The Portland Winterhawks shut down the Seattle Thunderbirds with a 4-1 victory Sunday night. Leading up to the game, the Winterhawks had played in five straight road games. With the win, Portland has extended their win streak to four games in a row. The Winterhawks have also jumped into first place in the Western Conference by a one point, over Prince George.
Veterans Memorial Coliseum saw a storm of action from the Winterhawks in the first period. Portland outshot Seattle 22-4 through the first 20 minutes. This early pressure would lead to the first goal of the game roughly halfway through the period. Tyson Jugnauth would get the puck at the top of the zone, and move around a Seattle defender. Jugnauth skated down and took a shot from just inside the faceoff dot. Seattle goaltender, Spencer Michnik, would make the save and the rebound would fall to the side of the net. Jugnauth would follow his shot, and from behind the net, pass the puck to Josh Zakreski. Zakreski, from a close angle, would shoot the puck inside the right arm of Michnik. The puck would trickle through Michnik, and drop across the goal line, to put the Winterhawks up 1-0.
The Thunderbirds were able to respond to the deficit quickly. Just over three minutes later, Seattle would find themselves on the powerplay. Once they gathered possession, Nico Myatovic would receive a pass from the top of the zone and skate to the top of the faceoff circle. Myatovic then slid a pass into the slot for a one-timer shot by Jordan Gustafson. Portland’s goaltender, Luke Brunen, would make a right-leg save. However, the rebound would be left open and lofted in over Brunen by Braeden Cootes. Thanks to Cootes’s goal, Seattle had tied the game at 1-1 with 6:41 remaining in the period.
However, the action of the first period wasn’t done. With under two minutes remaining, Portland’s offense would strike again. This time, a Seattle turnover in their defensive zone would give Jugnauth the puck near the boards at the blue line. Jugnauth would weave around one Seattle skater, then wrist a shot on from just inside the faceoff circle. Jugnauth’s shot would beat Michnik low blocker side, and give the Winterhawks a 2-1 lead with 1:22 remaining in the period.
Portland’s one goal lead would hold all the way through the second period and into third. Early in the final frame, the Winterhawks would look to extend their lead. Jugnauth was able to stop a Seattle clear once again and hold the line in the attacking zone. Jugnauth would then skate from the boards, across the top of the zone, and turn at the opposite point. Seeing traffic in front of the net, Jugnauth would fire a wrist shot past an encroaching defender. The puck would stay wide of the net, until the stick of Hudson Darby would redirect the puck past Michnik, high inside the far post. Darby’s goal came 3:18 into the period, and would give Portland a 3-1 lead.
The final goal of the game came just 39 seconds later. Three Portland forwards entered the zone together, with three Thunderbirds in front of them and one trailing defender. Upon crossing the blue line, Marcus Nguyen would receive a pass and slow down. Nguyen would then pass the puck down low to Nate Danielson. Danielson couldn’t handle the pass cleanly, and the puck would richochet off of the end boards. As the puck reached goal line, Diego Buttazzoni would race over and throw the puck on net. Buttazzoni’s shot would find a gap above the leg of Michnik, under the blocker arm, and inside the near post to squeeze through. The puck would find the back of the net, and the Winterhawks would take a 4-1 lead that would hold through the remainder of the game.
The Winterhawks have back-to-back home games this week against the Kelowna Rockets. Their first meeting is Wednesday, Jan. 31, followed by another game Friday, Feb. 2. Both games start at 7:00 p.m.
Northwest Sports Desk 