Sunday evening marked the third game in three nights for the Portland Winterhawks (39-8-3-4). After splitting the first two games against Everett and Spokane, Portland welcomed the Moose Jaw Warriors (12-36-4-0) to the Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Facing each another only once a season, the two teams have not met since January 5, 2019, and not in Portland since October 24, 2017.
Portland entered the night looking to go 6-0 against the East Division in 2019-2020. Reece Newkirk led the way for Portland scoring a natural hat trick in an 11-2 victory.
Mike Johnston and the Winterhawks were not happy with their game on Saturday in Everett; however, the young team bounced back in a big way on Sunday.
“I didn’t like parts of our game last night. Number one, we played faster tonight, we played with a lot of compete. I give our guys credit, Moose Jaw came in after losing with a second left to Tri-City and took Spokane to overtime. They are a good, young team, and they are building for the future. I thought everything we earned tonight, we did earn and we deserved what we got. We played hard and played the right way. I thought it was an entertaining game, there were goals, fights, and a lot of things happening.”
The Winterhawks scored three goals in the first 20 minutes — two by Newkirk.
Defenseman Nick Cicek opened the scoring with his fourth of the season. The 19-year-old defenseman beat Brock Gould to the far side 2:26 into the game. Dante Giannuzzi started the play moving the puck from behind the net — the assist is the 17-year-old’s second assist this season (he later added another during video review post-game).
For captain Johnny Ludvig Cicek’s goal was the key to the game, “It is huge when you get a goal early in any game, it definitely makes the guys more excited for the game. It was good to see Cicek get one there.”
Moose Jaw responded off a clean faceoff win by Garrett Wright. Overage forward, and captain, Owen Hardy snapped a shot by Giannuzzi. The goal was the ex-Vancouver Giants’ 22nd of the season.
Two first period penalties proved costly for the Warriors. Reece Newkirk found the back of the net twice with the extra attacker.
A New York Islanders draft pick was in the bumper position on Portland’s top unit. Seth Jarvis sent a hard pass for the 18-year-old to push into the lower portion of the net.
The five-foot-eleven, 180-pound forward scored his second of the contest less than four minutes later. A rebound from a Johnny Ludvig shot was loose in front before Newkirk backhanded the puck by Gould. The rebound hit Jake Gricius in the leg before landing on Reece’s stick.
An eventful middle frame followed a 3-1 first period. Five Winterhawks goals were scored and two separate fights occurred.
The natural hat trick for Newkirk was completed 1:52 after the puck dropped. Again on the power play, the Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, native beat Gould. On all three of Newkirk’s goals, Ludvig registered an assist.
“It was a great feeling tonight getting the hat trick,” Reece said. “Obviously, I wouldn’t have gotten it without my linemates tonight, our team’s execution on the power play, and our coach (Kyle) Gustafson. It was also nice for our team to bounce back from (Saturday’s) loss and have all our players going tonight.”
As Portland controlled puck possession throughout the game’s first 35 minutes, they received a little puck luck. Cross Hanas and Robbie Fromm-Delorme raced into the Warriors zone. As the Highland Village, Texas, native attempted to return a pass back to Fromm-Delorme, the puck went in off Braden Miller’s stick and in.
Jarvis joined in on the scoring less than a minute later cleaning up a Jonas Brøndberg rebound to the right of Gould.
The intensity of the game picked up following defenseman Clay Hanus being hit hard against the wall. Play was called so he could receive attention from athletic trainer/strength and conditioning coach Rich Campbell. Hanus was helped down the zamboni entrance and did not return to the game. Johnston did not have an update on Hanus’ status during media availability.
With the media timeout in between, the two captains fought nine seconds later. Ludvig and Hardy exchanged blows in response to the hit.
“We are a family in that room,” Ludvig said. “I didn’t really see the hit, but I saw Clay was down, and I saw who hit him. I’m going to step in there every time, I don’t care who it is. I think most of the guys would do it too. (Hardy) is a good fighter, credit to him. I thought we had a good fight out there. Those are fun for me.”
