Game Day Hub: December 14 vs. Seattle
Portland Winterhawks vs. Seattle
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The Portland Winterhawks host the Seattle Thunderbirds in another edition of the I-5 Rivalry series presented by ZoomCare on Saturday, December 14 at 6:00 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Puck Drop: 6:00 p.m. PT
Venue: Veterans Memorial Coliseum – Portland, Ore.
Uniforms: White
Listen Live: Winterhawks Radio Network and on the Winterhawks App
Watch Live: WHL Live on CHL TV
Game Notes: Winterhawks Game Notes
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Upcoming Promotional Games:
Saturday, December 28 – Family Night – BUY TICKETS
Tuesday, December 31 – Toyota New Year’s Eve Party – BUY TICKETS
Thursday, January 2 – Thirsty Thursday – BUY TICKETS
Last Time Out
The Portland Winterhawks are coming off a dominant 4-1 win over the Prince George Cougars, highlighted by a hat trick from Josh Zakreski and a milestone first career WHL goal from Kayd Ruedig. Ruedig opened the scoring just 4:48 into the first period with a short-side snipe, and Zakreski followed up with a bar-down wrister at 9:12 to make it 2-0. After the Cougars cut the lead in half, Zakreski added to his tally with a one-timer off a Ruedig feed in the second period and completed his hat trick in the third with another one-timer to seal the victory.
Chick-fil-A Makes it a December to Remember
Starting Saturday, December 7, when the Hawks take on the Vancouver Giants, and running through Tuesday, December 31, as Portland battles the Everett Silvertips in the final game of the year, every fan in attendance has a chance to walk away with a tasty reward. If the Winterhawks score just one goal in any game this month, all fans at that game will receive a FREE Chick-fil-A coupon!
Holiday Party
Get into the holiday spirit at the Portland Winterhawks’ Holiday Party Game tonight! Fans can support Toys for Tots on the concourse and visit our festive Holiday Corner outside Entry MM for some seasonal fun. Don’t miss the chance to tackle your last-minute holiday shopping at the Winterhawks Team Store, featuring our dazzling new Iced Out Collection. The team will hit the ice in special holiday-themed jerseys, which will be worn all game, and the starting lineups are already available for bidding here! This marks the first televised I-5 Rivalry game presented by ZoomCare in Portland this season, so bring your holiday cheer and sing along to our featured song, “All I Want for Christmas Is You”! It’s the perfect way to celebrate the season while cheering on the Hawks!
50/50 Raffle – BUY TICKETS
Sing Along Song: All I Want for Christmas by Mariah Carey
Special Teams Continue Sparking Success
The Winterhawks’ special teams have been a driving force behind their recent success. Portland ranks second in the WHL on the power play, converting at a stellar 28.6% clip, while their penalty kill has also been incredibly effective, operating at 80.5%. This balanced performance gives the Hawks an advantage in key moments, providing offensive firepower and defensive stability. With special teams often deciding close games, Portland will look to continue their efficiency tonight.
Zakreski’s Scoring Touch
Josh Zakreski continued his red-hot streak last night, recording his second career WHL hat trick and bringing his total to 11 goals in his last nine games. Zakreski is tied for fifth in the league in goals (19) and ranks sixth in shots on net (119), showcasing his ability to generate offense consistently. His scoring touch and relentless drive have been vital to the Winterhawks’ success, and his performance last night is just the latest example of his dominance on the ice.
Jugnauth’s Offensive Jolt
Tyson Jugnauth is coming off a phenomenal seven-point weekend, including a staggering six-assist performance in one game. His effort earned him WHL Tempo Player of the Week honors and CHL’s First Star of the Night on Saturday. Adding four assists to his point total this week, Jugnauth leads all WHL defenseman with 39 points, and leads the league in power-play assists with 19. The Seattle Kraken prospect is currently riding a five-game point streak, with an impressive 13 assists over that stretch. With his vision, playmaking ability, and offensive consistency, Jugnauth continues to be a key contributor for the Winterhawks and one of the top offensive defensemen in the league.
Scouting Seattle
The Seattle Thunderbirds are currently struggling with an 11-18-2-1 record, placing them second to last in the Western Conference. They are coming off a 4-3 loss to the Spokane Chiefs at home. Offensively, the Thunderbirds are led by Braeden Cootes, who has 29 points (12G, 17A), and Nathan Pilling, with 26 points (15G, 11A). Cootes has been a consistent playmaker, while Pilling is the primary goal-scorer. Seattle’s defenseman Sawyer Mynio was recently named to the 2025 Canadian World Junior roster.
In goal, Scott Ratzlaff has been the starter for Seattle, appearing in 20 games this season. He carries a 3.61 goals-against average and a .893 save percentage. Despite a challenging season, he remains a key factor for Seattle’s chances in net. On special teams, the Thunderbirds rank 16th in the league on the power play, converting at 20%. However, their penalty kill struggles, sitting second to last in the league at 72.4%.
2024-25 Season Series
The 2024-25 I-5 Rivalry series presented by ZoomCare continues tonight with the third of 10 matchups between the Portland Winterhawks and Seattle Thunderbirds. The clubs have split their first two meetings at the Accesso ShoWare Center. Seattle claimed a 6-5 victory in the season opener, rallying with two third-period goals after Portland surged to a 3-1 lead in the first. In the second contest, the Winterhawks struck back with a dominant 5-2 win on the road. Special teams were pivotal in that game, with Josh Zakreski and Ryan Miller netting power-play goals and Kyle Chyzowski adding a shorthanded tally. Marek Schlenker stood tall between the pipes, stopping 31 of 33 shots, while Miller (1G, 1A), Tyson Jugnauth (2A), Hudson Darby (2A), and Diego Buttazzoni (2A) all recorded multi-point efforts. Portland looks to grab the series advantage tonight on home ice.
Sensory Room presented by DSP Connections
The Sensory Room will be located in the DWYER ROOM on the first floor of the coliseum and the Sensory Kits will be available for pickup at the Rose Quarter Guest Services Window near Entry CC on the VMC concourse. If you have any questions, you can contact the Winterhawks Offices at (503) 236-4295.
Kids’ Corner presented by Seebee Construction
We invite all fans to visit our Winterhawks Kids Corner located in the southwest corner of the VMC concourse by entry FF. Play foosball, PlayStation 5 NHL25, or check out a book from our Little Library. A big thank you to our friends at SeaBee Construction for making the fun activities in the Kids Corner possible.
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