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Mucha and Jordan Made an Impression · Saturday November 8, 2008

The Portland Winter Hawks scored 2 second period goals in 12 seconds to beat the Spokane Chiefs 2-1 in Spokane Arena.

How did they do it?

With great goal tending by Kurtis Mucha, goal scoring (Taylor Jordan (1), Brock Cornish (2)), and a little help from referee Steve Papp or Colby Smith who didn’t blow their whistle on a shot in the mesh that setup Cornish’s goal.

The Hawks gave Mucha a two goal lead and he didn’t disappoint making save after save stopping 39 of 40 shots some at point blank range.

Another young Hawk player has impressed. In his short time back Taylor Jordan seems to have added another inch to his 6’6” frame and is starting to put it together. As a 16 year old he looked awkward; not in control of his body. Seeing him for the first time in the Oil King game I noticed his improved skating and strong effective floor-checking. He proved last year he could mix it up with the big boys. This year he is working well with his equally young huge line mates Kiley Boychuk and Taylor Peters and the group is starting to produce some scoring.

The new era starts with a two road win streak.

Come on boyz let’s win some games for the home crowd this weekend.

— S. Blanchard

Comment

Hawk 08-09 Pre-Season Predictions · Friday September 19, 2008

So what do the Western Major Junior Hockey Writers Association think of the Portland Winter Hawks chances this year. How about dead last, 22nd in a league of 22.

The writers also put the Hawks US division rivals at the top of the list with the 2007-08 Memorial Cup champions Spokane Chiefs number 1, and the Tri-City Americans 5th.

That does not bode well for a team that plays both teams 17 times. Even so, the young Hawks have shown improvement in pre-season. The young guns of Hutt, Ross, and Reddin have added some chemistry and a knack for scoring that the team didn‘t have last year. The defense lead by Travis Ehrhardt, Brock Cornish and Ryan Kerr should provide some depth, skill and a year of experience. Goaltending will be solid with Mucha, White, and Hamilton. Coach Rich Kromm has finally had time to put his system in place.

With that in mind I see team goal scoring increasing from 132 to 185 and the goals against decreasing from 318 to 270.

If they can stay healthy, the Hawks will at least double their wins from 11 to 22. Will this be enough to get out of the cellar? Maybe.

Last year’s Kamloop Blazers only scored 27 goals and 58 points to make the playoffs. The year before that the Prince Albert Raiders made the playoffs with 27 wins and 60 points; and don’t forget in 04-05, the Swift Current Broncos had only 14 wins and 39 points and still made the playoffs.

This will be the year we should have had last year…with young players developing and showing a lot of improvement in the second half.

The past is the past. Who believes polls anyway. The Western Major Junior Hockey Writers Association is represented by the Everett Herald, Seattle Times, Spokesman-Review (Spokane), Tri-City Herald, Kelowna Capital News, Kelowna Daily Courier, Red Deer Advocate, Swift Current Prairie Post, Prince George Citizen, Lethbridge Herald, Medicine Hat News, Chilliwack Progress, The Kootenay NewsAdvertiser, Moose Jaw Times-Herald, Saskatoon StarPhoenix, Regina Leader-Post and the Brandon Sun.

I don’t see the Portland Tribute, Columbian, or the Oregonian listed in the association, or weighing in on the results. Last place teams in the WHL usually don’t stay there very long. Predicting that the Hawks will for the third straight year is a prediction I am not going to make.

And I do look forward to seeing the Hawks prove them all wrong.

Results of the poll:
(First-place votes in parenthesis)
1. Spokane Chiefs (14) 371
2. Kelowna Rockets (1) 343
3. Lethbridge Hurricanes (1) 335
4. Brandon Wheat Kings 325
5. Tri-City Americans (1) 316
6. Vancouver Giants 278
7. Medicine Hat Tigers 266
8. Seattle Thunderbirds 251
9. Calgary Hitmen 233
10. Regina Pats 223
11. Swift Current Broncos 221
12. Saskatoon Blades 150
13. Kamloops Blazers 149
14. Moose Jaw Warriors 143
15. Prince George Cougars 129
16. Kootenay Ice 125
17. Prince Albert Raiders 114
18. Everett Silvertips 91
19. Chilliwack Bruins 88
20. Edmonton Oil Kings 77
21. Red Deer Rebels 54
22. Portland Winter Hawks 19

— S. Blanchard

Comment

Chiefs vs. Hawks - Game 41 · Saturday January 12, 2008

The Portland Winter Hawks looked like a top tiered team for the first two periods before the Spokane Chiefs turned it on and scored three third period goals on to a 6-2 win.

