The Portland Winterhawks earned a dominant 6-2 win over the Victoria Royals on Friday night. This was just the second time these two teams have met all season. The first game was on Wednesday, Nov. 22, where Portland would win at home in a 4-3 shootout. With the win, the Winterhawks now enter 2nd place in the Western Conference, just two points behind the Prince George Cougars.
After ending last weekend on a road loss in Everett, Portland looked to bounce back in Victoria, BC. Despite a solid first period, a sluggish start would put the Winterhawks on the backfoot early. With 12:04 remaining in the first period, a breakout pass from Matthew Keller would just escape the stick of a Portland defender. The puck would find Tyson Laventure, and Laventure would enter the offensive zone. At the same time, ex Winterhawk, Dawson Pasternak, slipped past the last defender to create a two on zero opportunity. Laventure would pass to Pasternak, who then passed the puck back to Laventure. Jan Špunar was ready for a shot from Pasternak, but couldn’t recover in time for a pass to Laventure. Laventure would score, and Victoria would go up 1-0.
Unfortunately for the Royals, the Winterhawks offense began to heat up. Roughly three minutes later, Portland began to cleanly move the puck through the neutral zone. James Stefan, from just inside the offensive zone, would look inside to pass the puck. He would find Marek Alscher, who was speeding towards the net. Alscher would receive Stefan’s pass, but be forced outside by a defender. At the last moment, Alscher would throw a backhand pass across the face of the net. An unmarked Gabe Klassen would catch Alscher’s pass, and wrist a shot high past the blocker of Holt Braden. Klassen’s goal would tie the game a 1-1 with 9:24 remaining in the period.
Now with momentum, Portland’s offense continued to pound the net. Late in the first period, the Winterhawks would win an offensive zone faceoff. A bank pass off the boards would set up Jack O’Brien at the blue line. O’Brien would throw the puck towards the net, were a screen was waiting in front. The puck would make it through cleanly to Braden, who would make the initial save. However, the rebound would bounce right to Marcus Nguyen, who would fire the puck past the goaltender to give Portland the 2-1 lead.
Portland’s offense would pick up right where it left off in the second period. Just 4:27 into the period, Jan Špunar would pass the puck along the boards to James Stefan. Stefan would then carry the puck through the neutral zone, and into the offensive zone. With his momentum, Stefan would juke around one defender, and regain the puck at the faceoff circle. Then, Stefan would rip a shot through the five-hole of Braden, and the puck would stay just inside the far post. Špunar would get an assist on Stefan’s 40th goal of the season, and the Winterhawks would take a 3-1 lead.
From there, the flood gates seemingly opened for the Winterhawks offense. Off a mad scramble from a blue line shot, Jack O’Brien would track down the rebound. With a defender shoving him towards the boards, O’Brien would wrap around and pass the puck to the front of the net. There, Josh Zakreski would win the battle for positioning, and fork the puck past the glove of Braden. Zakreski’s goal would extend Portland’s lead to 4-1 with just over half the period remaining.
Just three minutes later, the Winterhawks power-play had a chance to go to work. Gabe Klassen would receive a pass inside the faceoff circle from the point. Klassen then would shift the puck up to the point for Nate Danielson. From there, Danielson would spot James Stefan low in the the opposite faceoff circle. Danielson would slide a pass across, and Stefan would blast a one-timer shot into the net, making the score 5-1 Winterhawks.
The final goal for Portland would come in the third period with only 6:08 remaining in regulation. Holding onto the puck in the corner, Jack O’Brien would fight off a check and pass the puck up high in the offensive zone. Kyle Chyzowski would control the pass, and immediately look to his left. Chyzowski spotted Tyson Jugnauth sliding inside the far faceoff circle, and directed a pass over to him. Now with the puck, Jugnauth would skate up to the faceoff dot, and snipe the nearside corner. Thanks to Jugnauth’s sixth goal of the season, Portland had scored six unanswered goals on the Royals.
Casper Evensen Haugen would score a power-play goal with 4:42 remaining. However, it was too little too late for Victoria. The Winterhawks had outshot the Royals 53-16, and would hold on to win by a final score of 6-2.
Portland’s last game of the weekend is Saturday, Feb. 24. The Winterhawks get back-to-back games against the Victoria Royals. Puck drop is at 6:05 p.m.
Northwest Sports Desk 