The Portland Winterhawks went into Angel of the Winds Casino, home of the Everett Silvertips fresh off their Game 7 win over the Spokane Chiefs three days previous and played the first period as if it was another Game 7 and not Game 1 of their second round series. They worked hard in the early going, winning battles in the tough areas on the ice and flew out to an early lead.
The Winterhawks got big performances from depth players that are not known for contributing on the score sheet and after Everett seemed to be mounting a comeback in the later stages of the second period, they got a complete gut punch of a goal with 1.1 seconds left in the period and went on to win 5-2. Kieffer Bellows and Ty Kolle each added two points as well.
Portland Winterhawks Head Coach, General Manager and Vice President Mike Johnston liked how his team came out in Game 1.
“I really liked our energy to start the game. I thought we had energy through our four lines and our third and fourth lines were getting chances and got a couple goals. That’s always big for your team, it gives you a big lift,” Johnston said.
Recent history was on Johnston’s mind as his Winterhawks surprised Prince George last year in the first round, only to drop the first two games on the road in their second round series to Kelowna and then fall in five games.
“You always wonder how your team is going to come out off a tough seven-game series and go right back at it again. Last year it was hard when we played Kelowna so maybe our guys learned a lesson there that maybe you have to regroup quick and get going again.”
Defenseman John Ludvig, who had just two goals and five assists all regular season, assisted on Portland’s first goal and then netted their third marker of the game as they drove out to an early 3-0 lead after the first. Everett came back and scored twice in the second and the game seemed to be headed to the third with Portland on their heels, nursing a one-goal lead.
Then Kieffer Bellows made a highlight reel play to set up Skyler McKenzie for a goal and some much needed insurance with just one second left in the period. That insurance marker also helped Portland quell the storm that was building for the Silvertips.
Some hard work in the Everett zone by his line set up Jake Gricius for the first goal of the second round series. A shot from Ludvig created a juicy rebound and with no Everett player around to tie up his stick, he drilled a shot into the net before Everett goalie Carter Hart could get over.
Ludvig recounted the opening goal: “I got a nice pass from (Mason) Mannek there and I was just trying to get something in front. I knew we had a lot of guys in front so I was just trying to get it in there.”
After Portland’s third line got their goal, the Winterhawks fourth line contributed as well to put them up 2-0. Rookie center Reece Newkirk fired a hard, low shot that Hart stopped but the rebound came out to his left where Conor MacEachern was tied up with former teammate Bronson Sharp. MacEachern won the battle and tapped in the puck for his first playoff goal and first marker since February 7th.
Portland had out shot the Silvertips 17-9 after the first and had a two-goal lead.
The Winterhawks continued to get some strong play from their depth and soon led 3-0 in the second.
Ty Kolle, who has played well since replacing Connor Barley in the lineup dropped a pass to Ludvig and the rookie blue liner fired a shot that was eerily reminiscent of his Teddy Bear Toss goal from earlier in the year.
“I was just hanging out in an area I thought the puck might pop out to and luckily it did. I got it and put my head down and shot it,” Ludvig said of his first career WHL playoff goal.
Everett was not about to roll over though in the one and bounced back to make this a game.
They cashed in on a rebound of their own as Ian walker pumped a drive on Kehler and the puck bounced out to Matt Fonteyne who put home his fourth of the playoffs.
Then things got interesting as a defensive breakdown led to a 2-on-1 for Sean Richards and Patrick Bajkov. Richards took a pass from Bajkov and filed his second of the post-season, cutting Portland’s lead down to 3-2 with 1:07 left in the second.
Everett had control of the play and were creating some chances to tie, but then disaster struck for them late.
With seconds remaining, Ondrej Vala tries to stand Bellows up at the blue liner and had the N.Y. Islanders prospect pass off the boards to himself to get around the blue liner. Bellows then fired a backhand pass right to the back post where Skyler McKenzie – who was skating hard – was at and McKenzie scored with 1.1 seconds left in the middle frame.
The goal was a complete gut punch for Everett as in the second half of the middle period they were playing their best hockey of the game and had gotten to within one goal.
Johnston did not seem surprised by Bellows’ ability to set up the goal. “Bellows can make plays like that. He’s done it all year. He’s done it in the playoffs for us and I thought that was a big-game play. He made a little chip to himself and got it back with some speed. He had enough composure to know there were one-or-two seconds left on the board and got to Skyler right at the net.”
“That was a huge goal for us. I thought they had some momentum at the end of the second period and if we had started the third period with a goal separation it would have been different.”
Amazingly enough this game had zero penalties after the second period, creating a free flowing game.
The Silvertips had a great chance in the third to get closer when Bajkov came out of the box and got a clear breakaway, but he could not get a shot off.
Cody Glass then put Portland up 5-2 as he collected an outlet pass from Bellows and beat Hart through the five hole on the rush. Hart could not get his right pad down in time to stop the shot.
The five goals scored against Hart matched the most he has given up in a playoff game this year.
Cole Kehler was solid in net again for Portland as he stopped 32 of 34. Johnston was complimentary of his goalie’s performance so far in the playoffs.
“Cole’s had a really good year overall. Early in the year, him and Hart were the two top guys in the league. He earned a contract with Los Angeles. He’s had a good solid year and matured like a lot of the good goalies in our league do. When they are 16, 17 and 18, they struggle quite a bit more. Last year and this year when he’s been 19 and 20, he’s played really well for us.”
Hart stopped 31 of 36 for Everett in the loss.
Notes:
-Glass and Bellows tied for the team lead in shots with four apiece but the action was well spread out as every skater on the team got a shot on goal except for Keoni Texeira.
-Glass now has 12 points in eight playoff games, while Bellows has 11.
-Kehler has dropped his GAA to 2.94 and raised his save percentage in the post-season to 0.911.
-Alex Overhardt was 7-for-15 at the face off dot, while Glass went 5-for-11 and Gricius was 9-for-16. With Portland in control late, Portland did not have to resort to putting Overhardt out for so may draws.
-Portland and Everett both went 0-for-1 on the power play. Portland is now 5-for-24 in the playoffs while Everett is 4-for-19.
-Lukus MacKenzie remains out for Portland with an injury.
-Portland is sticking with Ludvig instead of Clay Hanus as their sixth d-man. Ludvig gave them no reason to switch that with his first multi-point WHL game.
-Series continues Saturday night in Everett for Game 2 at 7:05pm.
