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WHL Portland Winterhawks

Know Your Foe: Portland Prepares for Round One Match-Up with Everett

March 30, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


The Portland Winterhawks will compete in the WHL Playoffs for the 12th consecutive season when the pucks drops for Game 1 on Friday, March 31.

Let that sink in.

The Hawks punched their ticket to the postseason in early February and were in contention for a U.S. Division title for much of the year. Now, fresh off a 40-win regular season, they face Everett in the playoffs for the seventh time in their history.

"Everett's a quick team, they are fast, and they are on top of you," head coach and general manager Mike Johnston said. "It should be a really good series as far as transition goes. Both teams are transition teams and don't spend much time in their own zones. So we want to make sure that defensively we are strong and counterpunch quick."

That recipe worked out well for the Winterhawks this season, scoring 244 goals during the regular season with multiple players hitting double-digit scoring. Rookie Josh Zakreski finished the year first among Portland's first-year skaters with 13 goals and is awaiting his second taste of WHL playoff hockey after appearing in five postseason games last season.

"It was a good experience (getting called up to play in the 2022 WHL Playoffs). Playing against Seattle was probably the best hockey I've played in all my career," Hawks forward Josh Zakreski said. "It's good to get the experience and it's going to be good to help the other young guys because I can relate. I know what to expect coming into playoffs."

Coming off a momentous 3-1 win in Seattle last weekend, the Winterhawks enjoyed their last full week of practice before the madness begins. For 20-year-old backstop Dante Giannuzzi, it's a return to some familiar chaos.

"It's the best time of the year. Every day that you're practice and working out, it's all in preparation for the playoffs," Giannuzzi said. "All the guys are really excited and we've got a lot of guys who have never been through it so it's really good for them to experience it for the first time. For all of us who do have the experience, we're looking forward to getting back into that playoff-like feeling and the intensity and all of that."

Everett shook up its roster at the trade deadline, sending NHL-drafted talent in Olen Zellweger and Ryan Hofer to Kamloops in a massive deal, but still boasts a wealth of talent throughout the lineup. The Silvertips feature one of the league's top forwards in 20-year-old Jackson Berezowski at the helm, as well as high-flying cohorts like Austin Roest and Vegas Golden Knights prospect Ben Hemmerling. In his second season as team captain, Berezowski hit a handful of franchise milestones in 2022-23, setting the single-season goals record with 48, the career goals record with 130 and became the first to record multiple 40-goal campaigns.

The Hawks played the Silvertips eight times during the regular season and won six of those meetings. But when a team's season is on the line, the intensity changes.

"We played them quite a bit throughout the year, but never in a series quite like this so it's completely different and anything can happen in playoffs," Giannuzzi added. "I think that's what makes it so fun. Everyone is really included in it and you really need everyone to win."

As for the Hawks' potential playoff x-factor?

"I think our depth," Zakreski immediately said. "We have a lot of good depth on this team. And I think special teams as well. We've done a good job at that all year. If we just stick to what the coaches have set out for us, I think we'll be successful."

Series Schedule:

Game 1 - Friday, March 31 - @POR - 7:00 P.M.

Game 2 - Saturday, April 1 - @POR - 6:00 P.M. (and pregame Fan Fest)

Game 3 - Monday, April 3 - @EVT - 7:05 P.M.

Game 4 - Friday, April 7 - @EVT - 7:05 P.M.

*Game 5 - Saturday, April 8 - @POR - 6:00 P.M.

*Game 6 - Monday, April 10 - @EVT - 7:05 P.M.

*Game 7 - Tuesday, April 11 - @POR - 7:00 P.M.

Regular Season Results:

Everett 1 @ Portland 4 (Nov 18, 2022)

Portland 5 @ Everett 2 (Nov 23, 2022)

Portland 3 @ Everett 4 (Dec 3, 2022) OT

Everett 2 @ Portland 4 (Dec 11, 2022)

Portland 5 @ Everett 1 (Dec 30, 2022)

Everett 2 @ Portland 7 (Dec 31, 2022)

Portland 3 @ Everett 10 (Mar 3, 2023)

Everett 1 @ Portland 3 (Mar 5, 2023)

POR Leading Scorers in the Season Series:

Luca Cagnoni 1G - 12A - 13 PTS

James Stefan 2G - 9A- 11 PTS

Robbie Fromm-Delorme 6G - 4A - 10 PTS

Gabe Klassen 5G - 3A - 8 PTS

Aidan Litke 5G - 1A - 6 PTS

EVT Leading Scorers in the Season Series:

Austin Roest 3G - 6A - 9 PTS

Ben Hemmerling 0G - 6A - 6 PTS

Jackson Berezowski 3G - 2A - 5 PTS

Ty Gibson 2G - 3A - 5 PTS

Jesse Heslop 2G - 1A - 3 PTS

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Playoffs are right around the corner! Cheer on the Hawks in round one as they embark on their 12th straight trip to the postseason with a battle against the Everett Silvertips. The action starts March 31 in the VMC, and fans can purchase single-game tickets and playoff packages by calling 503-236-4295!

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