WHL Portland Winterhawks

Round One, Game Three Reaction

March 27, 2019 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


The Portland Winterhawks battled to the end last night in game three, but fell short 5-4 in overtime. It was a roller coaster night that featured three ties and three lead changes.

Less than seven minutes into the game, the Hawks carried a 2-0 lead thanks to goals from Robbie Fromm-Delorme and Bob Clarke Trophy winner Joachim Blichfeld.

"I definitely liked our start. I thought we had some jump and energy, we caught them a little bit early, but it's been that type of series," General Manager and Head Coach Mike Johnston said. "It's been a really tight series every night we play them. The scoring chances are a difference of like one apiece... so like last year, it might be another seven game series."

The series will go at least five games, but the Winterhawks have to win again to prolong the opening round match-up. One thing of note is how much playoff experience the Hawks young corp of players are gaining. At times, they have even been some of the best players in the series.

"I just think with a lot of these kids, it's confidence. They just feel more comfortable with the puck and they have more poise," Johnston said. "Confidence does go up and down throughout the year, but as they come around the corner after Christmas, I thought all of our first year players, which we had eight or nine, I just feel that they feel like they belong now and they know how we want to play and they know how to play the right way so I could put them on the ice more."

Despite a 2-0 deficit in front of 4,000 plus Portland fans, the Chiefs stayed calm and responded with three-in-a-row to take a 3-2 lead in the second period. Early in the second period, Spokane scored on their lone power play chance of the night and they took the lead 39 seconds later.

The Chiefs are 4-for-6 on the power play in this series. In game three, each team was only given one power play chance.

"I think the refs have done a good job, to be honest. Last game they could have called one or two (penalties), tonight, they could have called one or two. They just know that there is no reason to. If it takes away a scoring chance, they have to call it, like they would have in overtime. But, other than that they've done a good job," Johnston said.

Portland scored two goals of its own to retake a third period lead. Jared Freadrich notched his fourth point of the playoffs and Fromm-Delorme scored again, his first multi-goal game in the Western Hockey League.

"Inside it's a good feeling (to score two goals), but you can't look at it that way," Fromm-Delorme said during the postgame press conference. "It's a team game and you aren't going to win with just one guy. Obviously it sucks that we lost, but we just have to come back and forget what happened today."

"I thought our 16 year olds played really well tonight. Cross [Hanas] had a really good game; Robbie [Fromm-Delorme] had a really good game. That line with Gilliss has been really good for us in the series," Johnston added. "You saw that [Spokane's] third or fourth line contributed two goals tonight. So the depth of scoring on both teams is probably going to have to be there because we said when the series began, the top two lines might neutralize each other and that's what they're doing."

Spokane scored the final two goals of the night with the help of third line forward Jack Finley forcing the game to overtime and overager Riley Woods scoring the winning goal 9:35 into the overtime period.

The Hawks have an opportunity to even the series on Wednesday night. The home side will receive an immediate boost with the return of John Ludvig from his two-game suspension.

"He won an award for our best defenseman so a guy like that is going to be really key to have back in the line-up. He's a physical presence, he's a calming presence and really Cicek and Hanus are playing as three-four, but they are just first year and second year guys," Johnston said.

The puck drops at 7:00 p.m. PT for game four.

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