WHL Portland Winterhawks

Winterhawks Close 2009 With 6-0 Shutout Over Seattle

January 1, 2010 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


The Winterhawks closed out 2009 in spectacular fashion Thursday night, shutting out the visiting Seattle Thunderbirds 6-0 at the Rose Garden.

Ian Curtis earned his third shutout of the season, while Spencer Bennett, Ryan Johansen and Brad Ross each tallied three points on the night. Ross now has nine points in his last three games and 13 in his last seven games, while Johansen has seven points in the last three games and 12 in the last seven.

The victory came after the Winterhawks scored four third period goals after getting one apiece in each of the first two periods.

Ross opened the scoring with a goal 2:27 into the game when he went top shelf on Thunderbirds goaltender Calvin Pickard. The Winterhawks carried the play for most of the period generating numerous scoring chances, and outshot Seattle 15-10 in the frame.

Portland kept pressing in the second period, and Bennett put home a rebound off a Troy Rutkowski shot on a power play to make it 2-0 for the Winterhawks heading into the third period.

The Winterhawks then opened the floodgates in the third. Riley Boychuk notched his 11th goal of the season at the 4:34 mark on a rebound off a Chris Francis shot. Later in the period, the Winterhawks scored two goals in 45 seconds: the first on a shot by Francis from the left faceoff circle that went high on Seattle netminder Calvin Pickard's glove side, the second when Ross broke down the left side past the defense, cut across the crease and put a backhand top shelf.

After the fifth goal, Seattle replaced Pickard with Kyle Jahraus. He gave up one goal when Ryan Johansen took a pass from Oliver Gabriel in the slot, gained space from a defender and fired it into the net, giving the Hawks a 6-0 win.

Portland outshot Seattle 37-33, with Curtis turning away everything Seattle fired at him. It was his third shutout of the season and second against Seattle, having done it on opening night in the ShoWare Center on September 19. He also blanked the Everett Silvertips earlier this month on December 13.

The Winterhawks play back-to-back games this weekend, Saturday against the East Division-leading Saskatoon Blades at 7 p.m. at the Memorial Coliseum, and Sunday against the division rival Everett Silvertips at 5 p.m., also at the Coliseum.

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