WHL Portland Winterhawks

Game Day Hub: January 6 at Brandon

Published on January 6, 2023 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


The eastern swing kicks off with a battle in the prairies - it's the first matchup between Portland and Brandon since Oct. 19, 2019!

Puck Drop: 5:00 p.m. PT

Venue: Westoba Place

Uniforms: Black

Listen Live: Winterhawks Radio Network and on the Winterhawks App

Watch Live: WHL Live on CHL TV

Upcoming Promotional Games:

Friday, January 20 - Where's Waldo Night - BUY TICKETS

Saturday, January 21 - Sippin' Saturday - BUY TICKETS

Monday, January 23 - Kids' Game - BUY TICKETS

Friday, January 27 - Pride Night - BUY TICKETS

(Un)familiar Foe

For the first time in more than three years, the Winterhawks are set to face off against a team from the WHL's East Division!

The Wheat Kings enter tonight's tilt with wins in three of their last four games and are tentatively holding down the eighth and final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference with 34 points. Led by a pair of NHL Central Scouting A-rated prospects in forward Nate Danielson and goaltender Carson Bjarnason, Brandon boasts high-end talent up and down the lineup despite their record.

Only three Winterhawks have faced the Wheat Kings in their careers, as Jack O'Brien, James Stefan and Robbie Fromm-Delorme helped the Hawks to a 4-1 win in the Rose City early in the 2019-20 campaign.

Homecoming

The opponent may be new to most on the team, but six Winterhawks actually get a home-ice advantage this weekend. The club's Manitobans - Dante Giannuzzi, Aidan Litke, Dawson Pasternak (inj.), Carter Sotheran, Alex Thompson and Ryder Thompson - are each playing in their home province for the first time in their WHL careers.

Family and friends will undoubtedly show their love in the stands tonight and on Sunday in Winnipeg - look for the hometown Hawks to lead their team as the road trip gets underway.

Ryder's Return & Braeden's Beginning

After being shelved since Dec. 7 with an upper-body injury, defenseman Ryder Thompson is expected to draw back in for tonight's tilt in his home province. Thompson has tallied two goals and seven assists this season and returns to strengthen a defense corps that has held fast in recent games despite his absence and that of Marek Alscher.

Up front, we could see a WHL debut in tonight's contest. Fresh off of signing his Standard Player Agreement, Braeden Jockims practiced with the team in Brandon yesterday and could feature in the team's lineup following the reassignments of Aiden Sotas and Nick Andrusiak. Should Jockims get the go-ahead, he would be the 11th different player to debut for the Winterhawks this season.

Check out the Portland Winterhawks Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from January 6, 2023


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