Winter Hawks Win Fourth in A Row, in Overtime
January 30, 2005 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release
Dan DaSilva scored his 23rd goal of the season with just 11 seconds left in overtime to give the Portland Winter Hawks their fourth straight win, 2-1, over the Tri-City Americans in front of 9,100 fans Saturday night in the Rose Garden.
Alex Aldred started the winning play with a nice outlet pass and Brandon Dubinsky set up DaSilva. The Americans argued that DaSilva's shot, which went into Tri-Cities defenseman Logan Stephenson and goaltender Carey Price right on the goal line, never went all the way into the net. The game was on live television on Comcast CNW-14, but replays did not reveal where the puck was. Referee Devin Klein ruled it was a goal after talking with goal judge Ed Stoeger (STOH-ger), who immediately turned on his goal light after DaSilva's shot. Stoeger told officials that he saw the puck under Price's leg pads as the goalie fell back into the net with the puck.
Darrell May also scored for Portland, who got another strong goaltending performance, this time from 20-year-old Blake Grenier (Grenn-YEA) who finished with 25 saves. Ian McDonald was the only Tri-Cities player to score on Grenier on a second period power play goal. Grenier, and his goaltending partner Dustin Butler, have now held opponents to two goals or less in five straight games.
The Hawks, (22-22-4-4), have only 10 games in 28 days in February, six of those at home, all in Memorial Coliseum, starting with the Kootenay Ice on Tuesday February 8 at 7:00. The Hawks are at Seattle this Friday, February 4, with airtime on 970-AM KUPL at 6:35 and face off scheduled at 7:05.
Portland as now won three straight games against US Division opponents, two of those on the road against the top two US Division teams, Seattle and Everett.
Tri-Cities, (17-22-5-3), had won two previous overtime games against Portland this season and is now (4-3-5) overall in overtime. The Hawks are (1-4-4). Tri-Cities also had a big win in Seattle this week, 8-1, on Wednesday but lost 3-1 in Vancouver on Friday. Portland came into the game tied for second in the US Division, but only 9 points separate second from last place and one team in each of the four divisions in the WHL misses the playoffs. The Hawks scratched three defensemen Saturday. Michael Sauer is out for the season with hip surgery, Jordie Fike is out day to day with a shoulder and Kevin Tipper is out day to day with a back injury. Tri-Cities, which is totally healthy, scratched four young players due to numbers.
The Americans are now (5-2) against Portland this season, with two of the wins in overtime. They had won both previous meetings in Portland, 6-5 in overtime back on November 26 and a 5-0 shut out on December 17. Tri-Cities goalie Carey Price stopped 48 shots in that one. Hawks' goalie Blake Grenier, who got the nod to start Saturday, backstopped the Hawks' lone win in the series, a 3-2 triumph in Tri-Cities on November 5.
With so much on the line as the regular season heads into its final six weeks, both teams played solid, systematic hockey. Scoring chances for both teams were limited. Grenier had to make two good saves on Tri-Cities captain Marcus Jonasen in the first period, one with a flashy glove. Brian Woolger and Kyle Bailey narrowly missed a 2-on-1 chance for Portland and Price stood tall when Dubinsky muscled a puck through to DaSilva at the top of the goal crease, but DaSilva blasted it wide. Portland did take the lead on a beautiful up-ice rush. Woolger started the sequence with a head-man pass to Garrett Festerling, who drove left wing while May headed to the net.
Festerling's back-pass was perfect and May directed it past Price with 6:17 left in the first period as the Hawks led 1-0 after one. Shots were just 6-6. Portland is (14-1-0-1) when leading after the first period.
Tri-Cities carried the play through most of the second period and peppered Grenier early with several shots, mostly from the outside, but some were dangerously close to tips and deflections. Jonasen came out of the penalty box to create an odd-man rush, but Portland got back to break up a centering pass. Clayton Stoner was dangerous from the outside and Ian McDonald and Dylan Stanley were both denied by Grenier, Stanley right on the goal line on the power play. But, Grenier could not stop McDonald's low snapshot from the slot with Jonasen crossing in front for a screen and the Ams were even at 1-1. Portland rookie forward Nick Hotson, who along with fellow rookie Sasha Golin have both started to pick up their play, had Portland's best chance in the second period. He took a feed from Bailey in the low slot and one-timed a blast that Price swatted away from the top of the net. Shots were 13-8, Americans.
The third period was defensive, conservative hockey. Grenier denied Marc Connors at the top of the crease off a nice play from Stanley from behind the net. He made an even bigger save on Luke Hewitt during a rebound scramble. Dubinsky had a decent chance that he shot wide after Braydon Coburn rushed the puck behind the Tri-Cities goal and threw it out in front.
Festerling had a good chance in the slot and another that hit the side of the net, just outside the left post, from the left wing during a dangerous shift in the last five minutes. Shots were 6-6 in the defensive third period.
Grenier made it possible for DaSilva's controversial heroics by stopping Shaun Vey on a point blank range tip in front during overtime. It seems ironic that the winning goal happened with 11 seconds left. It was a Kelowna goal with 11 seconds left in regulation in a heart-wrenching 2-1 loss in Kelowna on January 21 that seemed to start this apparent Portland turnaround in a season that suddenly looks like it may have some promise.
Western Hockey League Stories from January 30, 2005
- Giants Weekly Recap - Vancouver Giants
- Everett Breaks Five Game Losing Streak - Everett Silvertips
- Molson Cup segment winner announced - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Brandon Wheat Kings game notes - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Chiefs double up Blazers, 4-2 - Spokane Chiefs
- Winter Hawks Win Fourth in A Row, in Overtime - Portland Winterhawks
- Close Game Ends With Seattle on Top - Everett Silvertips
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