WHL Portland Winterhawks

Winter Hawks Nail Down First Home Ice Win, 2-1

Published on October 3, 2004 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


Portland goaltender Kevin Opsahl (OPP-sull) stopped 35 shots and Brian Woolger (WULL-ger) scored the winning goal on the power play midway through the third period to lift the Portland Winter Hawks to a 2-1 win over the Kamloops Blazers Sunday in Memorial Coliseum.

Darrell May also scored for the Hawks, now (3-2) on the season. Two of the wins have come at the expense of Kamloops, now (1-4).

Portland plays Spokane at 7:00 p.m. Wednesday in Memorial Coliseum. The Hawks travel to Seattle Saturday and then host the Central Division Lethbridge Hurricanes in Memorial Coliseum next Sunday at 5:00.

Portland scratched forwards Robin Big Snake (tryout with Hartford of the American Hockey League), Martin Bucek (shoulder), C.J. Jackson (numbers) as well as defensemen Michael Funk (family commitment) and Cameron Cepek (numbers). Kamloops scratched Codey Becker (overage numbers), Russian Anatoli Vasiliev (immigration difficulties), Tanner Shultz (overage numbers), Rick Kozak (suspension for an altercation with the Everett trainer in a game last week in Kamloops), and Keaton Ellerby (numbers).

Both teams were playing their third game in three nights. Portland won 3-1 in Everett Friday before dropping a 2-0 decision to Seattle in its home opener Saturday. Kamloops shut out Prince George at home, 4-0, Friday and then suffered a 2-0 shutout loss Saturday in Tri-Cities.

Portland won the only previous meeting, 5-3, on opening night in Kamloops on September 24, scoring three times in the third period. The Hawks have now won the last five head to head meetings going back to last September 28 when Kamloops shut out the Hawks 2-0 in the Rose Garden.

The Hawks had not scored first in any of their first four games this season and it only took 46 seconds to rectify that situation. The line of Kyle Bailey, Frazer McLaren and Darrell May started the game and immediately got the puck deep in the Blazer zone and worked down low. McLaren, at 6'5", and Bailey, Portland's largest center at 6'2", both displayed a physical presence right from the opening face off. The Blazers attempt to escape the pressure was further denied when 17-year-old rookie defenseman Michael Sauer pinched all the way down to the lower right circle and May darted out from behind the net to get a shooting angle, beating 16-year-old goalie Michael Maniago with the first shot of the game. Maniago did a nice job after that, denying Brandon Dubinsky twice in close and Portland rookie forwards 17-year-old Nick Hotson and 16-year-old Sasha Golin, who both looked dangerous throughout the first period. Portland goalie Kevin Opsahl had to be sharp too, especially on the Blazers' line of Reid Jorgenson, Ray Macias and Nathan Grochmal who had several quick developing plays in the low slot denied by Opsahl. Kamloops had all three power plays in the first period, including a brief two-man advantage, but Opsahl was up to the task. Shots were even at 13-13 and Portland took a first period lead into the dressing room for the first time this season.

Neither team scored in the second period. Portland continued to be on the short end of referee Derek Zalaski's whistle as the Blazers picked up three more power play chances in the first 11:36 of the period before the Hawks finally got their first of the game late in the period. The Hawks penalty killers got stronger and stronger, though, limiting Kamloops chances. Still, Opsahl had to stop Macias and Jarrett Lukin on short one-timers in the low slot and then Tyrell Moulton pulled the trigger from the blue line and a deflection rang the post. Cam Cunning also rang a pipe later in the period while the Blazers were killing the Hawks' lone power play, which did not produce too much. Golin had the best chance, working his way to the front of the net, but the Blazer defense was in good position. The Hawks had a couple of dangerous rushes. Da Silva took an outlet pass from Festerling and had a partial breakaway with Brian Woolger filling the lane, but the puck rolled off his stick. Dubinsky jumped into the play and had a great chance in the low slot off a feed from Cody McLeod, but the shot just missed on the stick side.

Portland did a pretty good job of gumming up things in the defending zone through most of the third period and was able to create a little breathing room on the power play. The line of Woolger, Da Silva and Festerling parlayed what proved to be the winner 3:15 into the third period as Woolger did a nice job of keeping the puck in at the blue line and then went to the net as Da Silva's cross crease pass found him alone on the back door for the slam dunk. The Hawks did a good job of keeping play to the outside, along the boards, and playing solid, positional hockey denying Kamloops any passes into the slot area. The Blazers did manage a somewhat controversial goal as play came behind the Portland net during their eighth power play of the game. The puck appeared to be stuck in the webbing on the back of the Hawks' net, which usually produces a whistle to stop play. But, play continued and the Blazers eventually freed the puck and Kris Hogg scored on the wrap-around to make it 2-1 with 6:51 left. Portland almost regained the two-goal lead when Woolger was robbed point blank range by Maniago with about five minutes left. The Woolger, Da Silva, Festerling line now has points in 4 of the first 5 games this season.

The Hawks nailed the door shut after that as rookie defenseman Michael Sauer, in particular, stepped up and probably played his best game of the season in the absence of Funk. Portland's forwards did a nice job in their own zone, tying up Kamloops players on the boards and minding their checks away from the puck. Opsahl made all the saves he had to make, but was never called upon to be spectacular down the stretch.

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Western Hockey League Stories from October 3, 2004


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