The Portland Winterhawks fell in overtime to the Brandon Wheat Kings by a score of 3-2 on Saturday night. Portland was coming off a third period comback win the night prior in Kennewick, Washington, where the Winterhawks defeated the Tri-City Americans 3-1. The Wheat Kings are in the middle of their seven-game road trip, which included a 4-1 loss to the Everett Silvertips just 24 hours earlier. With the result, Portland now stands as the seventh seed in the Western Conference, one point ahead of the Victoria Royals.
The scoring at Veterans Memorial Coliseum started early. Just 1:30 into the game, the Winterhawks held the puck along the offensive zone boards. Kyle McDonough, with a defender on his back, would kick the puck along those boards for Carsyn Dyck. Dyck then shifted the puck out towards the top of the faceoff circle. Skating back for the puck was Nathan Free, who would spin and fire a wrist shot on net. The puck would whip over the glove of the Wheat Kings goaltender, Filip Ruzicka, and stay inside the far post. Free’s 20th goal of the season would give the Winterhawks the early 1-0 lead.
Free’s goal would hold as the only mark on the scoreboard until early in the second period. Three minutes into the second frame, Luke Wilfley would earn a rare penalty shot for Portland. Starting his run, Wilfley would pick up the puck at center ice and drift to his right. As Wilfley hit the faceoff dot, he would change his skate angle and threaten a backhand chance. Then, as Wilfley got in close, Ruzicka would attempt to poke check the puck away. However, Wilfley read the play and would sneak a shot five hole on Ruzicka as he attempted his poke check. Wilfley’s fourth goal of the season would put Portland up 2-0.
Once the game reached the halfway point, the Wheat Kings began to steal momentum. With 9:34 remaining in the second period, Brandon would clear the puck from their defensive zone. Along the bench boards, Nicholas Johnson would fan on a pass across the ice. Luckily for Johnson, Joby Baumuller was racing up the ice and was ready to corrall the loose puck. With speed, Baumuller would protect the puck and drift to his left. Feeling the pressure of a backcheck, Baumuller would lean back towards the middle as he crossed into the offensive zone. From the high slot, Baumuller sent a wrist shot around the legs of a Portland defender and over the blocker of Winterhawks goaltender Ondrej Štěbeták. Baumuller’s 32nd goal of the year cut the Winterhawks’ lead in half.
The scoring was not done in the second period either. With just 30 seconds left before the intermission, Max Lavoie would dump the puck around the boards into the offensive zone. Rookie defenseman Will McLaughlin would get to the loose puck first for Portland. However, feeling the pressure of the forecheck, McLaughlin would bank a pass off the boards and look to go behind the net. Unfortunately for Mclaughlin, his pass would be cut off by the stick of Wheat Kings forward Jaxon Jacobson. Jacobson then immediately threw the puck to the front of the net. There to recieve his pass was Luke Mistelbacher, who would one time his shot just past the right leg of Štěbeták. The puck would stay inside the far post, and Brandon would tied the game headed into the third period.
After a tightly contested third period, the final goal of the night came in overtime. Just 24 seconds into the extra period, Jaxson Jacobson would slide a pass between two Winterhawks in the neutral zone. There at the attacking blue line to receive his pass was Luke Mistelbacher, who would then enter the zone and swing out wide. With one defender his way, Mistelbacher looked to cut back across for a shot on goal. However, Mistelbacher’s shot wouldn’t go through cleanly, and ended up trickling slowly wide of the net towards the corner. Max Pšenička then raced over to grab the puck, but would overplay the bounce off the boards and puck would evade his stick. Right behind Pšenička was Jaxon Jacobson, who would seize the oppotunity and quickly throw the loose puck back towards the slot. Circling back to pick up the pass was Luke Mistelbacher, who was now alone in front of the net. Despite a diving effort by Portland’s defense, Mistelbacher’s wrist shot would beat Štěbeták high blocker side. The Brandon Wheat Kings would go on to win 3-2 over the Winterhawks.
Portland returns to the ice on Friday, Jan. 30. The Winterhawks will play host to the Wenatchee Wild for their final meeting of the regular season. Puck drop at Veterans Memorial Coliseum is at 7:00 p.m.
Northwest Sports Desk 