RECAP: Early burst not enough as Spokane edges Portland
Jordan Duguay, Max Pšenička, and Nathan Free scored in the opening period, and Nathan Brown added a late push, but Spokane skated away with a tight 5-4 win in Portland.
Game #54: Portland (4) vs. Spokane (5)
SOG: POR (45) – SPO (29)
PP: POR (2/2) – SPO (0/2)
Saves: Štěbeták (40) – Esler (25)
SCORING:
POR – Jordan Duguay (19) from Alex Weiermair
POR – Max Pšenička (6) from Nathan Free and Nathan Brown
POR – Nathan Free (23) from Will McLaughlin and Alex Weiermair (power play)
SPO – Rhett Sather (10) from Logan Wormald
SPO – Sam Oremba (22) from Chase Harrington
SPO – Nathan Mayes (2) from Chase Harrington
SPO – Chase Harrington (18) from Dominik Petr and Tyus Sparks
SPO – Harry Mattern (2) from Coco Armstrong and Owen Martin
POR – Nathan Brown (13) from Ryan Miller and Sam Spehar (power play)
GAME SUMMARY:
The energy inside Veterans Memorial Coliseum was electric tonight as the Winterhawks hosted Hawks Fight Cancer Night, and Portland jumped out to an early lead. Just under 90 seconds in, Alex Weiermair drew a high stick while sliding the puck into the slot, where Jordan Duguay buried his 19th of the season to open the scoring.
Portland doubled the advantage moments later as Nathan Free showed patience in front before spinning and finding Max Pšenička stepping in from the blue line, who snapped home his sixth of the year. Just over a minute after that, the Hawks struck again on the power play as Will McLaughlin fed Free, who netted his 12th power-play goal of the season to make it 3-0.
Spokane answered in a hurry, scoring three times in a 50-second span to tie the game 3-3 heading into the first intermission.
The Chiefs carried that momentum into the second period, firing 21 shots on Ondrej Štěbeták. Only one found the back of the net, as Chase Harrington gave Spokane a 4-3 lead with the lone goal of the frame.
The visitors extended their cushion early in the third, but Portland refused to go quietly. After Spokane was assessed a five-minute major, the Winterhawks capitalized on the power play. Ryan Miller drove the zone and found Nathan Brown joining the rush, and Brown beat Esler blocker-side to pull Portland within one with 8:12 remaining.
Despite a strong push late, the Hawks couldn’t find the equalizer, and Spokane held on for a tight 5-4 victory in Portland.
UP NEXT:
The Portland Winterhawks hit the road next weekend, traveling up I-5 to take on the Seattle Thunderbirds Friday at 7:05 p.m., before heading north to face the Vancouver Giants Saturday at 7:00 p.m.
Reminder, you can watch all Portland Winterhawks games on Victory+ for free all season long! Click here to visit the Winterhawks hub or download the Victory+ app on your smartphone or connected device.
The Portland Winterhawks are commemorating 50 Years of Hawkey this season with a year-long tribute to the team’s rich history and legendary players. As part of the celebration, the Top 50 Winterhawks of All Time will be unveiled throughout the season—starting with an alphabetical reveal on October 25, and culminating in the announcement of the Top 10 on March 7, 2026. Fans can look forward to special events, tributes, and a season full of memories honoring five decades of Winterhawks hockey.
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