The Portland Winterhawks entered the second season also known as the playoffs with yet another thing to prove. Their run at the Memorial Cup fell a bit short last season and they’d like to make up for that. Having another solid season, coupled with a run of 31 wins in the past 32 games doesn’t hurt either. Their sweep of the Vancouver Giants wasn’t unexpected, though the Giants did their best to make it tough in at least one game. With a week off, the Hawks went immediately back to the rink to plan and execute a strategy for their upcoming opponents in the Victoria Royals. The Royals also seemed to have a fairly easy time of it in their series with Spokane which they swept as well. Though the Royals had to win two of the games in overtime, they seemed to control the momentum in the series. The Winterhawks, by nature of seeding second in the conference, will enjoy home ice advantage in the series, which will begin Friday and Saturday.
Conflicts in buildings will result in the Friday game being played at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum with the Saturday game taking place at the Moda Center. The games will be televised live in Canada on SHAW TV and in the US TBA. Chances are, the series away games will have to be seen on webcasts at several local establishments around the Portland metro area.
The series with the Hawks and Royals is an interesting one. At no time during any of the games did the Hawks field their full lineup. Either tournaments took some players, or players were still traveling to the Hawks at trade deadline. That said, the Hawks kept pace with the Royals losing 3-2 in regulation, overtime and a shootout, which was trade deadline acquired goaltender Corbin Boes’ first game with the Winterhawks. The Hawks did win a 2-1 game in the last matchup with the Royals with the win by Brendan Burke. Burke has started all the games for the Winterhawks in the playoffs and has been solid ranking third in the top goaltenders race with a 1.75 Goals Against Average. Brendan Leipsic has also been charting as well on the points total as he sits fifth overall with 9 points in four games.
An interesting note for Friday’s game with the Royals is that the first 2,000 fans through the door will get a water bottle labelled: Leipsic 28. This is in response to the incident where Brendan used the Vancouver Giants goaltender’s water bottle after a long shift. It netted Leipsic two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct and a standing ovation from the Portland crowd.
The Royals / Winterhawks series promises to be high speed, strong defensively and goaltending duels. For the Winterhawks, Brendan Burke will have a strong backup in Corbin Boes while the Royals will counter with top goaltending duo Patrik Polivka and Coleman Vollrath. This is a series many fans will be watching especially to see just how good the Hawks have become. As noted, the Hawks played without their full lineup and battled well. The feeling from many is that Portland will win the series based on the complete in as few as 5 games.
The other series that affects the Hawks is a rematch from last season. The Seattle Thunderbirds surprised quite a few with a 5-game set over the Everett Silvertips. Part of the issue for Everett was losing key players and being a little young against the age-heavy Thunderbirds. The Birds will face the Kelowna Rockets, who switched places with Portland as the top seed this season and will have their hands full. Kelowna won last year’s series in the full 7 games, a situation they hope not to repeat. Odds are in favor of the Rockets for their full depth and they should win the series in no more than 6. Give the Thunderbirds credit, from doormat to potential contender in a short time is to be commended.
The Eastern Conference took a bit hit as two of the top seeds fell and fell hard. Brandon Wheat Kings, the sixth seed, blew past Regina Pats in just four games and now get to face the top seed in the Edmonton Oil Kings. Brandon last faced Edmonton in the 2011 playoffs when they were swept in four in the second round. Chances aren’t great for Brandon to make a huge splash, but they do hold a spot in the top three in scoring in Jayce Hawryluk. Hawryluk was the player who collapsed following the final game against Regina, but is cleared to play once again. Edmonton probably won’t sweep, but they should only give up a game. This is the longest distance series with over 700 miles separating the two teams.
The other seed to slip out of contention was the Calgary Hitmen. Listed as seed number three, they actually were nearly twenty points ahead of Regina, but conference seeds in the first round are headed by division leaders. Calgary lost in six games to the Kootenay Ice, who had a major supporter in Tim Bozon leaving Saskatoon Hospital and flying to Cranbrook, BC to take part in the ceremonial faceoff for game six. The Hitmen lost 5-3 in the sixth game to the Ice, who now get a much closer drive of under 300 miles each way to face the Medicine Hat Tigers. The Tigers, who also needed six games to win their series with Swift Current Broncos, will have a very difficult foe. The Tigers and Ice split the season series and both carry some tough scorers. Goaltending for the Ice was mixed with MacKenzie Skapski in the net as he gave way to the younger Wyatt Hoflin during a couple of the games. Marek Langhamer for the Tigers holds down the top spot in the WHL goaltending race, so this could be another goaltending battle. Some will go to the Tigers in 6 or 7 while others have the Ice in 6 or 7. Either way, this appears to be the makings of the longest series in the second round.
Ice Chips: The away games will once again be held at several metro area establishments with the full list being updated at www.winterhawks.com. The Portland Winterhawks Booster Club is continuing its preseason membership drive through the playoffs with the opportunity to win a 2013-14 team signed stick. The Booster Club is also continuing its fundraising drives for the Shop with a Hawk program, the Jack Jablonski Medical Fund and the Tim Bozon Medical Fund. Donations can be made at any Winterhawks home game.
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