The Portland Winterhawks hit the ground running this weekend with a 7-4 victory on Friday over the Kamloops Blazers. Kamloops and Portland entered tonight’s contest tied in standings in the Western Conference. The last time the Winterhawks played the Blazers, Portland won 4-3 in a Shootout at Veterans Memorial Coliseum. For the Winterhawks, this makes back to back road games where the offense has scored seven goals. Their last away victory was a 7-6 Shootout win in Everett.
The Winterhawks got off to a hot start at the Sandman Centre on Friday night. Off an offensive zone faceoff, Sam Spehar would tip the puck back to Carter Sotheran at the top of the zone. With pressure approaching, Sotheran would deke to his left and turn at the middle of the zone. Now wheeling back to his right, Sotheran would play patient and wait for a shooting lane to open. Weaving around one last defender at the point, Sotheran would fire a wrist shot towards the net. The puck would fly past the screening Jordan Duguay, and over the shoulder of Kamloops goaltender Logan Edmonstone. Sotheran’s third goal of the year would put Portland up 1-0.
As the halfway mark of the first period approached, the Winterhawks forwards would go to work. After the Winterhawks cleared the defensive zone, Blazers forward Joaquin Geras would retreat to the blue line to corral the puck. While turning, Geras would look to make a quick pass across the zone. However, Geras would fan on the pass and the puck would roll deeper into the Blazers defensive zone. This gave Nathan Brown the chance to race up the ice and pick up the loose puck. Just above the faceoff dot, Brown would spin around and pass the puck across to Jake Gustafson in the slot. Gustafson would then fire a wrist shot past the glove of Edmonstone and into the back of the net. With 10:22 left in the opening period, the Winterhawks would take a 2-0 lead.
Then with under six minutes to go, Portland’s power-play would strike. Recieving a pass from Carter Sotheran, Alex Weiermair would battle his way into the offensive zone. Gaining an edge on Kamloops defenseman Isa Guram, Weiermair would make a cut to the front of the net. Juking around one sliding defenseman, Weiermair would pass the puck at the last second over to Ryan Miller. From in tight, Miller would quickly wrist the puck behind a sliding Edmonstone to give the Winterhawks a 3-0 lead.
It was not a perfect period for Portland though, as the Blazers would get one goal back in the final 30 seconds of the period. From the boards, Jordan Keller would stick handle around a poke check and hold the offenseive zone for Kamloops. Now at the blue line, Keller would pass the puck across to Cooper Moore. Moore would then slide down into the high slot, and split a pass between defensemen to Josh Evaschesen. Portland goaltender, Ondrej Štěbeták, would slide out to cut down the angle on Evaschesen. However, Evaschesen would shift around the outstreched leg of Štěbeták, and fire the puck into the open net. The rookie from Medicine Hat, Alberta would make the score 3-1, Portland, headed into the first intermission.
In the second period, the Winterhawks dialed up the pressure with another power-play goal. A stretch pass along the boards would spring Nathan Free on a three on one rush into the offensive zone. Crossing the blue line, Free would initially look at Alex Weiermair as a passing option in the slot. However, Weiermair was drawing the defenseman down into the zone with him. This allowed Free to wind up and rifle a wrist shot from inside the faceoff circle on Edmonstone. The shot would whistle over the Edmonstone’s glove, and strike the back of the net. Portland’s second power play goal would make the score 4-1, Winterhawks.
Nearly two minutes later, Tyson Yaremko would get a present in his first game back for the Winterhawks. The play would start with Sam Spehar recieving a pass from Alessandro Domenichelli. Spehar would take a wide angle into the offensive zone, and Yaremko would race up the middle in support. As Spehar reached the faceoff circle, he would send a pass across the face of the net. At the far side of the crease, Yaremko had gained inside positioning on his defender and was able to tap in Spehar’s pass inside the far post. Yaremko would score his first goal since December 17th, 2024, to extend Portland’s lead to 5-1.
The Blazers knew they needed a respone, and would find one late in the period. Kamloops would look to stretch the ice with a bank pass off the glass to Cooper Moore in the neutral zone. Although Moore was pinched off from the play, he was still able to poke the puck forward to Josh Evaschesen. Evaschesen would then swiftly cut to his left around a defenseman, and enter the slot. From there, Evaschesen would fire a wrist shot over the glove of Štěbeták to score his second goal of the night.
Fortunately for Portland, Jake Gustafson would score his second goal of the night just 1:38 later. Kyle McDonough would get the puck at the center ice line and start the rush for the Winterhawks. From the right wall, McDonough would slow down and cut back towards the middle as he crossed into the offensive zone. McDonough then passed the puck over to Nathan Brown who joined the rush late. Brown then wristed a shot from the top of the left faceoff circle that Edmonstone would save. However, the puck would bounce out of Edmonstone’s glove, and Jake Gustafson would pounce on the opportunity. Sliding the rebound five hole on Edmonstone, Gustafson would extent Portland’s lead up to 6-2 and the four goal lead would stand into the third period.
With only one period left to play, Kamloops knew the clock was working against them. The Blazers piled on 20 shots in the final frame, and were rewarded with a goal just over three minutes into the third. JP Hurlbert started the play by skating along the penalty box boards with the puck. Crossing the offensive zone blue line, Hurlbert would slow down and cut towards the middle of the zone. Sensing the pressure of Portland’s back check, Hurlbert then passed the puck down to the right side faceoff circle. There to recieve Hurlbert’s pass was Tommy Lafreniere, who caught the puck with his backhand. Lafreniere then instantly turned and spun a low shot on net. The puck would sneak five hole on Štěbeták, and the Blazers would cut Portland’s lead in half.
However, Portland’s power play would hault Kamloops momentum midway through the third period. From the top of the faceoff circle, Sam Spehar would control the puck for the Winterhawks. Spotting a wide open Nathan Brown, Spehar would slide Brown the puck at the bottom of the faceoff circle. After recieving the pass, Brown would keep his head up and spot Jake Gustafson cutting towards the net. Brown would hit Gustafson with a tape to tape pass at the far faceoff circle, and Gustafson would one time his shot over the glove of Edmonstone. Gustafson would earn his first career hat-trick, and the Winterhawks would take a 7-3 lead.
Kamloops would find one more tally with 4:33 to go in regulation. Nathan Behm would pass the puck over to JP Hurlbert in the neutral zone. Hurlbert then would skate into the offensive zone and pull up at the top of the faceoff circle. From there, Hurlbert would find Tommy Lafreniere on the other side of the zone. Rather than shooting, Lafreniere would immediately pass the puck back across for Behm. Behm would one time a shot just under the blocker of Štěbeták to score his 15th goal of the season. However, Behm’s goal would be the last of the game, and the Winterhawks would win 7-4.
Portland completes their weekend on the road on Saturday with a game against the Kelowna Rockets at 6:05 p.m.
Northwest Sports Desk 