WHL Portland Winterhawks

Game Day Hub: February 7 vs. Red Deer

Published on February 7, 2023 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


The Winterhawks battle an Eastern Conference opponent for the final time this season as the Red Deer Rebels come to town.

Puck Drop: 7:00 p.m. PT

Venue: Veterans Memorial Coliseum

Uniforms: White

Listen Live: Winterhawks Radio Network and on the Winterhawks App

Watch Live: WHL Live on CHL TV

Upcoming Promotional Games:

Saturday, February 11 - Black Hockey History Night - BUY TICKETS

Beast of the East

Tonight's matchup hasn't been seen in Portland since the 2018-19 season, a Feb. 16, 2019 matchup that saw the Winterhawks take a 2-0 win over the Rebels. Only Robbie Fromm-Delorme, Jack O'Brien and James Stefan have taken the ice against Red Deer in their WHL careers, presenting a new challenge for the majority of the team tonight.

Red Deer is led offensively by Kai Uchacz's 66 points and New York Rangers prospect Jayden Grubbe's 54, and import defenseman Christopher Sedoff is producing at just shy of a point-per-game clip. Two rookies in Kyle Kelsey and Rhett Stoesser man the nets evenly for the Rebels, starting 25 and 24 games and winning 16 and 18, respectively.

With 72 points, the Rebels sit just one point behind the Winterhawks in the league standings and lead the Central Division by a wide margin, pushing Winnipeg for the top seed in the Eastern Conference. They're a dangerous team that can score with anyone, and it should make for an exhilarating game when matched up with Portland's up-tempo style.

Next Man Up

On Monday, it was announced that Winterhawks forward Chaz Lucius would miss the remainder of the season after undergoing shoulder surgery. The 2021 first-round pick of the Winnipeg Jets had immediately blossomed in Portland after his assignment on Jan. 9, notching 15 points in six games and elevating Portland's offense. But despite the impact he had, the Winterhawks remain in a tight race for the U.S. Division title - a position they put themselves in well before Lucius arrived in the Rose City.

Through three months and change to start the season, the Lucius-less Winterhawks staked their claim to a top-three spot in the Western Conference and can certainly push for more on the strength of the team's depth. Marcus Nguyen in particular stepped into a key role last weekend, playing alongside Gabe Klassen and Kyle Chyzowski for what was Portland's most potent line in Saturday's playoff-clinching win over Tri-City. But whether it's Nguyen, Klassen, Chyzowski or any one of the Winterhawks' impressive forward corps leading the way one night, it could easily be the guy next to him setting the tone the next.

'The Barbers' Trading Card Giveaway

Our midweek tradition continues!

Be one of the first 500 in the building tonight to get your hands on the fourth set of Winterhawks trading cards, featuring Marek Alscher, Gabe Klassen, Aidan Litke, Alex Thompson and Josh Zakreski! Special thanks to our friends at The Barbers for making our trading cards possible!

Check out the Portland Winterhawks Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from February 7, 2023


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