Winterhawks Weekly: Keeping Pace

The Portland Winterhawks had a chance to close in on the Everett Silvertips, if not take back the U.S. Division lead this week, as the Winterhawks had two games to the Silvertips' one.  The Winterhawks' quest will have to wait one more game, as both teams won out this week, with the Winterhawks taking a harder than expected route.  Friday, the Winterhawks looked to continue their dominance over the Spokane Chiefs as they went into their arena and proved to be rude guests.  Dominic Turgeon and Mitch Holmberg exchanged goals in the first period, but it would be Oliver Bjorkstrand who gave the Winterhawks the lead heading into the second period.  Brendan Leipsic and Keegan Iverson scored for the Winterhawks in what ended up being alternating goals between the teams, as Holmberg scored both Chiefs goals to get the hat trick and send the game to 4-3 going into the third.  Holmberg's hat trick ended up being matched by the Winterhawks, as Bjorkstrand netted two of his own goals in the third period to complete his own hat trick and giving the Winterhawks yet another win against Spokane, this time being a 6-3 final.  Brendan Burke got the win and Paul Bittner came away with three assists.

Sunday was a rematch from last year's Memorial Cup tournament, as the Saskatoon Blades came calling.  Bjorkstrand and Matt Revel exchanged goals to make it even at one after one period.  Saskatoon dominated most of the second period, with Revel and Nathan Burns scoring for the Blades, to make it 4-1, with Burns accounting for two of the three goals in the period for the Blades.  However, the Winterhawks cut the lead to one at the end of the period on two Nic Petan goals.  Petan would tie the game with his third goal of the evening to open the third period, but Collin Valcourt would put the Blades back up one.  However, Portland had some magic left, as Petan and Bjorkstrand closed out the scoring in the game and the Winterhawks escaped with a 6-5 win.  Burke got the win in relief of Jarrod Schamerhorn.

The Winterhawks will be on the road this week, as they will get a chance to reclaim first place in the U.S. Division as they look to avenge an earlier loss to Everett on Tuesday.  The weekend will be spent in Alberta, as the Winterhawks get reacquainted with their WHL Finals foe from the last two years in Edmonton on Friday.  Saturday, the Winterhawks face a formidable foe in Red Deer and on Sunday, the Calgary Hitmen open their doors to the Winterhawks.