WHL Portland Winterhawks

Winterhawks Game Day Preview: Portland vs. Seattle

Published on March 16, 2018 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


Portland (43-21-1-4) vs. Seattle (33-26-8-2) - 7:00 p.m. - Moda Center, Portland, OR

Listen: http://winterhawks.com/listen

Tickets: http://bit.ly/2tPN3RK

The Hawks and Thunderbirds meet for the first game of a home-and-home tonight at the Moda Center. Portland has just three games remaining in the regular season, with their season concluding on Sunday versus Spokane. Despite clinching home-ice advantage in the first round, Portland still does not know who they will face in the opening round.

PREVIOUS GAME: Winterhawks 2 vs. Silvertips 0: Cole Kehler made 28 saves to record his fourth shutout of the season to lead the Winterhawks to a 2-0 win over the Everett Silvertips on Sunday.

The Hawks got on the board midway through the first period on a shot from the blueline from Brendan De Jong. The point shot hit a body infront, then went off the post and in. Cody Glass picked up the assist, his team leading 60th of the season.

The second was scoreless on both sides, with each team's goaltenders coming up with big saves. Cole Kehler stopped 12 shots in the period, including an incredible pad save on Silvertips' forward Patrick Bajkov midway through the frame.

In the third, Portland killed off two early penalties, and ended the night holding Everett 0-for-5 on the powerplay. The Winterhawks would then get a powerplay of their own, and convert on a shot from the blueline by Henri Jokiharju. Glass picked up his second assist of the night on the goal, giving him 95 points on the season, a new career high.

Cole Kehler shut the door the rest of the way, finishing the game with 28 saves and the shutout, the seventh of his career. With the win, Portland takes the season series from Everett, 5-4-0-1.

TODAY'S OPPONENT: Seattle enters tonight's game coming off a big 6-3 victory over the Chiefs in Spokane. In March, Seattle is 4-2-1-0 and has played all seven games against U.S. Division opponents.

Thunderbirds forward Sami Moilanen had a strong game for Seattle on Wednesday, picking up a goal and two assists. For Moilanen, it has been a struggle since returning from injury. After missing over a month of games, the Finnish forward has been held pointless in five of seven games since returning. But after Wednesday's performance, look for Moilanen to keep the hot play going tonight.

Zack Andrusiak picked up another goal in Seattle's win over Spokane on Wednesday. The 99' born forward now leads the team with 34 goals on the year. Andrusiak has exceeded all expectations for the Thunderbirds, putting up 70 points this season after recording just 11 in 60 games last year.

Donovan Neuls leads all Thunderbirds in points against Portland this year, recording 11 in 10 games played. Defenseman Austin Strand has also had plenty of success offensively against the Hawks, with nine points in ten games.

WINTERHAWKS TO KEEP AN EYE ON: The Hawks have won eight of their last ten and find themselves still battling for top spot in the U.S. Division. Portland is four points back of Everett, but have a game in hand.

Cole Kehler is coming off perhaps his finest performance of the season, racking up 28 saves in a 2-0 shutout over the Western Conference leading Silvertips. Kehler has now won three straight starts and has put up a .947 SV% over that span. Against Seattle this season, Kehler is 3-0-1-2 with a 2.54 GAA and .909 SV%.

It was the Hawks defense getting it done offensively on Sunday against the Silvertips. Both Henri Jokiharju and Brendan De Jong scored the lone goals for Portland. The Winterhawks defensemen have recorded the fourth most points in the WHL among team's bluelines.

Skyler McKenzie remains just one goal away from 100 in his Western Hockey League career. When he reaches 100 goals, he will become just 24th Winterhawk in franchise history to score 100 career goals and 200 career points as a Hawk.

STAT OF THE DAY: Seven of Jake Gricius' 13 goals this season have come in the first period.

Here's how the two teams have played head-to-head this season:

Winterhawks: 7-0-1-2   Thunderbirds: 3-6-0-1

JACK-IN-THE-BOX: SMASH FOR CASH: Tonight is also one of the most popular nights of the season, as it's the Jack-in-the-Box "Smash for Cash"! Winterhawks fans will compete for cash prizes in a competition on the ice during intermission. Competitors will battle it out inside giant, inflatable, knocker balls at center ice, with the top finishers going home with cash prizes: $1,000 for the Men's winner and $1,000 for the Women's winner.

After heading to Kent tomorrow, the Hawks return home for their final game of the regular season against the Chiefs at the Moda Center on Sunday.

Check out the Portland Winterhawks Statistics

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Western Hockey League Stories from March 16, 2018


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