Winterhawks Weekly: Hawks Sweep Three-Game Week, Topple Two of the West's Best
December 16, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release
The Portland Winterhawks are coming off of an impressive three-game week with victories over some of the league's toughest opponents, including a road win against the Everett Silvertips and home triumphs against the Prince George Cougars and Seattle Thunderbirds. The Hawks now set their sights on a pre-holiday matchup with the Spokane Chiefs, riding the momentum of their three-game winning streak.
Hot Hawks:
Forward Josh Zakreski continued his scoring streak with four goals across three games, including a hat trick against Prince George. He's tallied 11 goals in his last 10 games and added an assist in the win over Seattle for a five-point (4G, 1A) week.
Defenseman Tyson Jugnauth added five assists over the three games this past week, extending his point streak to six games with an impressive 14 helpers during that stretch.
Captain Kyle Chyzowski posted three goals and one assist, including a two-goal outing on Wednesday and the game-winner on Saturday.
Forward Tyson Yaremko recorded four points over the last week, including the game-winning tally against Everett, an assist versus Prince George, and a two-goal performance on Sunday as the Hawks faced Seattle.
Forward Alex Weiermair notched four assists across the three games, contributing a point in four of his first five WHL contests as a Portland Winterhawk.
Forward Diego Buttazzoni extended his point streak to six games, recording an assist in each of the first two games and a goal against Seattle.
Defenseman Kayd Ruedig had a breakout game on Friday, scoring his first WHL goal and adding two assists for his first career multi-point performance.
Goaltender Marek Schlenker shined with a career-best 48 saves and a .941 save percentage, earning WHL Top Performer and CHL First Star honors on Wednesday. He followed up with 30 save performance, backstopping the Hawks to a win over Seattle on Saturday.
Goaltender Ondřej Štěbeták turned aside 39 of 40 shots on net against the Prince George Cougars on Friday for a career-high single-game save percentage (.975).
Play of the Week:
Kayd Ruedig earns Play of the Week honors as he opened the scoring on Friday against Prince George, weaving around a Cougars defenseman and rifling a shot under the goaltender's glove for his first WHL goal. The highlight-reel tally energized the Hawks and set the tone for the 4-1 victory.
Weekly Rewind:
Portland 4, Everett 3 (Wednesday):
The Winterhawks snapped Everett's 13-game point streak with a gutsy 4-3 road win. Kyle Chyzowski got the Hawks off to a hot start, scoring twice in the first period to establish a lead. The Silvertips pushed back, forcing Marek Schlenker to deliver one of his best performances of the season with 48 saves, including several key stops in the dying moments. Tyson Yaremko's second-period goal proved to be the game-winner, as Portland's defense held firm despite an Everett comeback attempt.
Portland 4, Prince George 1 (Friday):
Josh Zakreski's hat trick and Kayd Ruedig's milestone night propelled the Hawks to a dominant 4-1 win, completing the season sweep of the Cougars. Ruedig opened the scoring and Zakreski took over from there, showcasing his scoring touch with three tallies. Ondřej Štěbeták was a rock between the pipes, stopping 39 of 40 shots on net for a career-best single-game save percentage (.975).
Portland 5, Seattle 2 (Saturday):
In the latest installment of the I-5 Rivalry Series presented by ZoomCare, the Winterhawks delivered a 5-2 win over Seattle. Tyson Yaremko led the charge with two goals, including a power-play tally in the second period. Carsyn Dyck chipped in with a shorthanded goal, while Joel Plante and Aaron Zulinick each added an assist to the scoresheet for their first WHL points. Diego Buttazzoni sealed the win with a late power-play goal, while Schlenker turned aside 30 of 32 shots on net, including a huge save on a breakaway chance by the T-birds.
The Week Ahead:
The Winterhawks close out the pre-holiday schedule with a home game against the Spokane Chiefs on Tuesday, December 17, at 7:00 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Buy tickets here or tune in on WHL Live!
Upcoming Promotional Games:
Saturday, December 28 - Family Night - BUY TICKETS
Tuesday, December 31 - Toyota New Year's Eve Party - BUY TICKETS
Thursday, January 2 - Thirsty Thursday - BUY TICKETS
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Western Hockey League Stories from December 16, 2024
- Winterhawks Weekly: Hawks Sweep Three-Game Week, Topple Two of the West's Best - Portland Winterhawks
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- Spokane Chiefs to Host 3rd Annual Neurodiversity Awareness Night - Spokane Chiefs
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- Keaton Verhoeff Named WHL Rookie of the Week - Victoria Royals
- Silvertips Close out First Half with 4-1 Win over Tri-City - Everett Silvertips
- Dowhaniuk Commits to University of Alaska Fairbanks - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Will McLaughlin Inks WHL Development & Scholarship Agreement with Portland - Portland Winterhawks
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