For the Chiefs, Seth Compton scored twice and added two assists for a four-point, while Jared Spurgeon and Drayson Bowman each had a goal and an assist. Tyler Johnson and Mitch Wahl also scored for the Chiefs. Ondrej Roman chipped in two assists.

Portland got a second period goal from Jacob Dietrich, his seventh goal in his last eight games, to tie the score at 1-1 early in the second period on a tremendous up-ice rush.

After the Chiefs scored twice to make it 3-1, newcomer Phil Gervais notched his first goal as a Winter Hawk scoring on a tip in of a Tyler Swystun set up to make it 3-2 at the end of the second period.

Kevin Armstrong stopped 31 of 33 Portland shots to earn the victory for the Chiefs while Kurtis Mucha stopped 29 of 35 in the loss.

Chiefs went 1 for 3 on the power play while Portland went 0 for 3 with a short-handed goal against.

Next up Everett at home.

Attendance: 3603
Memorial Coliseum

Game Description
Game Summary

Kemper’s Three Stars

Compton (SPO), Spurgeon (SPO), Gervais (POR)

Fight Card

A lot of good fights tonight.

McGill/Donaghy – The openning dance. McGill didn’t seem to get set up for this fight.

Edge to Donaghy.

Kelner/Gabriel – Not really a fight. Kelner jumped Gabriel after Gabriel put the clean big hit of the night on Bowman.

Bowman/Ehrhardt – Ehrhardt what a nice supprise. You just put a major ass whuppin on Bowman. I don’t think Bowman got a shot off. That was one of the most dominant one-sided fights I have seen.

No contest Ehrhardt may have found a new career in fighting after hockey.

Gervais/Donaghy – Donaghy’s second fight of the night. Gervais first game as Hawk.

Slight edge to Donaghy

Ponich/Kelner – Another nice suprise. Kelner didn’t have the advantage of jumping his opponent this time. Ponich showed a clear effective right hand that was decisive.

Edge to Ponich

Grecica/Letts – Not much of fight. A lot of flailing around by Grecica

Edge to Letts

— S. Blanchard

Comment

Hawks vs. Chiefs - Game 32 · Thursday December 13, 2007

The second game of a home-and-home series with the Spokane Chiefs was over after a four goal tally in the first and with 3 add on goals in the second and third for a final score 7-1.

Ondrej Roman, Mitch Wahl and Judd Blackwater scored early for the Chiefs. Roman’s goal came on a four-on-four, Wahl’s was even strength and Blackwater’s was a power play marker

Portland got their lone goal of the game as Jason Grecica one-timed a centering pass from Kevin Undershute on a power play to cut the lead to two goals.

The first period capper was a Chiefs short handed goal by Compton (5) at 17:30 from a turnover by Swystun to make it 4-1.

Kevin Armstrong was selected as the game’s first star after making 32 saves on the night and winning his 12th game of the season.

Next up Swift Current home.

Attendance: 3838
Spokane Vet Memorial Arena

Game Description

Game Summary

CHIEF’s Three Stars

Armstrong (SPO), Roman (SPO), Compton (SPO)

Fight Card

Gabriel/Blackwater

Grecica/Reddington

— S. Blanchard

Comment

Chiefs vs. Hawks - Game 31 · Monday December 10, 2007

The Portland Winter Hawks rallied from two goals down in the final two minutes to force overtime against the Spokane Chiefs. The Chiefs pulled it out in the shoot-out, to win 5-4. For most fans at the MC this was a real winner for the Hawks.

Spokane came into the game as the top team in the WHL and ranked #2 overall in the entire Canadian Hockey League.

The Hawks pulled Kurtis Mucha twice in the final two minutes and scored both times as Jacob Dietrich and Kevin Undershute scored to force overtime. Undershute’s tying goal came with just 18.4 seconds left on the game clock.

Portland took a two-goal lead early in the second period after goals by Luke Walker and Chris Francis, but Spokane rallied for four consecutive goals to take a 4-2 lead with 10 minutes remaining in the third period. Spokane got goals from Chris Langkow, Drayson Bowman, Chris Bruton and Jared Spurgeon.

Travis Ehrhardt had two assists, setting up both the third and fourth goals for Portland. Bowman and Bruton each added assists for two-point nights as well for Spokane.

