Giannuzzi Stands Tall, But Birds Top Hawks 3-0
February 11, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release
A valiant Portland effort ran into a brick wall in Thomas Milic as the T-Birds took a 3-0 win at the VMC.
Game #51: Portland (0) vs Seattle (3)
SOG: POR (36) - SEA (32)
PP: POR (0/2) - SEA (1/3)
Saves: Giannuzzi (29/32) - Milic (36/36)
COMPLETE BOX SCORE
SCORING:
SEA - 11:58 - Second Period - Kevin Korchinski (7) from Lucas Ciona and Brad Lambert
SEA - 13:38 - Third Period - Brad Lambert (6) from Dylan Guenther and Reid Schaefer
SEA - 14:36 - Third Period - Sam Popowich (7) from Gracyn Sawchyn and Nolan Allan
The Story:
A goaltending duel between two of the Western Conference's top teams went the way of the Thunderbirds (38-9-1-1) as they topped the Winterhawks (36-11-2-2) 3-0 on Saturday.
Thomas Milic stopped all 36 Portland shots for the shutout, while Dante Giannuzzi turned aside 29 0f 32 in an impressive showing of his own.
As expected, both teams were on their game early in a tense - but scoreless - first 20 minutes. The standoff continued into the second until Seattle opened the scoring on a power-play strike by Kevin Korchinski at 11:58 of the frame. Portland pushed for the equalizer late in the period, but Thomas Milic stood tall to hold off the Hawks.
The Winterhawks opened the third on a power play and began to build momentum as the final frame wore on, but a lucky bounce for Brad Lambert and an odd man rush tally by Sam Popowich within a minute's span stifled the Hawks' comeback bid.
Portland opens up a long road trip this week to wrap up February, starting on Wednesday in Spokane against the Chiefs.
QUOTE OF THE NIGHT presented by BBF TECHNOLOGIES:
"We had a lot of great chances, but we've got to bury them. Bounces kind of went their way but we're right there with them, I think we're feeling good about our game tonight. That was one of the best games we've played as a team this season...it's going to come down to sharpening the little things so we can be the best we can be in the playoffs."
Winterhawks forward Jack O'Brien
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