The Portland Winterhawks wrapped up a triple header this weekend that resulted in them going 1-2. They fell to the Vancouver Giants by a score of 3-1 on Friday. Then, bounced back with an 8-3 win at home against Vancouver. That victory would guarantee the Winterhawks a spot in the upcoming WHL playoffs. Portland’s final game of the weekend was Sunday, where they fell 4-0 on the road against the Everett Silvertips. This was the first time the Winterhawks had been shut out since December 3rd. With roughly one month left of regular season hockey, these are three takeaways from the long weekend.
- Penalties are proving troublesome for Portland. Over the span of these three games, there were a total of 24 penalties called on the Winterhawks. There were a handful of coincidental penalties. However, the result is that the Winterhawks opponents had 11 power-play chances through three games. This has also been a nuisance throughout the season for Portland. There are only two teams with cumulatively more penalty minutes than the Winterhawks. The good news, is that Portland’s penalty-kill percentage is solid. At 80.3%, the Winterhawks penalty-kill ranks 6th best in the league. The downside, is that every penalty is another opportunity for your opponent. Also, on a long weekend with three back-to-back games, these penalties are quick to tire out skaters.
- The power play was foiled this weekend. It’s no secret that the Winterhawks’ offense is one of the best in the league. They have a total of 258 Goals For, which is the most in the WHL. One major reason for this has been the success they’ve found on their power-play. Portland’s power-play percentage is tied for the 3rd best percentage in the league. However, the Winterhawks went and uncharacteristic 2-16 on the power-play this weekend. Is this a reason for concern? Not unless this problem persists over the next few weeks.
- It’s tough being away from home. Portland has not been as clean as they’d like to be when it comes to their record on the road. Since the start of 2024, the Winterhawks have gone 5-3-1 in away games. Considering that two of those regulation losses came this weekend, it’s again, not a major concern. What is noteworthy however, is that Portland only has a +2 Goal Differential in those games. On the other hand, Portland is incredibly good at home. In that same time frame, the Winterhawks are 9-1-0 at Veterans Memorial Coliseum. They also outscored opponents at home 61-20. What this means for the Winterhawks, is that having home ice advantage in the playoffs could be a deciding factor for how long their run goes.
There are 14 more regular season games left on Portland’s schedule. Their next game is against the Victoria Royals on Friday, Feb. 23 with puck drop is at 7:05pm
Northwest Sports Desk 