What: The Portland Winterhawks (46-15-4-1) take on the Seattle Thunderbirds (27-37-2) in Western Hockey League action.

When: Saturday, March 23, 6pm PDT.

Where: Memorial Coliseum.

Watch: TV in the Portland area on Portland’s CW. Or you can stream the game via the CHL TV pay per view (about US$7.50 for one game).

Listen: Winterhawks and Thunderbirds audio.

Follow:

• The box score.
• Get updates and chat before, during, and after the game.

Portland Winterhawks

Going into Sunday, the Portland Winterhawks had destiny in their hands for winning the top seed in the Western Conference for the playoffs that start next Friday. But two overtime losses to non-playoff teams have all but knocked them out of contention. Friday’s loss at Tri-City was especially bad; they outshot the Americans 52-14 but Jordan Gavin’s overtime winner handed them a loss to the team they’d beaten 11-1 the Friday before.

So now they’re 3 points behind the Prince George Cougars with them having 2 games left and PG playing their final game Saturday. Portland needs to win both games and then have the Cougars lose in the rematch at home to Kamloops, who they beat Friday 9-2. And if Prince George loses in overtime, that still might not be enough--Portland would have to beat Seattle by enough to overcome Prince George’s now-superior goal difference.

Portland is technically alive--stranger things have happened, like Portland’s last two games with Tri-City--but the chances are slim. They might be better off resting players for Friday, especially in goal. It would look bad if Kamloops pulled off a miracle but Portland didn’t take advantage, but being ready for next week and beyond is the important thing. At the end of the playoffs, who had home ice advantage will be a footnote.

Danielson has a 4-game point streak, with 9 points in those games.

Klassen since February 13 has 16 points in 15 games, still good but down from his previous pace. He was held to one shot Friday and missed the net on good looks on a few occasions. He might benefit from rest.

Stefan was scoreless on Friday, still looking to hit triple digits.

Davies since returning to the lineup after missing 9 games: 5 goals, 1 assist in 13 games.

Leading forwards: Klassen (105 points/66 games), Stefan (99/65), Danielson (64/53), Davies (61/53), Nguyen (55/64).

Cagnoni, cruising home as the league’s top-scoring defenseman, has a 6-game point streak, with 13 points in those games, and has points in 11 of his last 12.

Leading defensemen: Cagnoni (88/64), Jugnauth (39/39), Sotheran (38/64).

The Winterhawks, in the last month, have had 1) a pretty compact schedule, 2) a lot of road games: 8 of their last 13, and 3) a pretty weak opposition: in their last 13, only 2 games with contenders and 5 against non-playoff teams. Plenty of spots where a backup could, and in many cases, should, play. Instead they’ve started Špunar all 13 of those games, with one period taken off, which isn’t a real rest. In those 13 games he has an .887 save percentage, so this didn’t get them a lot of value, and it’s worn him down enough that he’s now a question mark for the playoffs.

It’s such an own goal by Portland. And ironic, given that much of their season was saved by winning games with backup and unheralded goalies.

Save percentages: Špunar .915, Brunen .879, Maric .868.

Seattle Thunderbirds

The Seattle Thunderbirds in the two weeks have 1) officially eliminated the Tri-City Americans from the playoffs, 2) put a big dent in Portland’s quest for the top seed, and 3) with Friday’s win over Spokane, locked Spokane into 8th place. They’ve won four in a row, albeit over two non-playoff teams, the 8th seed in the conference, and a Portland team over which they had a huge advantage in rest. But they’re finding their way, and with two good games against the Winterhawks, they can have a good feeling going into next season, even though they’ll golfing earlier than they expected.

Cootes, the 10th pick in the 2022 WHL draft, has a 6-game point streak, and is the 6th-ranked scorer among 16-year-old forwards this season. That wasn’t a surprise but Martorana, a 4th-round pick, is 5th, and that must seem like found money for the Thunderbirds.

Gustafson (26 points in 30 games) missed 36 games; Myatovic (27 in 32) missed 34. With them healthy for a full season, surely the Thunderbirds don’t miss the playoffs.

Leading forwards: Alarie (41/63), Popowich (39/55), Martorana (39/66), Cootes (33/62), Pilling (29/54).

Mynio put the dagger into the Winterhawks with his overtime winner last Saturday. He’s 5th in scoring among 18-year-old defensemen, and is poised to have a big season next year.

Hanzel is winding down a big WHL career, and will no doubt get massive honors in Kent on Sunday.

Pickford missed Friday’s game.

Leading defensemen: Hanzel (57/64), Mynio (53/61), Pickford (17/65).

Ratzlaff had 52 saves against Portland last Sunday, and followed it up with 1-goal games against Kamloops and Spokane. They might rest him for this one and have him finish at home on Sunday. Or they could ride it out with him; he’s not resting up for a playoff series.

Save percentages: Ratzlaff .904, Michnik .874.

Tale of the tape

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