WHL Portland Winterhawks

Lethbridge Downs Winter Hawks

Published on October 10, 2004 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


Jonathon Filewich (FILL-uh-witch) scored a power play goal early in the third period to break a 1-1 tie and the Lethbridge Hurricanes added two empty net goals in the last two minutes to defeat the Portland Winter Hawks 4-1 Sunday in Memorial Coliseum.

Dan Da Silva (Duh-SILL-vuh) scored Portland's only goal, on the power play, in the second period.

The Hawks, who lost 4-2 in Seattle Saturday, play Everett Friday and Prince George Saturday, both games in Memorial Coliseum. Portland is now (4-4) on the season and Lethbridge raised its record to (3-4-2).

The Hawks had to scratch five healthy players Sunday as they offered a tryout to 18-year-old defenseman Christian Hankins from Rochester, Minnesota who has been practicing with the team all week. So, even with the club's decision to drop 18-year-old forward C.J. Jackson from the playing roster on Friday, defensemen Jordie Fike and Kevin Tipper along with forwards Nick Hotson, Ivan Dornic and Frazer McLaren were all on the sidelines as the team reports no injuries.

Lethbridge scratched defensemen Shawn Mezei (neck), Brennan Chapman (broken arm), and forward Kenny Petkau (knee).

Portland came into the game off a 4-2 loss Friday in Seattle as the T-Birds scored all 4 of their goals in the first 12 minutes, two of those on the power play. Portland was shorthanded 4 times in the first period Saturday in Seattle and 5 times in the first period of Wednesday's 5-3 come from behind win over Spokane. Overall, the first period has not been kind to Portland this season. The Hawks came into Sunday's game being outscored 12-5 in the first period of the first 7 games of the season and had only scored the first goal in a game once all year.

Lethbridge came into the game on a 4-game unbeaten streak, two wins before they left on their swing, and then a 3-3 tie in Tri-Cities Friday and a 1-1 tie in Everett Saturday. The Hurricanes, under coach Lindsay Hofford, who took over midway through last season, are playing extremely tight hockey. Tri-Cities and Everett combined to generate only 37 shots in the two games Lethbridge had played in their U.S. Division trip. The Hawks also new they would be dealing with 20-year-old goalie Aaron Sorochan, who was (3-0) with a stingy 1.33 average and 95.5% save percentage against Portland playing with the Vancouver Giants last season.

Portland did not get any pucks to Sorochan for the first 12 minutes of the game. Lethbridge came as advertised. They are quick, physical, and they are superb positionally, blocking passing lanes and staying on the defensive side of the puck. And, Portland did not come out with its hard hats on as the Hurricanes won most of the battles early and caught the Hawks flat footed several times, narrowly missing tremendous scoring chances that they earned by outworking Portland. Kris Versteeg scored his 5th goal in his last 5 games for the lone first period counter on the power play at 9:13 after Brent Seabrook hit the crossbar on a shot from the blue line, the puck bounced to Versteeg, open on left wing, and his shot hit the left post and went in. Portland goalie Kevin Opsahl was busy early as the Hurricanes were swarming. Opsahl made several good saves, using his quickness on shots in tight, but the Hawks were very lucky the puck eluded Lethbridge sticks several times in the prime scoring area. As the period wore on, the Hawks woke up and started to initiate things, making more plays in traffic and getting shots through on Sorochan. Shots wound up 15-8, Lethbridge, after one.

When challenged this season, the Hawks have usually responded. They played a poor second period in Seattle Saturday, but came back to outshoot the T-Birds 21-4 in the third period. Against Lethbridge, led by the human wrecking ball, Cody McLeod, the Hawks matched and even exceeded the quick, physical pace set by Lethbridge early in the game. Portland got a great first shift from McLeod and Garrett Festerling deep in the Lethbridge zone and their linemate, Da Silva, had two great chances. The first, he was stopped in tight by Sorochan and then, later in the period, on the power play, he had a perfect deflection chance on a slapshot by Mike Funk ring the crossbar. But, Da Silva kept on truckin' and he could see McLeod going wide into the Lethbridge zone with a step on a Hurricane d-man. So, Da Silva went right to the top of the crease and paid the price to get in position when McLeod drove to the net to create a scramble. Da Silva popped it home to tie the game, on the power play, at 14:10. Portland outshot Lethbridge 18-11 in the second period and spent a good percentage of time in the Lethbridge zone, but the turning point may have occurred with 1:21 left in the second period when the Hawks were about to go on the power play after Lethbridge captain Brent Seabrooke cross-checked Winter Hawks' forward Robin Big Snake into the boards. But, Shane Halifax came to Big Snake's aid and was assessed a five-minute major penalty for slashing by referee Matt Kirk. Portland had done a better job this season of not taking retaliation penalties, but three times in this game the Hawks were headed for the power play but took penalties.

The penalty on Halifax would prove costly as Lethbridge, outplayed by Portland throughout much of the second period, got to establish itself to start the third with an extended three-minute power play. Filewich one-timed a cross ice pass off the crossbar and in from outside the left circle for what proved to be the winner. Portland never got the sustained pressure again that was present in the second period. Big Snake had one good entry shot stopped by Sorochan with McLeod on the doorstep...and he also took a feed from Da Silva on the power play, but could not quite finish in tight. Braydon Coburn had a dangerous shot from the point right after Opsahl was pulled for an extra attacker deflected just wide, but the Hurricanes managed to clear the zone twice and Justin Cruse and Mark Olafson scored empty net goals to get the Hurricanes their fourth point in three games on their U.S. Division trip.

Check out the Portland Winterhawks Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Western Hockey League Stories from October 10, 2004


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central