WHL Portland Winterhawks

Game Day Hub: October 18 vs. Brandon

October 18, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


The Winterhawks welcome a Central Division opponent to town for the first time since the 2019-20 season as the Brandon Wheat Kings visit the VMC.

Puck Drop: 7:00 p.m. PT

Venue: Veterans Memorial Coliseum - Portland, Ore.

Uniforms: White

2022-23 Season Series: Portland went 0-1-0-0 against Brandon

Portland 2 @ Brandon 3 (Jan 6 2023)

Listen Live: Winterhawks Radio Network and on the Winterhawks App

Watch Live: WHL Live on CHL TV

Far, Far Away

These two clubs renewed pleasantries last season in Manitoba, when the Winterhawks fell 3-2 to the Wheat Kings at the start of their East Division road trip. Now, it's Brandon's turn to make the 1,340-mile trek across North America to visit the VMC (and other U.S. Division clubs).

The Wheat Kings are coming off of a wild finish in Kent last night, where they dropped a 6-4 game to the Thunderbirds after coughing up four goals in the final 1:04 of the game. Now heading into the back half of their U.S. Division tour, the Wheat Kings have gone 1-2-0 thus far and will be keen to get back on the right foot in the Rose City. Add that motivation to an already-solid Brandon club featuring Nate Danielson, who was selected 9th overall in the 2023 NHL Draft by Detroit, and tonight's contest provides a great litmus test for a top-ranked Winterhawks club looking to see just how good it can be.

It's Not Goodbye...

...it's "see you later" as the Winterhawks hit the road for nearly a month after tonight's tilt. Portland will head to Everett first on Saturday before departing for Alberta next week to kick off this year's Eastern Conference swing. The team will run the gauntlet of Red Deer, Edmonton, Calgary, Medicine Hat, Swift Current and Lethbridge across just a nine-day span, before concluding the trip with stops in Kamloops and Vancouver in mid-November.

So cheer loud, Hawks fans, and let the boys hear you for the next three weeks!

All Hail The Špunman

Portland goaltender Jan Špunar became the first Hawk of the year to earn a WHL Player/Goalie of the Week award after turning in two dominant showings last weekend - a 26/27-save performance on Friday and his first career regular-season shutout (22) saves on Sunday. The Olomouc, Czechia native leads the WHL and CHL in both GAA (1.00) and SV% (.963), and is a perfect 5-0-0 through the young campaign.

We'll have to wait and see if he picks up a sixth straight start, or if Mike Johnston elects to give promising rookie Luke Brunen a home debut between the pipes, but the Hawks are in safe hands either way.

Check out the Portland Winterhawks Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from October 18, 2023


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