WHL Portland Winterhawks

Game Day Hub: Round 1 / Game 1 vs Prince George

Published on April 22, 2022 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


For the first time in three years, the playoffs are back in Portland as the Winterhawks open up round one against the Prince George Cougars.

Puck Drop: 7:00 p.m. PT

Venue: Veterans Memorial Coliseum - Portland, OR

Uniforms: White

Previous Meetings This Season: Portland went 4-0-0-0 Against Prince George

Portland 5 @ Prince George 3 (Feb 26 2022)

Portland 7 @ Prince George 2 (Feb 25 2022)

Prince George 1 @ Portland 4 (Jan 28 2022)

Prince George 2 @ Portland 6 (Dec 1 2021)

Listen Live: Winterhawks Radio Network and on the Winterhawks App. Fans can listen live in the arena on 87.9 FM.

Watch Live: WHL Live on CHL TV

Welcome back, playoff season

It's been a long time coming - playoff hockey makes its return to the Rose City after the pandemic kept the postseason under wraps in 2020 and 2021. The Winterhawks didn't miss a beat though, qualifying for their 11th consecutive trip to the WHL Playoffs this year.

For their troubles, the Hawks get a first-round date with the Prince George Cougars, a team they topped in all four regular-season meetings. These two clubs have a bit of playoff history as well, having met in the first round of the 2017 WHL Playoffs (Portland won the series 4-2). Coincidentally, that was Prince George's last trip to the postseason, and now they'll make their return against the team that last eliminated them.

It's the beginning of the best time of year, so get to the VMC early and soak it all in, Hawks fans!

Familiar Faces

The trade that brought Taylor Gauthier to Portland in December continues to weave storylines as the playoffs get underway. Part of the reason Prince George traded Gauthier might have been to give him a chance at playing in the postseason, having missed the cut in each of his first four years in the WHL. Now, he's made it to the postseason, and his first test comes against his former club. It's a poetic way for him to make his WHL playoff debut in his final season of junior hockey, but once the puck drops, you can bet Gauthier will be dialed in on victory.

On the other side, former Winterhawk Jonas Brøndberg looks to lead the Cougars' blue line into their first playoff berth since 2017. Brøndberg spent two years and part of a third in Portland, logging 90 games with the Hawks as a fan-favorite in the VMC. The Danish defenseman boasts six points with Prince George, and will look to keep his final junior season going a bit longer with the Cougars.

Young Blood

Portland's talent is undeniable, but after two years without the opportunity for playoff hockey, many Winterhawks will be entering uncharted territory in the postseason. The atmosphere is louder, the game is faster, the hits are bigger and the wins mean more - it's a lot to take in for players who haven't been a part of it. But Portland's youngsters are looking forward to growing into the moment.

"This is crazy energy. I've never experienced something like this. It's such a big stage in the WHL," said Luke Schelter, "I've won a few championships before, but they were small, they were over the weekend tournaments, but this is a bigger stage with seven-game series. It's going to be fun, it's going to be energetic and I'm super excited for it."

Stay tuned to Winterhawks.com today for a deep dive on how the Winterhawks' younger players are looking ahead to playoff action!

Check out the Portland Winterhawks Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from April 22, 2022


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