Three minutes later Kishaun Gervais and Nolan Jones dropped their gloves as well. The 6,259 fans in attendance were again on their feet and into the game. Again, the hit on Hanus fueled the aggression per Ludvig, “You don’t want to see a guy get hit like that and be hurt. It got our guys a little bit upset and wanted to do something about it.”
With Hanus in the locker room, and Ludvig serving his fighting major, Johnston and Gustafson sent Brøndberg out with the top power-play unit. The move worked to perfection as the Danish defenseman scored his eighth of the season.
Johnston explained the thought process of choosing the 18-year-old in that situation. “We tried Jonas a couple of weeks ago up there on the power play and thought he looked good. He has some good poise to be on the power play, he just doesn’t shoot enough. I was glad he did shoot tonight, he is a good shooter.”
When Ludvig exited the penalty box he shared a few lighthearted words with his fellow rear guard. “I told him, ‘be careful, I don’t want you taking my spot (on the power play).’ He is a pretty skilled guy, so it is always good to see him get those goals and points.”
Leading 7-1, Tyson Kozak finished off a tremendous pass from Cross Hanas. The 2002-born centerman became the tenth different Winterhawk to hit double digits in goal column in 2019-2020.
The 18-minute intermission did not settle the tension, as Lane Gilliss and Kyle Crosbie fought 1:50 into the third period. However, since the fight occurred immediately following the faceoff, and neither participated in the play, both were given game misconducts.
Four more goals were scored in the final 20 minutes.
Mason Mannek scored twice for Portland including a goal capping off a passing play between the Utah native, Gervais, and Kozak.
Only needing a goal to complete the Gordie Howe hat trick, the Yorkton, Saskatchewan, native checked the final box with 9:04 left in the third period.
The final goal on Sunday was scored by Martin Lang on a late power play opportunity. Garret Wright again was the catalyst helping Lang to his 12th tally of the season.
Ultimately, Portland got the victory they were seeking. “We weren’t too happy with our game last night in Everett,” Ludvig said. “Coming into this one, everyone was excited for a bounce-back — think the boys did a great job tonight and we pushed hard. The coaches weren’t happy, we weren’t happy (last night). So coming into tonight, it light a fire in us, and we wanted to get a big win.”
Giannuzzi made his first start January 18 when he shut out the Kelowna Rockets. “It was good to get him in the net and get him some game action,” Johnston said. “He wasn’t tested very much though, but he was good.”
Jarvis again showed how consistent he has been this season as a scoring threat every time he is on the ice. Sunday was another five-point game — his third of the season. As of Sunday, he climbed to third in the WHL scoring race, one point behind second.
Ludvig’s strong offensive play continued with a four-assist evening — giving him 40 on the year. It is also the second game in February where the Kamloops, British Columbia, native has contributed four points in one game.
Portland has a much needed day off on Monday — playing three games in three nights. Ludvig spoke about the challenges of the task. “It is exhausting to be honest. You have to power through it the last game, you don’t have much energy, and your muscles are tired. They are hard games to play in, but you have to battle through them.”
However, after a day off, the Winterhawks will be right back to practice as they prepare for their second three-in-three weekend in a row. A home-and-home with Seattle kicks off the weekend in the Veterans Memorial Coliseum before moving to Kent on Saturday. Then, on Sunday, a rematch with the Everett Silvertips takes place on Sunday evening.
Johnston considered the weekend an up-and-down performance, “The Spokane game I liked, the Everett game I didn’t, (Sunday) I liked. We are picking parts of our game that we really like and then things we are trying to get better at down the stretch.”
Moose Jaw has two games left on its U.S. Division road trip. Two mid-week contests conclude the trip — in Seattle on Tuesday and Everett on Wednesday.
Notes:
– Brock Gould stopped 46-of-57 Portland shots. On the other end of the ice, Dante Giannuzzi faced 20 Moose Jaw shots and turned aside 18.
– The special teams battle was won by Portland who went 4-for-5 on the power play. Moose Jaw converted on one of its three man-advantage opportunities.
– 16 different Portland players registered at least a point in the game.
