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WHL Portland Winterhawks

Game Day Hub: April 9 at Kamloops

April 9, 2022 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


It's a tilt of two top teams as the third-ranked Winterhawks battle the second-ranked Blazers.

Puck Drop: 7:00 p.m. PT

Venue: Sandman Centre - Kamloops, BC

Uniforms: Red

Previous Meetings This Season: Portland is 1-2-0-0 Against Kamloops

Kamloops 2 @ Portland 5 (Jan 16 2022)

Kamloops 4 @ Portland 3 (Nov 26 2021)

Portland 1 @ Kamloops 7 (Nov 3 2021)

Listen Live: Winterhawks Radio Network and on the Winterhawks App.

Watch Live: WHL Live on CHL TV

Game Notes: Winterhawks Game Notes

Three is a Magic Number

After sealing up home-ice advantage for the opening round of the 2022 WHL Playoffs with a win in Vancouver last night, the Hawks have another chance to set a playoff benchmark this evening. Picking up just a point in Kamloops will give Portland no worse than the #3 seed in the Western Conference come playoff time, helping them avoid a #4/#5 matchup with Seattle or Kelowna.

The postseason picture is starting to become clear, though the bottom end of the pool remains murky. Should Portland clinch the #3 seed this evening, there are feasibly four different teams they could face in the first round between Spokane (51 pts, 65 GP), Vancouver (50 pts, 63 GP), Victoria (50 pts, 65 GP) and Prince George (49 pts, 65 GP). Playoff excitement is right around the corner, but there's still plenty to keep an eye on in the regular season!

Heavyweights

For the third straight week, the Winterhawks get to face off with one of just two teams ranked ahead of them in the Western Conference. And after knocking off top-seeded Everett on the road last week, the Hawks can bring confidence into tonight's clash with the high-scoring Blazers.

Last time these two teams met in Kamloops, it was no contest as the Blazers rolled past the Hawks 7-1 in early November. But that was a different Portland team - before the end of November, the Hawks fell 4-3 in a close battle with Kamloops at the VMC, then topped them 5-2 in January. The Winterhawks' steady improvement since that 7-1 defeat sets the table for what should be a thrilling affair between two very talented teams.

New Faces

With the conclusion of many Hawks' prospects' seasons, a handful of signed players have joined the team as affiliate players, including Rhett Ravndahl and Aiden Sotas. Sotas was a healthy extra for the team last night, but as Head Coach/GM Mike Johnston looks to get his team geared up for the playoffs, he may elect to start some younger skaters to both keep them fresh and to rest the regulars. So keep an eye on those pre-game lineups, you might just catch a new name!

WIN A TOYOTA:

Back for another season, fans 18+ who reside in Oregon or Southwest Washington can ENTER TO WIN a brand new Toyota car, truck, or SUV.

Each game this season, one lucky fan will have their entry drawn and they will have a chance to win our grand prize if they get all five game predictions correct.

Tonight, we are cheering on: Matau G. from Portland, OR

What our Hawks fan could win: A brand new CamryWhat needs to happen?

Portland Winterhawks (11) beat the Kamloops Blazers (6)

Cross Hanas scores the first Winterhawks goal.

Portland goaltenders make 22 total saves.

Kamloops goaltenders make 21 total saves.

Good luck tonight, Matau!

Think you know the Winterhawks best and can win a Toyota? Click here to enter today!

PROJECTED LINEUPS:

Portland

Scratches:

Kamloops

Scratches:

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Western Hockey League Stories from April 9, 2022


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