. Keeping the onslaught going, Carter Sotheran then joined the fun at 14:48 with a heavy wrist shot off the rush, followed soon after by Buttazzoni's second of the game - a long-range one-timer set up by Sotheran on the power play.

Portland's first-period outburst marked the fourth time in five games the Hawks have tallied at least four goals in one period. And they weren't done there - Buttazzoni capped off his hat-trick midway through the second stanza with a carbon copy of his second goal, rifling another one-timer top-shelf from the right circle on the power play. Back on the man-advantage a minute later, Josh Davies deflected a Cagnoni shot into the top corner for his first goal as a Winterhawk, and the rout was on.

The Giants got a power-play marker of their own halfway through the final frame, but the Hawks held strong for the win. Jan Špunar's 23 saves earned him a third consecutive win between the pipes, while a busy Brett Mirwald put in a stout 45-save shift for Vancouver.

The Winterhawks are back in action next Friday, October 13, for Keep Portland Fear'd Night at the VMC. Puck drop is set for 7:00 P.M. for that tilt.

-- WINTERHAWKS.COM -

Check out the Portland Winterhawks Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from October 7, 2023


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central