Sports stats



WHL Portland Winterhawks

Winterhawks Weekly: Three Days of Dominance

February 6, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


The Winterhawks captured three wins in four games last week, responding to a Wednesday defeat with three remarkable performances on the weekend - including their second double-digit scoring effort of the season. Portland leads both the U.S. Division and the Western Conference with 71 points on the year.

This week sees another Battle with Seattle on deck as the Hawks host the T-Birds for Black Hockey History Night on Saturday, their lone game of the week.

Hot Hawks:

Forward James Stefan led the WHL in scoring with nine points (4G, 5A) last week, including his third hat-trick of the season on Friday. The 20-year-old sniper leads the team with 34 goals on the year, good for fifth among all WHLers.

Forward Kyle McDonough recorded his first WHL goal in Friday's rout, then tacked on his first multi-goal game with two tucks against Seattle on Saturday. The 16-year-old has points in four of his last six outings and boasts 10 points (3G, 7A) on the year.

Forward Gabe Klassen logged three straight multi-point outings last weekend for seven points, with three assists on Friday followed by back-to-back 1G, 1A showings on Saturday and Sunday. The Hawks' captain leads the team and ranks third in the WHL with 83 points (26G, 57A) on the year.

Defenseman Tyson Jugnauth posted one assist on Friday, then starred in Sunday's win over Seattle with three points, including the game-winning goal. Jugnauth has 18 points in 18 games with the Winterhawks since joining the team in December.

Goaltender Jan Špunar starred in his return from injury last weekend, stopping 52 of 54 shots in two wins across Friday and Saturday. Fellow netminder Luke Brunen picked up from there with 27 saves on Sunday for his second win in as many starts.

Play of the Week:

With 26 goals scored across four games last week, there's plenty to choose from. But let's revisit Kyle McDonough's first in the Western League, as the 16-year-old finished off a feed from fellow rookie Hudson Darby as the Hawks routed the Rockets 11-1 on Friday. Congrats, Kyle!

Weekly Rewind:

Portland 3 vs. Kelowna 4 (Wednesday):

A tight contest went down to the wire as the Winterhawks were held off by the Rockets for a 4-3 defeat at the VMC on Wednesday night.

Portland 11 vs. Kelowna 1 (Friday):

James Stefan scored a hat-trick, Kyle McDonough netted his first WHL goal and nine different Portland skaters recorded multiple points as the Winterhawks steamrolled the Rockets 11-1 on Pride Night at the VMC.

Portland 7 at Seattle 4 (Saturday):

Rookies Tyson Yaremko (3A) and Kyle McDonough (2G, 1A) paced another dominant showing as the Winterhawks hammered the Seattle Thunderbirds 7-1 on the road on Saturday.

Portland 5 vs. Tri-City 2 (Sunday):

Five consecutive goals in the first 40 minutes and a 27-save showing from rookie goaltender Luke Brunen helped the Winterhawks complete a perfect three-in-three weekend with a 5-2 win over the Tri-City Americans on Sunday.

The Week Ahead:

Just one game scheduled for the week ahead, but it's a big one!

Another rivalry clash between Portland and Seattle arrives at the VMC on Saturday night at 6:00 P.M. for Black Hockey History Night. Stick around after the game for another FREE community skate!

Upcoming Promo Nights:

PLUS - did you hear the big news? The Portland/Seattle rivalry is climbing to new heights with the "Battle on the Sound" - a regularly scheduled road game on March 17 against the Thunderbirds will now be played at Climate Pledge Arena, home of the Seattle Kraken! See you there!

- 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.

- The Winterhawks trust Riverside Payments for all of their credit card processing as the team's official credit card processors.

Check out the Portland Winterhawks Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from February 6, 2024


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.

OurSports Central