WHL Portland Winterhawks

Winter Hawks End Losing Streak

Published on January 19, 2004 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


The Portland Winter Hawks pulled together a team effort in Kamloops, British Columbia tonight against the Blazers as the Hawks ended their five game losing skid with a 4-0 win in front of 4,991 at Sport Mart Place.

Winter Hawks team captain Braydon Coburn netted the game winner on the first shot in the game for the Hawks, in the first period, for his 7th goal of the season while Brian Woolger (14), Brandon Dubinsky (20) and C.J. Jackson (2) also added clinching goals for Portland as 16-year old rookie goaltender Dustin Butler earned his first Western Hockey League shut out in his third start for the Winter Hawks as he faced a total of 24 shots in the game.

It took the Portland Winter Hawks 5:34 into the first period to get their first shot on goal, but it was well worth the wait as Hawks team captain, 18-year old defenseman Braydon Coburn gave Portland a 1-0 lead as he netted his 7th goal of the season from the blue line as teammate Brandon Dubinsky was able to get the puck from the far boards to an open Coburn, who was able to put it past Kamloops Blazer starting goaltender Geoff McIntosh. Portland played a good first 20-minutes and finished some big checks, which paid off as the Hawks went on to take a 2-0 lead over the Blazers, while on the power play after Blazers Cam Cunning was called for a slashing penalty at 15:58. Winter Hawks left winger Brian Woolger netted his 14th of the season from between the hash marks at 17:12, as Darrell May was able to thread the needle and send his pass across the crease from the left wall boards to Woolger, who was the man in the middle of the new look power play the Winter Hawks coaching staff set up last week in practice, to send the Hawks in to the locker room with a two goal lead over the Blazers.

It was a relatively quiet second period for both teams as neither team was able to get the puck past the goaltenders. Portland's best scoring chance came as Coburn fired a one-timer high blocker side of McIntosh, but the puck wound up going just wide of the net. Portland's Alex Aldred also had a couple good short handed scoring chances but was unable to capitalize on the Kamloops power play, who have the worst power play in the league. Kamloops' best chance came as Hawks starting goaltender 16-year old rookie Dustin Butler faced his first W.H.L. penalty shot mid-way thru the period. Blazers right winger Nathan Grochmal was caught from behind Portland's Brian Woolger and Tomas Fojtik as he went in on Butler, who poke-checked the puck away from the crease, which lead to the penalty shot. Grochmal, who went from the backhand, to the forehand and back to the backhanded shot, took it in on Butler across the crease, but Butler stood his ground and did not allow the puck to cross past him as he made an amazing save on Grochmal to keep the Hawks ahead with the two goal lead. Portland dominated much of the play and looked more organized, but Kamloops gained a little momentum following the penalty shot as they had a couple great chances, one of which by Jonas Johansson who hit the inside of the post on the next shift following Grochmal's penalty shot.

The Kamloops Blazers could never really get anything going in the third period and Dustin Butler only had to face a total of three shots in the period to earn his first ever shut out as the Winter

Hawks went on to beat the Blazers 4-0. Brandon Dubinsky netted Portland's third goal in the game for his 20th of the season on a tip in from Dan Da Silva and Robin Big Snake at the 17:39 mark and C.J. Jackson added Portland' s fourth goal for his 2nd of the season from rookie's Garrett Festerling and Kyle Bailey at 18:21 to advance Portland's record to 20-20-4-1 on the season. The Winter Hawks became the first U.S. Division team to defeat the Blazers in their barn thus far this season as the Hawks have out scored the Blazers 10-3 in their last two visits to the Sport Mart Place in Kamloops.

The Portland Winter Hawks scratched (RW) Shane Halifax, (D) Derek Poplawski and (LW) Frazer McLaren all as healthy scratches due to numbers. The Hawks will now travel more north to Prince George, British Columbia to face the Cougars on Tuesday with an airtime of 7:05pm on 970-am KUPL, before returning home to host the Spokane Chiefs in the Rose Garden on Thursday at 7:00pm. Tickets for Thursday's "Hat Trick Thursday" game, and all other Winter Hawks home games are still available by stopping by any G.I. Joe's Ticketmaster outlet, the Rose Quarter box office or by calling Ticketmaster at (503) 224-4400.

Check out the Portland Winterhawks Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from January 19, 2004


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