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WHL Portland Winterhawks

Winter Hawks Take Step Back, Lose 4-1

March 12, 2005 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


Former Winter Hawks' goaltender Kevin Opsahl (OPP-sull) stopped 31 shots, including two amazing saves in the third period when his team only led by one goal, as the Spokane Chiefs beat the Portland Winter Hawks 4-1 in front of 7,885 Friday in the Rose Garden.

Opsahl stopped Portland rookie forward Nick Hotson with a quick-reaction blocker save and then batted a sure goal by Portland's Brian Woolger (WULL-ger) out of the air while lying on his back on the ice. Both saves were made with Spokane nursing a 2-1 lead.

The Chiefs got a break when, while trying to just ice the puck to avoid Portland's pressure late in the third period. The puck hit linesman Jeff Edgley and bounced to Chad Klassen (CLAW-sun) at center ice for a clean 2-on-1 break. Klassen fed Gary Gladue (GLAD-you) for the clinching goal with 2:07 left. Kyle Howarth scored into an empty net for the final margin.

The loss means Portland, (30-26-5-5), is now 2 points behind the Everett Silvertips, who beat Seattle 5-1 in the Everett Events Center Friday, in the race for second place in the US Division. The Hawks play a critical home and home against the Silvertips in Everett Saturday (Airtime 6:35 on 970-AM KCMD, Game Time 7:05) and in the Rose Garden Sunday for a 5:00 face off as the two teams become fully acquainted prior to a first round playoff matchup against each other that will start on Friday March 25. Home ice advantage in that playoff series goes to the team that finishes in second place. Portland is (2-4-2) against Everett this season with both wins in the Everett Events Center. The Silvertips have 2 ties and 2 wins in 4 previous games in Portland.

Spokane (24-33-8-2) picked up a huge 2 points to tie Tri-Cities for the last playoff spot in the US Division. One of those teams will miss the post-season.

The Chiefs have been a tough opponent for Portland as each team came into Friday's game with 3 wins in the season series. The Chiefs, who are trying to earn the right to play Seattle in the first round of playoffs, had been struggling lately with two straight losses and just a (3-8) record in their last 11 games. The Winter Hawks have been on a good roll since late January with a (12-3-1-1) record in its last 17 games. Portland was (9-1-1-1) in its last 12 games against US Division teams, but one of those losses was a 7-3 setback to Spokane on February 18 in Memorial Coliseum. Portland returned the favor in Spokane the next Friday, February 25, with a 4-0 win.

Portland scratched Michael Sauer (out for season, hip surgery), defenseman Jordie Fike (knee, day to day), and defenseman Brendan Mikkelson due to an automatic one-game suspension for being assessed this third game misconduct of the season in last Sunday's 5-3 win over Seattle. Spokane scratched Matt McCue, Beaverton Oregon's Michael Senseman, J.P, Szaszkiewicz and Mike Reich, all due to numbers, as they are a completely healthy hockey team.

Portland started 17-year-old goalie Dustin Butler, who picked up a win in his last start, a 30-save performance in a 4-2 win in Vancouver last Friday against Opsahl. The two dueled each other to a scoreless tie in Spokane, the only scoreless tie in Hawks' franchise history, back in November. Portland did not look past Spokane to the big home and home with Everett, coming out solid and focused, getting the first 6 shots on goal and a couple of glorious scoring chances on an early power play. Cody McLeod missed just wide with a backhand after a premier move by Brandon Dubinsky around a Spokane defender opened up a 2-on-1 down low. The Chiefs settled down and started checking with Portland for the rest of the period as neither team got any five-star scoring chances. Darrell May did have one good deflection chance in the low slot that barely missed the top corner of the net. Then, after Butler had made everything look easy in the entire first period, an innocent looking wrist shot from just inside the blue line by Dan Mercer slipped past him, low blocker, inside the left post with just 21 seconds left in the period and Spokane took a 1-0 lead after one. Shots were 9-7, Hawks.

After Spokane's Jeff Lynch appeared to have scored on his own rebound early in the second period, but referee Matt Kirk blew the play dead, the Hawks got it going. Portland energized the Rose Garden crowd with back-to-back strong shifts about midway through the second period. It started with the line of Kyle Bailey, Brian Woolger and Darrell May buzzing around the Spokane net, winning battles, and cycling the puck. Braydon Coburn had a point shot that nearly went in off a Spokane defenseman and then Woolger just missed above the crossbar from the slot. Then, the Dubinsky, DaSilva, McLeod line rattled the boards and just missed on a couple of good scoring chances. But, the Chiefs came back and got the puck in deep with ex-Hawk Danny LaPointe winning a battle behind the net and setting up Spokane captain Jevon Desautels at the right circle. His quick release wrister beat Butler high glove and Spokane led 2-0 at the 11:25 mark of the second period. Portland coach Mike Williamson elected to bring in Blake Grenier in goal to try to change the course of events. His team immediately responded, capitalizing on a power play with a nice up-ice rush. Bailey's outlet pass sent McLeod and DaSilva into scoring territory. McLeod fed DaSilva cutting to the net and his stuff shot barely got past a fully extended Opsahl right on the goal line to get the Hawks on the board at 14:35. Portland continued to come hard at the Chiefs' defense, but McLeod was hauled off on a boarding call. Portland totally controlled the Spokane power play, allowing no chances and the Chief lead remained 2-1 after two. Shots were 11-9, Spokane in the second period.

Spokane would bend, but would not break, in the third. Portland kept fairly constant pressure on the Chiefs, but did give up a great shorthanded chance off a turnover and Grenier kept the score 2-1 with a shoulder save on Klassen, all alone in front. On the same power play, Dubinsky had a tip-in chance off a nice play by Michael Funk, but the puck went right to Opsahl in the crease. Funk stepped down to the low slot, taking a feed from DaSilva from behind the net, and Opsahl made a nice pad save. Then, the two game-savers by Opsahl. The first, on Hotson from the slot, was a very nice blocker save. The second save on Woolger left the fans wondering if he really knew where the puck was or he just got a little bit lucky. In any event, the puck did not go in and that is the bottom line. Portland kept pressing, but the Chiefs got a tremendous bounce off the linesman and Gladue buried the 2-on-1. Portland pulled Grenier with just under two minutes left, but never had total possession. After ragging time off the clock and playing smart, safe hockey, Howarth got an open net breakaway to seal the deal.

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