WinterHawks Win Record 17th Straight At Home; Defeat Tri-City 5-1

The Rose Garden has been one of the most unfriendly places to play for opponents of the Portland Trail Blazers for many years.  Opposing hockey teams do not seem to fare any better.

The WinterHawks (30-12-2) beat the Tri-City Americans (33-10-0) 5-1 on Monday, giving them their record 17^th straight win at home, breaking the record set in the 1993-1994 season.  The Americans scored first, when winger Patrick Holland beat Mac Carruth early in the first period.  The score remained 1-0 halfway through the second period when the WinterHawks Troy Rutkowski beat Americans goaltender Ty Rimmer.  Newly acquired winger Marcel Noebels assisted on Rutkowski’s goal, his only point of the night.  Six minutes later, winger Oliver Gabriel scored to give the Hawks an advantage they would not relinquish.

In the third period, the floodgates opened, and the shots poured forth from the WinterHawks.  Gabriel scored his second of the game on the power play after Rimmer was bombarded with shots throughout the early section of the period. The Hawks would go on to outshoot the Americans in the third 15-5.  Five minutes later, Gabriel completed his first career hat trick, giving the Hawks a 4-1 lead.  Ty Rattie would score his league-leading 40^th goal during garbage time to finish off the Americans.

The WinterHawks quick line changes contributed heavily to this win.  Constant pressure on Americans stars Dryden Dow and Adam Hughesman limited their effectiveness, and kept pressure off Carruth, who stopped 25 of 26 shots.  Every player who dressed for the WinterHawks short of just five had at a +1 during this game.  The Hawks penalty kill unit also stepped up, killing off all five Americans power plays, an area the Americans had taken advantage of in the previous meetings.

Carruth has now allowed just four goals over his past four games, and was nominated for the WHL Goaltender of the Week.  This win keeps the Hawks close in the U.S. Division, now just three points behind Tri-City, and two points behind the Kamloops Blazers for second in the conference.  Portland travels to Spokane for two this weekend against the Chiefs.