Gustafson's First WHL Hat Trick Powers Hawks to 7-4 Win Over Blazers
Published on November 21, 2025 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release
Jake Gustafson netted his first career WHL hat trick, and Tyson Yaremko scored in his return from injury, as the Hawks powered past the Blazers 7-4 on Friday night.
Game #23: Portland (7) vs. Kamloops (4)
SOG: POR (40) - KAM (43)
PP: POR (3/7) - KAM (0/3)
Saves: Štěbeták (39) - Edmonstone (33)
COMPLETE BOX SCORE
SCORING:
POR - Carter Sotheran (3) from Sam Spehar
POR - Jake Gustafson (7) from Nathan Brown
POR - Ryan Miller (7) from Alex Weiermair and Carter Sotheran (power play)
KAM - Josh Evaschesen (9) from Cooper Moore and Jordan Keller
POR - Nathan Free (13) from Carter Sotheran (power play)
POR - Tyson Yaremko (1) from Sam Spehar and Alessandro Domenichelli
KAM - Josh Evaschesen (10) from Cooper Moore and Rhett Ravndahl
POR - Jake Gustafson (8) from Nathan Brown and Kyle McDonough
KAM - Tommy Lafreniere (16) from JP Hurlbert
POR - Jake Gustafson (9) from Nathan Brown and Sam Spehar (power play)
KAM - Nathan Behm (15) from Tommy Lafreniere and JP Hurlbert
GAME SUMMARY:
The Hawks opened the scoring just 26 seconds into the game when Carter Sotheran danced around pressure at the blue line and fired a shot through traffic to give Portland the early lead. The advantage doubled soon after as a mishandled pass by a Kamloops defender left the puck for Nathan Brown, who fed a no-look pass to Jake Gustafson streaking down the middle, who ripped it home to make it 2-0. Portland then extended the lead to three when Alex Weiermair sliced through two Blazers defenders and cut to the slot, finding captain Ryan Miller on the doorstep for his seventh of the season. Kamloops got one back late, as Josh Evaschesen scored with 30 seconds remaining to make it 3-1 after the first.
Portland pushed the lead to 4-1 early in the second as Nathan Free skated in from the right circle with help and wired a wrist shot past the glove of Logan Edmonstone for his team-leading seventh power-play goal. The Hawks made it 5-1 moments later, as Tyson Yaremko - returning to the lineup for the first time since suffering a season-ending injury on Dec. 31, 2024 - buried a feed from Sam Spehar for a storybook goal in his return. Evaschesen struck again for Kamloops to cut into the deficit, but Portland answered before the period ended. A blistering wrist shot from Brown created a rebound that Gustafson pounced on, netting his second of the night and sending the Hawks into the break with a 6-2 lead.
Tommy Lafreniere opened the third with his 16th of the season to bring the Blazers within three, but Portland responded quickly. After winning a battle along the boards, Brown sent a saucer pass across to Gustafson, who hammered home the one-timer for his first career hat trick. Kamloops added one more on Nathan Behm's 15th of the season, but it wasn't enough, as the Winterhawks closed out a 7-4 victory for their fourth straight win.
UP NEXT:
The Portland Winterhawks continue their trip through British Columbia with a visit to Prospera Place, where they'll face the Memorial Cup hosting Kelowna Rockets at 6:05 p.m.
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 on October 25 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.
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