WHL Portland Winterhawks

Isolated Mistakes Overcome Dynamic Effort, Winter Hawks\' Season Ends, 3-2

Published on April 6, 2005 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


The Portland Winter Hawks left everything they had on the ice, working together to keep the puck in the Everett zone easily for more than 75% of the game, but in the end a great Everett goaltender, some superb, positional Everett defense, some lack of Portland puck luck, and two big mistakes spoiled a very entertaining evening for 9,697 Tuesday in the Rose Garden.

The Everett Silvertips won Game 7, 3-2, to advance to the Western Conference Semi-Finals against the Kootenay Ice and Portland's season ends.

This Portland Winter Hawks team became the first of eight teams in the 29-year history of the franchise trailing a series 3-1 to win two games and force a Game 7. But, Alex Leavitt (LEV-it) scored two goals and Everett goalie Michael Wall stopped 36 shots to lead Everett to victory.

20-year-old Cody McLeod, playing in his last game in a Winter Hawks' uniform, hit every Silvertip, most more than once, and set up Braydon Coburn with a pass out of the corner with 59 seconds left in the game to raise the Rose Garden roof as Coburn scored to get the Hawks within a goal. Almost no one left the Rose Garden until the bitter end, even though Leavitt's breakaway goal midway through the third period gave Everett a 3-1 lead.

Garrett Festerling also scored for Portland and Mark Kress had the other goal for Everett. Portland outshot the Silvertips 38-21, but their best scoring chances were probably on shots that did not quite get on goal or missed just wide.

Portland only loses overage players McLeod, goalie Blake Grenier, and Game 6 overtime hero Darrell May, who all had key roles in the series, from next year's team. Coburn is eligible to return as a 20-year-old, but almost certainly will at least play in the American Hockey League next season. If the NHL lockout is settled, Coburn will have a great chance to play with the Atlanta Thrashers.

But, that leaves 17 players eligible to return next year for what should be a strong team in 2005-06.

Everett scratched team captain Mitch Love for the third time in the series. Love played in Game 6 in Everett Saturday, but re-injured his knee after a third period body check by McLeod. He took the pre-game skate, but did not play. Everett also scratched 20-year-old veteran forward Tyler Dietrich, who missed the last six weeks of the regular season with a broken ankle, and played sparingly only in Game 3.

After nearly complete territorial dominance in the first three games of the series, the Silvertips had their share of the play much of Game 4, 5 and 6. But, in the first period of Game 7, Portland had a significant edge again. But, keeping the puck inside the Everett blue line and getting it into the low slot - or into prime scoring areas - is a lot tougher. So, in spite of all the play in the Everett zone, neither team generated a shot on net in the first 6 minutes of the game. Everett finally got a puck in deep in the Portland zone and burly forward Curtis Billsten steamed in with speed on Portland's Braydon Coburn. After a battle for possession, Billsten was able to jar the puck free and send it to the front of the net where Mark Kress was waiting. Portland's mistake in coverage away from the puck was deadly as Kress one-timed a short shot, just inside the left post, and Everett had the all important first goal. The team that scored first won every game in the series, and all but one that did not end in a tie during the regular season. Portland had a power play late in the first period and, even though they did not score, it seemed to give them a boost. Dan DaSilva and Brandon Dubinsky worked a nifty give and go, but Wall stopped Dubinsky on the short side. Then Dubinsky set up DaSilva, but Ryan Blatchford blocked the shot in front with Wall vulnerable. Cody McLeod also had a great chance in the low slot steered away by Wall. The line of Kyle Bailey, Brian Woolger and Darrell May was dangerous most of the game. May's backhand late in the first period from the slot off some very nice passing, went just wide of the right post. Then, with 10 seconds left in the period, Portland lined up defenseman Michael Funk in front of the net for a face off. He got open, and got the puck, but just missed wide with a backhand that Everett defenseman Ivan Baranka may have just tipped wide. Shots on goal were 7-6, Portland. Quality scoring chances were 7-3, Portland, but Everett led 1-0.

The Silvertips helped Portland keep its momentum with a "too many men on the ice" bench minor penalty just 1:39 into the second period and the Hawks wasted little time ringing up a power play goal to tie the game. Garrett Festerling drove into the slot and worked a perfect give and go with Braydon Coburn. As he took Coburn's pass and nailed a wrist shot into the short side, high blocker, on Wall at 1:56. But, shortly after the goal, referee Rob Matsuoka fingered DaSilva and Dubinksy for back to back penalties for being, in his opinion, over aggressive. But, Grenier made a huge save on Karel Hromas off a terrific cross crease pass by Leavitt during the first power play. Then, on the second power play, Portland appeared to be exiting the zone on a nice play on the boards by Coburn, but the puck never got over the blue line. Defenseman Brendan Mikkelson and the forwards on the penalty killing unit had started to join the attack. The fatal moment left Kyle Annesley all alone in the slot for a shot and Leavitt all alone to the right of Grenier to plant the rebound. Tips lead 2-1. Portland did not flinch, continuing to rock and roll in the Everett zone. Kyle Bailey narrowly missed an open shot from the slot and Brian Woolger also just missed moments later from prime real estate in front. Wall came up with a quick-reaction blocker save on Festerling and Frazer McLaren backhanded a chance from the low slot just over the cross bar. Then, Matsuoka called what most fans thought was a roughing penalty on Coburn at center ice after constant pressure in the Everett zone. But, it was not roughing, it was a delay of game penalty for closing the hand on the puck as Coburn was facing two Everett players coming at him, full steam. Everett Coach Kevin Constantine called time out to try to set his power play while Mike Williamson cooled off his team for a big kill. The Hawks got the kill and Brian Woolger nearly scored, shorthanded, driving through three Everett players to the net, but Wall made the stop along the ice. Shots were 14-11 Portland and good scoring chances were 8-4, Hawks.

Even though Portland was in Everett's end for most of the early part of the third period, most of their shots were from the outside and non-threatening. DaSilva had the first great chance, hitting a screened Wall in the shoulder with a quick blast after Dubinsky won a face off. It was almost exactly like the goal Portland scored to take a 1-0 lead in Everett in Game 6, but Wall got a piece of the shot. Wall then stopped Brian Woolger and Darrell May, both in the crease area. May nearly circled away from a check and would have had an open net in the crease, but he could not quite get the puck on net. Wall also stopped Dubinsky, point blank range, with a terrific pad save. Pressuring for the tying goal and time running out on their season, Coburn wheeled for a one-time slapshot from the left point. It was blocked and Leavitt broke the other way, all alone. He had plenty of time to wait, be patient, break straight in on Grenier and pick his spot. Grenier had robbed him on breakaways at least two other times in the series, but Leavitt made this one count for what proved to be the winning goal.

The Hawks got a few more chances in the dying moments, pulling Grenier for an extra attacker with 3:42 left, even before Coburn's goal made it 3-2. DaSilva and McLeod nearly scored from a crease scramble, the puck in the air, but DaSilva deflected it above the net. And Mikkelson took a shot from the left point that hit a defender and Wall himself, taking a wild bounce to the left, somehow eluding the open net behind the Everett goalie. After Coburn's goal, Alex Aldred probably had the best chance as his nice low entry shot hit Wall in the skate and caromed off the left goal post.

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Western Hockey League Stories from April 6, 2005


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