After a scoreless overtime, Jace Coyle scored the lone goal in the shoot-out for Spokane as the second shooter for the Chiefs. Dustin Tokarski stopped Undershute, Tyler Swystun and Ehrhardt to preserve the victory. Kurtis Mucha stopped Bowman and Ondrej Roman in the shoot-out as well.

Mucha stopped 47 of 51 Spokane shots and received the number one star of the game.

Portland went 2 for 5 on the power play while Spokane went 1 for 5.

Next up Spokane away.

Attendance: 3330
Key Arena

Game Description
Game Summary

Kemper’s Three Stars

Mucha (POR), Ehrhardt (POR), Bowman (SPO)

Fight Card

No fights tonight…all business.

— S. Blanchard

Comment

Chiefs vs. Hawks - Game 15 · Tuesday October 30, 2007

Its kind of like playing against your little brother. No matter what he does you know you can turn it on and beat him at will. That is what the Chiefs first four goals in the first 5 minutes of the game seemed like—an endless layup drill in basketball—smooth, effortless and in control.

I sat there watching each time and was amazed at how easy it was. I sure wish that was my team. I felt sorry for Mucha being replaced by White so early but the team had nothing to give and the night was just beginning.

The team did try to come back in the first period and with a goal from Hotson (2) with assist from Alexiuk and McLaren, the Hawks were trying to get in the game. The period ends being being out shoot by the Chiefs 15-10.

Any momentum was lost after the Chief’s Koper notched his first goal of the game at 3:29 in the second period.

The team seamed tired and by the time they got some energy, the game was over. Beyond Aaron McGill I saw little fight in the Hawks. It could be they just didn’t have anything left after the last two nights. This may be a tougher season than I thought.

Attendance: 2756
Memorial Coliseum

Game Description

Game Summary

Kemper’s Three Stars

Blackwater (SPO), Roman (SPO), Koper (SPO)

— S. Blanchard

Comment

Hawks vs. Chiefs - Game 7 · Saturday October 13, 2007

Defensive mistakes and poor power play results set the Hawks up for another road loss giving the team a record of (1-6-0-0); the one win coming at Everett. The Hawks were out shot (43-24) and were (0-5) on the power play.

Attendance: 4804
Spokane Veteran Memorial Arena

Game Summary

Game Notes:

Here are some of the highlights.

Period 1

5:13 – After a questionable hooking call on Schmermund, the Chiefs go on a power play with Bruton (3) scoring off a rebound save by Guggenberger on a shot by Bowman.

10:44 – A back breaker short hand goal by Johnson (2) after stealing a pass by Colton Sceviour in the neutral zone and skating in one-on-one against Hawk’s goalie Guggenberger to give the Chiefs a 2 goal lead.

17:44 – The Hawks come back with a nice wrist shot by Francis (1) after a face off win by Sceviour in the Chief’s zone. The shot zoomed by Armstrong off his blocker side giving the Hawks some renewed hope near the end of the period.

Period 2

Hawks come out of the period with just what the doctor order a quick tying goal:

2:19 – Hawk’s Undershute off a face off in the Chief’s zone, played the puck forward to Valchar (1) for a nice wrist shot passed Chief’s goalie Armstrong.

The Hawks momentum and chance for a win ends 62 seconds later

3:22 – The Hawks coughed up the puck off the boards in there own zone giving the puck to Bruton who centers it to Bowman (6) for the open net score.

Hawks couldn’t recover and 17 seconds later the Chief’s score again.

3:39 – Wahl (2) scores off a rebound shot by Reddington.

The Hawks finished the period being out shot 16-6 spending much of the rest of the period killing 2 Chief power plays from Alexiuk (tripping) and Panchyson (High Sticking).

Period 3

The Hawks ineptness on the power play showed up in the third period with 4 power play opportunities and no scores. With the dominance of puck control on the power play, the Hawks were still only able to out shoot the Chiefs by 1 (12-11).

The Kneeing of Ponich by Kelner and then Bruton’s tackle on Walker set off some bad blood at the end of the game.

Swystun and Reddington started the fight which sounded from Andy’s broadcast like a slight advantage to Reddington.

Then both goalies (Armstrong, Guggenberger) met at center ice where Guggenberger put many good shots on Armstrong as a decided winner. Guggenberger was impressive in his first WHL fight in regular season.

Chiefs Three Stars:

Wahl (SPO), Bruton (SPO), Spurgeon (SPO)

Guggenberger Shilo Inn’s most physical.

— S. Blanchard

Comment

US Divisional News · Friday January 18, 2008

— S. Blanchard

Comment