Game Day Hub: February 7 at Vancouver
The Portland Winterhawks head north to Vancouver for a Friday night showdown with the Giants at the Langley Events Centre.
Puck Drop: 7:00 p.m. PT
Venue: Langley Events Centre
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, February 8 – Hawkey for All – BUY TICKETS
Monday, February 17 – Kids Day – BUY TICKETS
Saturday, February 22 – Art Night – BUY TICKETS
Previous Showdown
The Portland Winterhawks fell to the Victoria Royals at home on Saturday night by a 2-1 decision. The Winterhawks opened the scoring with a net-front deflection by Josh Zakreski from a Tyson Jugnauth point shot in the second period and the Hawks led after two periods of play. This would be Jugnauth’s team-leading 54th assist on the season, which sits him third among Western Hockey League skaters. Despite Portland finding the score sheet first, the Royals rallied back and responded with two goals in the third period to seal the win and remain in first in the B.C. Division. Winterhawks netminder Ondrej Štěbeták gave a strong performance making 30 saves on 32 shots, his third 30 or more save game of the 2025 calendar year.
Zakreski’s Hot Hands
Winterhawks forward and alternate captain Josh Zakreski has been a commanding presence up front for the Winterhawks with points in eight of his last nine games for 14 points (9G, 5A) for an average of 1.09 points per game. With goals in four of his last five contests, Zakreski (30) sits one goal shy of captain Kyle Chyzowski (31) for the team lead in goal scoring. Chyzowski will serve his one-game suspension on Friday night, giving Zakreski a chance to tie or surpass the Surrey, B.C. native in goals.
Giants in Action
The Vancouver Giants enter tonight’s game with a 24-19-6-0 record and are coming off a hard-fought 5-2 loss against U.S. Division rival Spokane Chiefs on Sunday night. They currently sit 3rd in the B.C. Division and 6th in the Western Conference. Currently sitting just three points below the Winterhawks in the standings, it makes tonight’s game one of the most important out of division match-ups of their season. Offensively, the Giants are led by winger Cameron Schmidt, who has tallied 59 points (34G, 25A) in 43 games. Schmidt has been a reliable source, consistently scoring and setting up opportunities for his teammates. 20-year-old defenceman Mazden Leslie has also been a strong force for the Giants, recording 53 points (12G, 41A) in 47 games and bringing a physical presence to the ice with his 6-foot-1, 202-pound stature.
The Giants feature a goaltending rotation including 2005-born Brady Smith and rookie Burke Hood. Smith was recently acquired by Vancouver from the Moose Jaw Warriors ahead of the WHL’s Trade Deadline and has since played four games in a Giants uniform, three of which he earned a win. Hood has appeared in 28 games this season, recording a 3.58 goals-against average and .896 save percentage and is currently tied for second in the WHL with two shutouts.
2024-25 Season Series
The Portland Winterhawks and The Vancouver Giants battle tonight in the fourth of five regular-season match-ups. Portland seeks to rebound and earn their third win of the regular season after falling 5-2 to Vancouver on Dec. 8 at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum. Earlier in the season, Portland powered through a decisive 7-2 win on Dec. 7 at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum, where Tyson Jugnauth had a league-leading six assist night, and Alex Weiermair delivered his first multi-point game (1G, 1A) in his Winterhawks debut. In the lone meeting in Langley, the Winterhawks rattled off four consecutive goals to beat the Giants 6-5 in overtime. Diego Buttazzoni, Kyle Chyzowski, and Josh Zakreski each scored a goal and added two helpers and Ryder Thompson netted the game-winning goal in overtime.
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