Game Day Hub: January 19 at Prince George
Portland Winterhawks at Prince George Cougars
A top-of-the-conference showdown awaits as the Winterhawks kick off a back-to-back in Prince George.
Puck Drop: 7:00 P.M.
Venue: CN Centre – Prince George, B.C.
Uniforms: White
2023-24 Season Series: Portland is 1-1-0-0 against Prince George
Prince George 3 @ Portland 4 (Jan 6 2024)
Prince George 4 @ Portland 0 (Dec 3 2023)
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 Promo Games:
Friday, February 2 – Pride Night – BUY TICKETS
Sunday, February 4 – Hawks Fight Cancer Night – BUY TICKETS
Saturday, February 10 – Black Hockey History Night – BUY TICKETS
Saturday, February 17 – Mascot Night – BUY TICKETS
FOLLOW ALONG: Box Score
Ahead Of The Pack
Tonight’s contest is a matchup between two of the very best teams in the league through the first half of the season. Not much separates these two clubs in the Western Conference; Portland’s 57 points are second only to Prince George’s 59, but the Hawks hold a stronger point percentage (.713 to .702). The Winterhawks lead the WHL with 193 goals scored this year, while PG ranks third with 183. Special teams? The Cougars’ third-ranked power play (28.9%) and second-ranked penalty kill (84.5%) match up well against Portland, who owns the fourth-ranked power play (27.5%) and sixth-ranked penalty kill (80.5%).
We’ve got some movement 👀
What are your thoughts on this week’s #PowerRankings?! pic.twitter.com/vRCF5JWw0j
— The WHL (@TheWHL) January 19, 2024
Any way you slice it, it’s a battle bound to bring the fireworks, but the Winterhawks do enter as the hotter team. Riding an eight-game point streak and owning wins in 12 of their last 14 outings, the Hawks have hit their stride at a time when the Cougars have hit their first real stumble, losing three of their last four games. Falling to Portland (more on that below) and Everett on Jan. 6 and 7 marked Prince George’s first consecutive losses this season, and they split a series with Kelowna last weekend, winning once and dropping a shootout decision in the rematch.
Last Time We Met
Portland and Prince George faced off two weeks ago at the VMC in an absolute thriller. After the Cougars ran out to a 4-0 shutout in their first matchup back in December, the Hawks were eager to prove themselves against top competition. A back-and-forth battle ensued with both teams exchanging leads before a last-minute dagger from Josh Davies gave Portland the 4-3 win and two key points.
Keep An Eye On…
For the Cougars, it’s been the Zac Funk show against the Winterhawks. The overager is enjoying a spectacular season with a league-leading 42 goals and second-ranked 75 points, and has recorded six points in two games against Portland. A hat-trick in his team’s 4-0 win on Dec. 3 and a 1G, 2A showing on Jan. 6’s rematch gave him the scoring lead in the season series, and no other Cougar has multiple goals against the Hawks.
On Portland’s side, all eyes were on Nate Danielson in his Winterhawks debut the other night, and, wow, did he deliver. His stat line included a highlight-reel effort for his first goal as a Hawk and the primary assist on Luca Cagnoni’s game-winner, and he thrived on both special teams units. Portland spent quite a bit to acquire the 2023 9th-overall NHL Draft pick, but they did so for games like tonight’s against top-ranked teams. The Winterhawks led the league in goals scored before Danielson’s arrival, but his presence adds a new dimension to that already dangerous attack. Look for the Hawks to lean on his experience when goals are at a premium this weekend.
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