Winterhawks Clinch 2026 WHL Playoffs Berth; Announce First-Round Schedule
WHL Portland Winterhawks

Winterhawks Clinch 2026 WHL Playoffs Berth; Announce First-Round Schedule

Published on March 22, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


Portland, Ore. - The Portland Winterhawks Hockey Club officially clinched a berth in the 2026 WHL Playoffs. The Winterhawks have now qualified for the WHL Playoffs in 15 consecutive campaigns, the fifth-longest active streak in the 61-team Canadian Hockey League.

The Winterhawks enter the playoffs as the No. 8 seed in the Western Conference and will meet the No. 1 seed Everett Silvertips. This marks the fourth straight postseason where the two U.S. Division have squared off, with Portland emerging victorious in the previous three series.

Portland will host Game 3, presented by Werner, and Game 4 of the series. Then, if necessary, the Winterhawks will host Game 6.

Games will be played at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland and the Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, Washington.

The full first-round schedule is available below:

Game Date Away Home Time

1 Friday, March 27 Portland Everett 7:05 p.m. PT

2 Saturday, March 28 Portland Everett 6:05 p.m. PT

3 Tuesday, March 31 Everett Portland 7:00 p.m. PT

4 Wednesday, April 1 Everett Portland 7:00 p.m. PT

5* Friday, April 3 Portland Everett 7:05 p.m. PT

6* Saturday, April 4 Everett Portland 6:00 p.m. PT

7* Tuesday, April 7 Portland Everett 7:05 p.m. PT

Following the 68-game regular season, Portland finished fourth in the U.S. Division with a 30-30-7-1 record.

Vegas Golden Knights signed prospect Alex Weiermair, who led the Winterhawks in scoring this season with 37 goals, 56 assists, and 93 points, which was fifth best across all skaters in the Western Hockey League.

Ryan Miller, the Winterhawks captain and a selection of the Pittsburgh Penguins, scored 30 goals in his 18-year-old season and set a new career high in points with 75.

Goaltender Ondøej Štìbeták from Jihlava, Czechia, appeared in a career-high 48 games during the 2025-26 campaign, posting a 3.40 goals-against average and a 0.897 save percentage. He held a record of 23-19-5-1 and earned his first career shutout in January.

The Winterhawks now begin their pursuit of a fourth Ed Chynoweth Cup, last won in 2013. In the team's 50-year history, they have also reached the WHL Championship Series five times and won the Memorial Cup in 1983 and 1998.

All playoff games can be streamed live on Victory+ for free.

Check out the Portland Winterhawks Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from March 22, 2026


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