Gustafson Strikes Late as Winterhawks Edge Hitmen in Calgary
WHL Portland Winterhawks

Gustafson Strikes Late as Winterhawks Edge Hitmen in Calgary

Published on October 13, 2025 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


Will McLaughlin netted his first WHL goal, Ryan Miller tallied the equalizer, and Jake Gustafson buried the game-winner as the Winterhawks took down the Hitmen 3-2 on Canadian Thanksgiving in Calgary.

Game #8: Portland (3) vs. Calgary (2)

SOG: POR (29) - CGY (34)

PP: POR (1/5) - CGY (0/4)

Saves: Štěbeták (32) - Hesse (26)

COMPLETE BOX SCORE

SCORING:

CGY - Brandon Gorzynski (2) from Landon Amrhein

POR - Will McLaughlin (1) from Kyle McDonough and Alex Weiermair (power play)

CGY - Kale Dach (3) from Ethan Moore and Caine Wilke

POR - Ryan Miller (2) from Jake Gustafson and Kayd Ruedig

POR - Jake Gustafson (2) from Alex Weiermair

GAME SUMMARY:

The Calgary Hitmen opened the scoring on Monday afternoon, as Arizona native Brandon Gorzynski found the net just over five minutes into the game. But the Winterhawks' power play responded at 14:04 of the first, with Kyle McDonough working the puck down low before spotting defenseman Will McLaughlin cutting in from the blue line. McLaughlin fired through traffic and forced the puck home for his first career WHL tally, tying the game at one goal apiece after one period.

Calgary regained the lead in the second following an awkward bounce at center ice that led to an odd-man rush, where Kale Dach capitalized to put the Hitmen back in front.

Portland had an answer again later in the frame. A shot from the right wall by Jake Gustafson found newly named Winterhawks captain Ryan Miller parked in front of the net, where he created chaos and rebounded the puck past Calgary goaltender Aidan Hesse to knot things up at 2-2 heading into the final 20 minutes.

Early in the third, a spectacular sequence of saves by Winterhawks netminder Ondřej Štěbeták sparked a momentum boost for the Hawks. With just over five minutes remaining, Alex Weiermair muscled the puck away from a Calgary defender behind the net and centered a pass to a crashing Gustafson, who ripped his shot past Hesse's glove to give Portland a 3-2 lead. It was the San Jose, California, native's second game-winning goal of the season.

The Hitmen didn't go quietly, as a chippy final stretch earned them a late power play. Calgary pulled Hesse to create a 6-on-4 advantage, but Portland's penalty kill held firm, standing tall in front of Štěbeták to lock down the 3-2 win on Canadian Thanksgiving.

UP NEXT:

The Portland Winterhawks continue their Alberta road trip as they head to the provincial capital to take on the Edmonton Oil Kings at Rogers Place this Wednesday, with puck drop set for 6:00 p.m. PST.

Reminder, you can watch all Portland Winterhawks games on Victory+ for free all season long! Click here to visit the Winterhawks hub or download the Victory+ app on your smartphone or connected device.

The Portland Winterhawks are commemorating 50 Years of Hawkey this season with a year-long tribute to the team's rich history and legendary players. As part of the celebration, the Top 50 Winterhawks of All Time will be unveiled throughout the season-starting with an alphabetical reveal at our home opener on October 25, presented by Chick-fil-A, and culminating in the announcement of the Top 10 on March 7, 2026. Fans can look forward to special events, tributes, and a season full of memories honoring five decades of Winterhawks hockey.

Check out the Portland Winterhawks Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from October 13, 2025


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