Just four nights ago, the Portland Winterhawks (9-3) were sitting pretty. They had stormed out to a 9-1 record to start the season and were benefitting from a group of forwards that were all doing their part to hit the score sheet.
Lack of scoring depth raised its ugly head for the second game in a row, Tuesday at home at the Veteran Memorial Coliseum. After the line of Skyler McKenzie, Cody Glass and Kieffer Bellows accounted for five of the team’s six total points in their 7-2 loss at Prospera Place Saturday, they were responsible for seven of 11 Tuesday in the Winterhawks 6-4 loss to the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors (10-3).
While the other three lines are creating looks, they are not finishing the same way they were earlier in the season. With the talent on those lines though, it should only be a matter of time before they start finishing these looks.
It should say something then, that even with Glass, McKenzie and Bellows carrying the load themselves, the Winterhawks nearly surmounted a comeback and took down the top teams in the Eastern Conference, in a high-scoring affair.
Moose Jaw was led by two goals and an assist from Brett Howden, one goal and three assists from Jayden Halbgewachs and two points apiece from Jett Woo, Tanner Jeannot and Brayden Burke in the win.
Bellows and McKenzie each rattled off three points for Portland.
After a back-and-forth first period created plenty of scoring chances, the Warriors finally broke through with 4:18 left in the session. Ilijah Colina just missed Jake Gricius driving the net and Moose Jaw broke out on a two-on-one the other way. Jayden Halbgewachs found Brett Howden, who tapped the puck past Portland goalie Cole Kehler.
The Winterhawks answered with a five-on-three power play goal just 1:06 later. Cody Glass found Kieffer Bellows in front and with everyone thinking he was about to shoot, he flicked a deft backhand pass to a wide open Skyler McKenzie for the one-timer.
Moose Jaw notched a power play goal on their fourth chance of the game to put themselves back up 2-1, 3:46 into the second. It was a greasy one as Howden drove the net, Brayden Burke got a stick on it and Jett Woo crashed the back post, poking the loose puck past a sprawled out Kehler.
Portland had the answer and again it came from their top line. After McKenzie won a draw deep in the Moose Jaw zone, Bellows picked up the puck and sniped a shot over the left shoulder of Wilms.
That is when the Warriors would strike back with a vengeance. After a Brendan De Jong giveaway behind the net, Jeannot found Howden in front alone for the quick strike. Then Halbgewachs broke out after a Portland miss and found Jeannot in behind John Ludvig. Jeannot went low blocker side on Kehler, beating the overage netminder.
Despite being down 4-2 after 40 minutes, Portland still felt very much in this game.
That hope was aided by an Alex Overhardt power play goal 2:40 into the third. Overahrdt drove to the net and was turned away by Wilms. However, he found the rebound of the Ilijah Colina follow for his fourth goal on the young season.
Unfortunately for the 2,618 fans present, Moose Jaw again was able to capitalize on a Portland defensive miscue. Brayden Burke found a loose puck after a turnover and fed Luke Burzan in the slot for the 5-3 lead. The Warriors out shot the Winterhawks 18-7 in the final frame.
Bellows and McKenzie were not done yet though as they had more magic in the hat. McKenzie fought for a puck in the right corner and found Keoni Texeira filling the lane. That connection did not work, but a Bellows backhand on the rebound did. The goal was Bellows’ second on the night, ninth on the year and runs his point streak to seven games. In that span he has 15 points. McKenzie’s streak meanwhile is at nine games and he has 16 points in that span. Glass, who had an assist on the night, also has a nine game point streak and also has 16 points in that timeframe.
Halbgewachs put the game with an empty-netter, his seventh goal of the year.
Brody Wilms got the win with 31 saves on 35 shots, while Kehler took his first loss this year, giving up five goals on 48 shots.
Moose Jaw went 1/5 on the power play, while Portland went 2/5.
The Winterhawks host the struggling Everett Silvertips Sunday, getting the rare Friday and Saturday nights off. Moose Jaw, who started their road trip out with losses in Kootenay and Spokane, has now won three straight. The next part of their seven-game journey brings them to Kennewick to take on the Tri-City Americans Wednesday evening.
