DUBNetwork Game of the Night: Portland Winterhawks (35-6-2-3) @ Everett Silvertips (31-11-3-1) 7:35 PM PST
How good has Portland been as of late? Since a 4-1 loss to the Kamloops Blazers on November 30th, the Winterhawks have been on a 21-game point streak and vaulted to second in the Canadian Hockey League’s Top-10 Rankings.
Perhaps the most impressive footnote on the streak is the personnel that has missed time throughout the two-month stretch. Despite the absence of Joel Hofer, Simon Knak and others, the Winterhawks haven’t skipped a beat on their way up to the Western Conference’s throne.
Leading Portland on this rather absurd streak is draft-eligible forward Seth Jarvis who has posted — and you can fact check us on this — 28 points in his last nine games. I didn’t believe it either.
It’s far from a one-man show, mind you. 19-year old defenceman and good Kamloops kid Johnny Ludvig has posted 13 points in his last nine games from the blueline. Rounding out the juggernaut is Gold medalist Joel Hofer whose name is plastered among the statistical leaders for WHL goaltenders.
A tale of the tape suggests Hofer may have to be at his best on Friday evening. The Winterhawks will roll into the Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett where Dustin Wolf and the Silvertips will be waiting. Thanks to a 5-0-1-0 streak, the Silvertips have managed to keep their sights on Portland who remains nine points and a four-hour bus ride clear of Everett.
Wolf’s 1.95 goals-against average and frugal .937 save percentage pace all WHL goaltenders. The Tips’ offence is led by 20-year old Bryce Kindopp whose 30 goals are good for third in the league. Cole Fonstad sits second in the WHL with 45 assists while Gage Goncalves is in the midst of a breakout season; the 19-year old has posted 26 goals and 50 points in 43 games.
With two of the WHL’s top goaltenders squaring off and a razor-thin margin for error, special teams could play a deciding factor for either team. On the man-advantage, Everett’s 27.3 percent success rate leads all teams across the league. Portland’s crew, sitting at a 23.1 percent conversion rate, is not far behind at sixth overall.
Both teams are on the stingier side when it comes to killing penalties. Portland’s 86.7 percent rate is third in the WHL while Everett’s 81.3 percent is good for sixth overall.
Everyone wants sustainability, right? As Portland looks to continue a winning streak for the ages, they will also be seeking a 4-0 advantage in the season series against the Silvertips.
In other WHL action:
Saskatoon Blades (24-19-2-2) @ Moose Jaw Warriors (12-30-2-0) 7 PM CST
Saskatoon has a firm grip on the second wild card position in the Eastern Conference. Thanks to a 6-3-1-0 record in their past 10, the Blades are 15 points clear of the Red Deer Rebels but still trail Calgary by five points. Moose Jaw will be looking to find some traction after making a series of moves at the trade deadline. The Warriors were sellers at the deadline and shipped out Brayden Tracey and Adam Evanoff to Victoria in a blockbuster.
Lethbridge Hurricanes (29-11-2-5) @ Prince Albert Raiders (25-14-5-4) 7 PM CST
The Hurricanes hold a narrow lead over Medicine Hat for second place in the Central Division. Alex Cotton’s 51 points lead all WHL defencemen while Dylan Cozens and Oliver Okuliar are both in the Top-15 in scoring. Aliaksei Protas spearheads the Raiders’ offence with 57 points while Kaiden Guhle and Ozzy Wiesblatt are making their own contributions as 2020 NHL draft eligibles.
Victoria Royals (25-18-4-0) @ Regina Pats (14-26-3-2) 7 PM CST
Victoria continues their road trip through the WHL’s Eastern Conference with a stop in Regina. The Royals have collected just one point in their first three games out East and will be looking to shrink the Blazers’ 13-point lead in the B.C. Division. Regina remains 19 points back of Saskatoon for the second Wildcard spot.
Medicine Hat Tigers (31-14-1-1) @ Swift Current Broncos (10-32-1-3) 7 PM CST
Friday’s game in Swift Current features two teams on the opposite ends of the spectrum. Medicine Hat’s 206 goals lead the WHL while Swift Current’s 100 are the second-fewest. As the Broncos continue their rebuild, the Tigers will be looking to leap the Hurricanes in the Central Division. Tigers’ captain James Hamblin leads the WHL with 76 points in 46 games and their man-advantage is ranked second-best in the league at 25.9 percent.
Brandon Wheat Kings (25-19-2-2) @ Calgary Hitmen (26-15-4-1) 7 PM MST
Two teams on the up-and-up will be looking to state their case on Friday night. Thanks to a 7-3-0-0 record in their last 10, Calgary has a five-point lead over Saskatoon for the first Wildcard playoff spot in the East. Both teams have utilized depth and solid goaltending to put themselves in the playoff picture at this point in the season. Brandon’s Jiri Patera has recorded four shutouts on the season which puts the Czech Republic native in a three-way tie for second in the league.
Winnipeg ICE (29-17-1-0) @ Red Deer Rebels (16-25-2-3) 7 PM MST
Familiar faces in strange surroundings will be one of the storylines heading into this contest. Former Rebels’ captain Dawson Barteaux was the central piece in a big transaction between these two teams and will now face his old squad for the first time as a member of the ICE. Winnipeg’s acquisition of Liam Hughes has played another factor in the surprisingly successful season. Hughes has guided the ICE to a two-way tie with the Prince Albert Raiders for first place in the East Division.
Tri-City Americans (14-26-4-1) @ Prince George Cougars (13-25-3-4) 7 PM PST
Despite nearly identical records between the two teams, momentum favours the Cougars heading into Friday’s game. Tri-City’s 1-9-0-0 record in the past 10 have dropped them 10 points back of Seattle in the U.S. Division while Taylor Gauthier and the Cougars have kept afloat with a 4-4-1-1 record in their last 10.
Spokane Chiefs (25-17-4-1) @ Kelowna Rockets (23-21-1-2) 7 PM PST
Both teams will be looking to avenge losses in their previous games. The Memorial Cup hosts will be tasked with shutting down the WHL’s leading goal scorer Adam Beckman and should have better luck as they start to receive reinforcements. Decimated by injuries through the middle of the season, the Rockets are beginning to get an idea of what a relatively healthy squad looks like.
Kamloops Blazers (32-12-2-1) @ Vancouver Giants (20-20-3-2) 7 PM PST
Divisional rivals with playoff seedings hanging in the balance, what’s not to like? The Blazers are riding a 9-1-0-0 streak and sit “comfortably” atop the B.C. Division with 67 points. Vancouver — holding a slight edge over Seattle for the first Wildcard spot — has yet to beat Kamloops this season and will be looking to conquer the league’s best penalty kill in the process.
