Weiermair Nets Game-Winning Shorthanded Goal in Victory over Seattle
WHL Portland Winterhawks

Weiermair Nets Game-Winning Shorthanded Goal in Victory over Seattle

Published on February 23, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


Alex Weiermair scored his team-leading 30th and 31st goals of the season, while Nathan Free and Griffin Darby added tallies of their own, as the Hawks edged the Thunderbirds 4-3 tonight in Portland.

Game #57: Portland (4) vs. Seattle (3)

SOG: POR (31) - SEA (29)

PP: POR (2/5) - SEA (2/3)

Saves: Štěbeták (26) - Sklenicka (27)

SCORING:

POR - Alex Weiermair (30) from Jordan Duguay (power play)

POR - Nathan Free (24) from Will McLaughlin and Ryan Miller (power play)

SEA - Brock England (20) from Joe Gramer and Noah Kosick (power play)

POR - Griffin Darby (2) from Alex Weiermair and Ryan Miller

POR - Alex Weiermair (31) from Ryan Miller (short handed)

SEA - Ethan Bibeau (5) from Brock England and Grayson Tash

SEA - Noah Kosick (13) from Simon Lovsin and Brock England (power play)

GAME SUMMARY:

The rivalry returned to Portland on Sunday, and 7,300 fans brought the energy to the Glass Palace. The Winterhawks opened the scoring 12:41 into the first after Jordan Duguay capitalized on a turnover in the trapezoid and set up Alex Weiermair, who ripped home a power-play marker for his first of the night.

Portland doubled the lead 1:51 into the second when Will McLaughlin held the line and found Nathan Free for his patented one-timer from the left circle for the Hawks' second power play goal. Brock England answered for Seattle just over two minutes later, but Griffin Darby restored the two-goal cushion before the media timeout with a low glove-side wrist shot from the point.

The Hawks struck again, this time shorthanded, as Ryan Miller and Weiermair broke in on a two-on-one. Miller fired on net, and Weiermair buried the rebound with a backhand for his second of the night and Miller's third assist. Ethan Bibeau trimmed the deficit late in the period, sending Portland into the intermission ahead 4-2.

With both teams playing their third game in three nights, the final frame featured limited chances. Seattle added one more to make it close, but Ondrej Štěbeták stood tall as the Hawks secured a hard-earned 4-3 win on Chinese Lunar New Year.

UP NEXT:

The Portland Winterhawks head to Victoria for a back-to-back set Friday and Saturday night at the Save-On-Foods Memorial Centre.

Reminder, you can watch all Portland Winterhawks games on Victory+ for free all season long! Click here to visit the Winterhawks hub or download the Victory+ app on your smartphone or connected device.

The Portland Winterhawks are commemorating 50 Years of Hawkey this season with a year-long tribute to the team's rich history and legendary players. As part of the celebration, the Top 50 Winterhawks of All Time will be unveiled throughout the season-starting with an alphabetical reveal on October 25, and culminating in the announcement of the Top 10 on March 7, 2026. Fans can look forward to special events, tributes, and a season full of memories honoring five decades of Winterhawks hockey.

Check out the Portland Winterhawks Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from February 23, 2026


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