Winterhawks Weekly: Picking up Steam on Home Ice
Published on October 9, 2023 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release
The Winterhawks stayed hot with comfortable wins in each of their first two home games of the year, knocking off Everett 4-1 on Friday and Vancouver 6-2 on Saturday. The team stays on home ice for two more tilts this weekend, with Keep Portland Fear'd Night on Friday and Hawktoberfest on Sunday. See you there!
Hot Hawks:
Forward Diego Buttazzoni broke out with his first WHL hat-trick on Saturday and led all Hawks skaters with five points in two games last week. After posting 15 points in 56 games last year, the Langley, B.C. native already boasts eight points in five outings to start his first NHL Draft-eligible campaign.
Forward Josh Davies recorded his first goal as a Winterhawk on Saturday after setting up a Jack O'Brien tally on Friday, and has points in all three games played since making his Winterhawks debut on Sept. 30 in Seattle.
Forward James Stefan struck twice on Friday's home opener and chipped in a helper on Saturday, pushing his season-opening point streak to five games with nine points in that span. The Laguna Beach, Calif. native leads also all Portland skaters in scoring.
Defenseman Luca Cagnoni picked up a goal and an assist on the weekend, opening the scoring on Friday with a laser from the left circle. The San Jose Sharks prospect has hit the scoresheet in all three games played this season with four points thus far.
Defenseman Carter Sotheran led Portland's defense with three points last week, notching his first goal of the year and setting up two of Buttazzoni's three tallies in Saturday's win over Vancouver.
Goaltender Jan Špunar stopped 65 of 68 shots on Friday and Saturday, recording .977 and .920 save percentages in each respective game. The Czech puck-stopper has won all three of his starts this season (all consecutive), allowing two or fewer goals in each contest.
Play of the Week:
Diego Buttazzoni stole the show on Saturday with his first career hat-trick against his hometown club! The Langley, B.C. native was in fine form as he finished off a Josh Zakreski feed for his first, then hammered home back-to-back power-play one-timers with Carter Sotheran on the dish.
Weekly Rewind:
Portland 4 vs Everett 1 (Friday):
A stellar 42-save effort from Jan Špunar and two goals from James Stefan helped the Winterhawks to a 4-1 win over the Everett Silvertips at the VMC on Friday.
Portland 6 vs Vancouver 2 (Saturday):
Diego Buttazzoni starred with a hat-trick and an assist as the Winterhawks breezed past the Vancouver Giants for a 6-2 victory on Saturday night.
The Week Ahead:
After two thrilling wins in front of the Portland faithful last weekend, we're back on home ice for two more this Friday and Sunday!
First up, we're Keeping Portland Fear'd with some spooky sweaters on Friday the 13th against Kamloops! Fans can grab replica jerseys and other game-night merchandise online right now, or in the team store that day. Puck drops at 7pm for that contest.
Then, on Sunday, it's time for a fan-favorite promo night at the VMC: Hawktoberfest! Stop by Entry MM during the game for FREE beer and cider tastings from local breweries! Stay tuned to Hawks social media this week for a list of who's coming by.
Upcoming Promo Nights:
Friday, October 13 - Keep Portland Fear'd Night - BUY TICKETS
Sunday, October 15 - Hawktoberfest - BUY TICKETS
- Tickets for the 2023-24 season are on sale NOW! With single-game seats, season tickets, flex packs, group tickets and more, there's an option for every fan. We're dropping the puck at the VMC on October 6 against Everett - call us at 503-236-4295 and chase the dream with the Hawks this season!
-
The Winterhawks trust Riverside Payments for all of their credit card processing as the team's official credit card processors.
Western Hockey League Stories from October 9, 2023
- Royals Outlast Rockets - Kelowna Rockets
- Winterhawks Weekly: Picking up Steam on Home Ice - Portland Winterhawks
- Mateychuk Reassigned to the Warriors by Columbus - Moose Jaw Warriors
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
