(Everett, WA) Sunday’s WHL preseason action in the Angel of Winds Arena brought together two familiar U.S. Division rivals in the Tri-City Americans and the Portland Winterhawks.
Each team was playing its third game in three days. Being the final preseason game of the weekend, the Winterhawks and Americans did not dress several of their more experienced players.
Portland’s head coach Mike Johnston said, “Every team is in the same situation, but we probably played more young guys than other teams have in this tournament. We try to play everybody in different situations, five-on-five, power play, (and) penalty kill. We used most of our young guys in those situations to see who could do it.
“You only have so many games to get ready for the season, and each game you’re trying to find out line combinations, which guys to step into the lineup, and we have five or six guys fighting for spots.”
On Sunday, in the Americans’ 3-2 victory, it was the WHL veterans who led the way on the scoresheet.
Sasha Mutala, a Colorado Avalanche prospect, scored all three goals for Tri-City.
“He’s come into camp in unreal shape, and right from day one he has been working extremely hard,” Americans head coach Kelly Buchberger said. “He went to a development camp and probably got some feedback from different players in different leagues. For us, we need (him) to be at the top of his game.”
Portland received contributions from 2020 NHL Entry Draft prospects Seth Jarvis and Robbie Fromm-Delorme.
Fromm-Delorme capped off a three goal weekend in his two preseason games.
Mutala’s shot on Sunday showed why the Avalanche are high on the Vancouver, British Columbia, native. Krystof Hrabik set up the 6-foot-1, 195-pound forward on the power play where Mutala unleashed a wrist shot for the game’s first goal.
Portland answered two minutes later on the second goal of the weekend by Jarvis. Fellow 2020 NHL Entry Draft-eligible forward received the primary assist.
To start the second period, the Winterhawks made a change in goal as they did the night prior. On Saturday, Joel Hofer started the game before Dante Giannuzzi played the second and third periods.
Giannuzzi got his chance to start on Sunday for one period, and Lochlan Gordon tended the net for the final 40 minutes.
With a 2-1 advantage entering the third, the Americans continued to put pressure on the young Winterhawks forwards and defense.
Second-year forward Fromm-Delorme showed poise as he cut to the front of the net and waited out a defender, before slipping the puck by Mason Dunsford.
With Portland pressuring in the Tri-City zone, the Americans broke out of the zone with Nick Bowman and Mutala on a two-on-one rush the other way.
Bowman slid a perfect pass to Mutala. Wasting no time, the 18-year-old completed his hat trick and restored the Americans’ lead for good.
Despite the victory, Buchberger felt, “we played okay. We are changing a few things in our system, and I thought that guys reacted pretty quick. I thought we had good goaltending through the three games. We didn’t get the results in the first two games, but Mason Dunsford played really well tonight.”
Up Next for Portland:
The Winterhawks now head back to Portland where the roster will be reduced before heading to Tri-City for games on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
Recently-signed Kyle Chyzowski and Ryder Thompson showed well in their first preseason games, according to Mike Johnston. “Kyle Chyzowski got better as the weekend went along. He got more comfortable, a little bit each shift he played. I thought Ryder Thompson has been really solid all weekend.
“Certainly, both of those guys, it is a little overwhelming, but I thought they showed some pretty good poise. They are going to be good players in the future, and it is great experience for them.”
Johnston mentioned, “Now they will go home and play with their regular teams. We then start to cut down to a shorter lineup. We have five guys going to pro camps.”
