When Skyler McKenzie netted his first goal in 10 games on Tuesday night in Prince George he mimed pulling the monkey off of his back. The following night, at the same venue, McKenzie made sure that monkey was evicted for good.
The winger, who had been stuck at 41 goals, one short of his career high he set a season ago, netted a hat trick to give him 45 in 67 games and get him within striking distance of the 50-goal plateau with five games left. He also notched an assist to give him four points, leading the Winterhawks to a 7-1 win in Prince George.
Cody Glass also chipped in three assists for Portland, extending his point streak to nine games. He has 19 points in that span and has risen up the WHL leader board to his current spot – tied for seventh overall with 93 points.
Connor Bowie, who came oh so close to getting his first WHL goal against his former team on Tuesday, got it on this night. He skated into some space below the left face off dot and took a slick feed from Reid Perepeluk to hammer in his first in the league.
Portland answered back on a beautiful looking snipe from defenseman Henri Jikiharju. The Finnish import took a drop pass by Ty Kolle and wired a shot from the left slot by Gauthier’s blocker. The shot had enough zip on it to pop the water bottle off its resting place on the top of the net.
The goal was Jokiharju’s ninth this year, tying his output from a season ago. His 58 assists are enough to give him 67 total points though. That is good enough for fifth among WHL blue liners.
Though Portland had the majority of possession in the first 30 minutes of action, they were tied with Prince George and due to the strong play of Gauthier and inability of the Winterhawks snipers to pick corners, this one looked destined to be another tight contest.
The McKenzie and MacKenzie (no relation) show got going in the later stages of the second though and broke this one wide open though.
After Austin Crossley got whistled for elbowing, McKenzie finally broke through for Portland against P.G. on the power play. Over three and a half games, the Winterhawks were 0-for-18 on the man advantage vs. P.G.
That goalless streak ended when Glass rushed up the ice and dropped a pass off, creating some room for McKeznie. The Winnipeg Jets prospect fired a low shot on the ice that slipped under Gauthier’s pad. That would end up being the game winner, but McKenzie was nowhere close to being done.
He added a short handed goal to his total a few minutes later. Skating on a penalty kill, the diminutive sniper played give-and-go with Glass, getting the puck back and slipping it by Gauthier. This was his fifth short handed goal this year and 44th overall.
Right before the second was over, Luke MacKenzie got in on the act. After playing 37 games combined between Saskatoon and Red Deer, MacKenzie had not yet found the twine in 2017-18. He netted his second in 25 games with Portland with just one second remaining in the second.
The 18-year-old MacKenzie, who has found some chemistry playing with converted defenseman Conor MacEachern and 2001-born center Reece Newkirk on Portland’s fourth line, took a brilliant slap-pass outlet from Jokiharju and got in behind the defense, before deftly stick handing around Gauthier and roofing his shot.
After hanging tough with Portland, Prince George seemed like the wind was out of their sails after 40 minutes, trailing 4-1.
That would be made clear within four minutes in the third. Lane Gilliss notched his seventh this year 2:42 into the final frame. The puck bounced around and found its way to Gilliss at the near post. He made no mistake, poking the puck in for the 5-1 lead.
Just 1:18 later, Kieffer Bellows netted his 39th this year, ending Taylor Gauthier’s night. In just his 51st game in his first year in the WHL, Bellows followed up striking the post on one rush up the ice, with burying a nice feed from Glass on his next time down.
Gauthier stopped 25 of 31. In the Portland net, Kehler won for the second straight time with 18 saves on 19 shots.
Isaiah DiLaura came into the game in relief and would face a deluge of Portland shots. He faced 22 in a span of just 16 minutes, stopping all but one of them.
Portland outshot Prince George 25-6 in the final frame and 53-19 overall.
The one that did get by DiLaura, was the hat trick marker for McKenzie. With 3:31 left he kicked home a feed from Brendan De Jong with his skate, outside of the crease.
Portland now heads back across the boarder for an important two games at home this weekend. They will take on Tri-City on Saturday, before battling with Everett on Sunday. With the two points earned this night, the Winterhawks increase their record to 42-20-1-4. That is good for 89 points, four behind the U.S. and Western Conference leading Silvertips.
Should Everett lose in regulation Saturday to Seattle and Portland win at home vs Tri-City, the game Sunday would be for first place in the U.S.
The Winterhawks have the fourth best winning percentage in the WHL.
Prince George next plays in Victoria on Friday.
