WHL Portland Winterhawks

Everett Capitalizes on Chances to Hand Winter Hawks Third Straight Loss, 5-3

Published on October 16, 2004 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


Mark Kress, Zach Hamill and Tyler Dietrich scored third period goals for the Everett Silvertips in a 5-3 win over the Portland Winter Hawks Friday in Memorial Coliseum.

The Hawks narrowly missed several tremendous scoring chances, including a 3-on-1 break in front of the Everett net right before Kress scored the go-ahead goal for Everett. Dan Da Silva (Duh-SILL-vuh), Brian Woolger (WULL-ger) and Alex Aldred scored for Portland, (4-5), who will try to break a 3-game losing streak Saturday night at 7:00 in the Coliseum against the Prince George Cougars.

Everett, defending US Division and Western Conference champions, is (4-2-2-1), extending its lead over Portland to 3 points in this year's US Division race.

It was Portland's first game since deciding to drop overage forward Robin Big Snake from the roster on Tuesday due to some ongoing team issues. It was announced today that Big Snake cleared WHL waivers after not being selected in yesterday's league-wide overage draft and was picked up by the Owen Sound Attack of the Ontario Hockey League. There was some interest among minor league teams in Big Snake, but apparently he and his agent felt it would be better to stay in junior hockey.

The Hawks also dropped 18-year-old defenseman Christian Hankins from their active roster earlier this week leaving the team only three skaters over the 18-skater limit that dresses for every game. Portland is still completely healthy and scratched forwards Ivan Dornic and Sasha Golin as well as defenseman Kevin Tipper due to numbers. Portland also acquired 20-year-old goalie Blake Grenier (GRENN-yay) this week from the Swift Current Broncos. Grenier did not arrive in Portland until after practice yesterday and backed up starter Dustin Butler Friday night. Kevin Opsahl was the odd goalie out.

Everett scratched forwards Zach Hamill (concussion), Marc Desloges (arm) and Michael Wuchterl (upper body).

Portland had played two outstanding periods of hockey in its last two losses, but that was not enough to overcome major lulls and some retaliation penalties that were disruptive to the flow and momentum and, in the case of Sunday's loss to Lethbridge, led directly to the winning goal. Portland's first period problems continued against Lethbridge as the team did not generate a shot on net until about 12 minutes into the game. The Hawks came into Friday's game being outscored 13-5 in the first period of the first 8 games of the season and had only scored the first goal in a game once all year.

Everett has been sputtering a little to start the season, especially on the shot clock. Goalie Mike Wall has been outstanding as he stopped 31 shots in a 2-2 tie Wednesday against Kelowna in rematch of last year's Western Conference finals in a game played at the Everett Events Center. But, the Silvertips only generated 12 shots on net in the entire game. Wall was a wall against Portland last season, posting a stingy 1.39 average and 94.9% save percentage, but Brandon Dubinsky beat him with a nifty penalty shot in the third period, the difference in a 3-1 Portland win in Everett on October 1 in the only previous meeting between the clubs..

Portland came out cleanly crashing. The Hawks had several chances. Darrell May jarred a puck loose on the first shift and set up a scoring opportunity. Braydon Coburn was able to send several shots toward the net for tips and near misses. The Hawks started and ended the period with quite a few hits and they only took on penalty – an interference call that led to the first goal of the game by Everett. It was a nice power play goal set up by 16-year-old first round bantam draft pick Zach Hamill who made a pretty play, in traffic, at the left circle. The puck made it all the way to Desloges on the back door for the jam 9:00 into the game. Portland tied it on a great hustle play by Brian Woolger, beating the Silvertip defense to a dump in on the end boards. Woolger pivoted to open up a passing lane to Michael Funk, whose shot was blocked in front, but Da Silva jumped on the loose puck for the score at 16:11. Shots in the first period were even at 11-11. Butler made one key save on Barry Horman, who went in alone off a 2-on1 feed, but Butler held his ground for the stop in tight.

Portland came out flying in the second period and it was the Kyle Bailey, Darrell May, Frazer McLaren line that set the tone again with the very first shift as they did in the first period. Everett was on its heels and the Hawks took advantage with a gorgeous up-ice rush as the Festerling line took the ice. Da Silva tipped the puck to Festerling, who went full throttle down left wing as Woolger flew to the net. Festerling's cross-slot pass was perfect and well-timed for one of the prettiest goals of the season as Woolger re-directed it into the open side to give Portland a 2-1 lead a 1:21 of the second period. But, as Everett does so well, they took advantage of opponents' penalties to tie the game. The Hawks had all the momentum and the play before Brendan Mikkelson was going to go off for an attacking zone cross checking penalty. On the same sequence, Everett got the extra attacker out on the delayed penalty and organized a nice rush, Ryan Blatchford breaking toward the net off left wing. Butler made the save, but Blatchford rolled into Butler. Referee Pat Smith did not think that was worthy of a call, but Da Silva's answer, a roughing minor, was assessed and the ‘Tips were in business, 5-on-3 for a full two minutes. Karel Hromas, a 4th round pick of the Chicago Blackhawks, made a nice goalmouth pass to Barry Horman for the counter at 1);40 and the game was even, 2-2, after two. Shots were 8-7, Hawks, in the second period.

Portland did some very nice things in the third period, definitely getting more high quality scoring chances, and getting the crowd going several times with physical play. But, Everett's transition game and opportunistic clutch plays made the difference in crunch time. The Hawks had an incredible 3-on-1 down low that they probably over-passed with the 6'5" Coburn in front of the net joining the play, Festerling's back door pass to Woolger narrowly missed. The ‘Tips took it the other way and 16-year-old defenseman Jonathon Harty got his first Western Hockey League point by wheeling the puck to the net off the left sideboards with Kress in front for the tip-in. Portland continued to press. Michael Funk's shot from the point produced a juicy rebound with Cody McLeod at the top of the crease, but Wall somehow tipped the puck away. The Hawks clearly carried the play, but then made a big boo-boo in their own end. Coburn and Funk got tied up with each other trying to clear the zone and a loose puck went out to Hamill in the high slot. He did not hesitate, immediately wristing the puck on goal, through a screen, catching Butler by surprise and it was now 4-2. The Hawks continued to play hard and carry the play with all of its forward lines, which, in the long run over 72 games will pay dividends. Portland continues to show a lot of depth up front and it was Bailey who jumped on Coburn's deep dump in to set up Aldred in the slot for a perfect one-timer, low stick, with 3:43 left and the Hawks were back within a goal. What happened next was not fair. Funk wisely shot a puck quickly from the left point with Shane Halifax causing a major disturbance in front of the Silvertip net. Wall left the rebound out and Halifax used his size and determination to muscle away from everyone, leaving a couple of Silvertips down in his wake, but the puck either hit the post or went just wide. Then, another golden opportunity when Da Silva fired a puck to the net off the left wing, through Wall, on the back side with Brandon Dubinsky there, but referee Pat Smith lost sight of the puck and blew it dead. It looked like Dubinsky would have created the tying goal from where he was. Then, another mistake with the Hawks' net empty. Coburn's outlet pass was tipped by Brady Calla, who set up Dietrich for the empty net clincher with 1:10 left.

Overall, not a good night as division rivals Seattle and Tri-Cities both won, but the season is young.

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Western Hockey League Stories from October 16, 2004


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