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WHL Portland Winterhawks

Stefan Scores Hat-Trick But Blazers Take Game 1

April 15, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


Kamloops, B.C. - James Stefan's hat-trick effort helped Portland stay afloat, but a potent attack gave Kamloops a 6-4 victory in Game 1 of their second-round WHL Playoffs series.

After Emmitt Finnie opened the scoring for the hosts 8:30 into the contest, Stefan got to work on his fifth goal of the postseason 80 seconds later as he poked home a loose puck in front.

The teams spent much of the second period tied at one apiece, but a pair of quick strikes from Jakub Demek and Fraser Minten just past the midway point of the frame put the Blazers up by a pair. Stefan's second of the night brought Portland back within one at 17:04, as he deflected a Marek Alscher blast from the blue line, but Demek's own second of the game two minutes later restored Kamloops' two-goal advantage heading into the third.

Before the Winterhawks could think about a third-period comeback, Kamloops potted two more in the first five minutes from Matthew Seminoff and Logan Stankoven. Still, Portland pushed late, and late power-play goals from Stefan and Marcus Nguyen gave the Hawks some positive momentum for Game 2.

Nguyen struck first, tipping home a Robbie Fromm-Delorme shot through an open crease. Fromm-Delorme then set up Stefan for a one-time blast in the dying seconds of play for his first playoff hat-trick and seventh goal in six games this postseason.

Dylan Ernst picked up the win with 28 saves while Portland's Jan Špunar turned aside 32 of his own. The teams meet again tomorrow at 7:00 P.M. for Game 2 at the Sandman Centre in Kamloops.

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Western Hockey League Stories from April 15, 2023


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