Winter Hawks Thump Seattle, 5-3
Published on March 7, 2005 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release
Cody McLeod set the physical tone with a fight just 48 seconds into the game and then added 2 goals to lead the Portland Winter Hawks to a 5-3 win over the Seattle Thunderbirds in front of 7,516 Sunday in the Rose Garden.
The win gives Portland, (30-25-5-5), sole possession of second place in the US Division, 2 points ahead of the Everett Silvertips, who will be in the Rose Garden next Sunday at 5:00.
McLeod, and his line mates, Brandon Dubinsky with 3 assists, and Dan DaSilva with a goal and 2 assists, led the Hawks back from a 2-1 first period deficit. The Hawks are now unbeaten in their last 5 games against Seattle, (40-21-2-2), who clinched the regular season US Division crown with a 2-0 win over Everett Saturday in Key Arena.
Martin Bucek (BEW-sick) and Garrett Festerling also scored for Portland and goaltender Blake Grenier (GRENN-yay) made 29 saves in the Portland nets.
After Sunday's win, the Winter Hawks now lead last place Spokane by 14 points. One team misses the playoffs, so the Hawks magic number is just 1 point to clinch a spot in the WHL post season for the 25th time in their 29-year history.
It is almost certain Portland and Everett will meet in the first round of the playoffs with the team that finishes higher in the regular season standings gaining home ice advantage in the best-of-seven series that would most likely start Friday March 25. Portland closes out the regular season with 7 games in 10 days beginning with Spokane visiting the Rose Garden this Friday at 7:00. Then, the big event next weekend, a home and home with Everett. The Hawks travel to Everett Saturday (Airtime 6:35 on 970-AM KCMD, Game Time 7:05) and then Everett invades the Rose Garden next Sunday for a 5:00 face off. Portland has won in Everett twice this season, but not beaten the Silvertips on home ice, although the last two games have ended in ties.
Seattle came into Sunday's game on a 3-game winning streak since a 1-1 tie against Portland in Key Arena last Saturday...Portland scratched Michael Sauer (out for season, hip surgery) and defenseman Jordie Fike (leg, day to day). The Thunderbirds scratched Matthew Hansen (undetermined ongoing slight injury) and Yashar Farmanara (undetermined).
Seattle started 17-year-old rookie Gavin McHale, giving number one goalie Bryan Bridges the night off after he notched his 11th shut out of the season against Everett on Saturday to clinch the division championship.
The game started with immediate fireworks and three fights in the first four minutes. Cody McLeod and Derek Couture, who have chucked fists six times this season in 10 games, got the thing started. Then, Winter Hawks' captain Braydon Coburn, who stepped in on Seattle tough guy Zack FitzGerald when he felt he was taking liberties with his teammates on February 4 in Seattle, went with him again. Coburn probably won the fight as he caught FitzGerald with a wicked right jab and wrestled him down. Shortly after that, Seattle's James McEwan, who definitely has a role with just 1 assist and 93 penalty minutes this season, engaged Portland's Frazer McLaren. McLaren did well in that tussle too, and the Hawks would eventually get the game's first power play. But, just as in Saturday night's game against Tri-Cities, the Hawks turned the puck over at the point of the power play and Seattle's Nate Thompson went coast to coast, scoring on a shorthanded breakaway. Portland's penalty killing team, which has been brilliant in the last 4 games, killing (27-28) situations, was tested when Michael Funk received a 4-minute spearing penalty. Seattle never got a sniff on the power play and the Hawks used the successful kill to gain momentum. Garrett Festerling drove to the net from the face off circle and gave a little head fake before cramming the puck through Seattle rookie goalie Gavin McHale from the crease to tie the game. But, the Rose Garden crowd barely finished cheering Festerling's goal before an innocent looking outside shot by Seattle got away from Portland goalie Blake Grenier and Couture picked up the loose puck and scored on the wrap around. Seattle led 2-1 after one. Shots favored Portland, 11-9.
The Hawks' big unit of McLeod, Dubinsky and DaSilva took over the second period. McLeod was hammering T-Birds all over the ice and led the forecheck early in the second with a thunderous hit on FitzGerald on the end wall. While DaSilva and Dubinsky were making the plays, McLeod beat FitzGerald to the net and rammed home the tying goal at 1:50. McLeod gave Portland the lead as he went to the net on the weak side as DaSilva fed a pass through the goalmouth. The puck hit McHale's pad and squirted through and McLeod banged it in the open side. Seattle Coach Rob Sumner had not been overly happy to that point and called time out to vent to his team. The T-Birds responded by carrying the play for the next several shifts and rookie forward Bud Holloway put the puck in the net off a great set up by Thompson. It was fairly clear on the instant replay the puck had been directed in with Holloway's glove, not his stick, so referee Pat Smith waived off the goal after consulting his linesmen. This further reduced Sumner's fun meter and things blew up when DaSilva made it 4-2, Portland, finishing an amazing pass by Dubinsky. Sumner felt the up-ice pass by Braydon Coburn was two lines and protested with an acrobatic balance beam act, flailing his arms, standing on the boards in front of the Seattle bench. For this, Smith gave Sumner an early exit and game misconduct. At the end of the period, frustrations boiled over as FitzGerald reacted to McLaren in front of the Seattle bench. It appeared it would end there until Hawks' forward Shane Halifax jumped FitzGerald in defense of McLaren. Somewhere during that scrap, FitzGerald committed a match penalty and was ousted, Portland leading 4-2 after two.
Seattle started the third period with a 4-on-3 power play, but with FitzGerald getting a 5-minute match penalty, the Hawks would go on a 3-mionute power play next. Seattle scored on the 4-on-3 with a picture perfect passing play, Kyle Fecho setting up Ladislav Scurko with a power play goal to make it 4-3. Then, on the first shift of Portland's power play, Metcalf and Thompson generated another shorthanded breakaway and Grenier made the save of the game, robbing Thompson with a solid, terrific, point blank range save to keep Portland ahead. That was a huge moment as the Hawks' big line spent the rest of the period putting on a show. McLeod had 3 or 4 chances for his hat trick and DaSilva and Dubinsky both had great chances to score too, many highlight reel. Dubinsky made some incredible passes, but somehow Portland did not get the fifth goal until Martin Bucek turned rookie defenseman Eli Grossman inside out and fired a shot, short side, from the right circle that beat McHale with 9:03 left.
Western Hockey League Stories from March 7, 2005
- Watch the Winter Hawks Win Again - Portland Winterhawks
- Chiefs Weekly Report - Spokane Chiefs
- This week in Silvertips hockey - Everett Silvertips
- Wheaties winning continues - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Bridges wins Player of the Week - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Regina Pats Weeky Schedule - Regina Pats
- Blades playoff packages on sale - Saskatoon Blades
- Brandon Wheat Kings game notes - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Giants weekly recap - Vancouver Giants
- Winter Hawks Thump Seattle, 5-3 - Portland Winterhawks
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