RECAP: Hawks drop tight battle to Rockets
Cole Slobodian netted his first goal of the season as the Hawks fell 2-1 in Kelowna on Saturday night.
Game #24: Portland (1) vs. Kelowna (2)
SOG: POR (31) – KEL (25)
PP: POR (0/5) – KEL (1/2)
Saves: Štěbeták (23) – Boettiger (30)
SCORING:
KEL – Tomas Poletin (12) from Tij Iginla and Mazden Leslie (power play)
KEL – Mazden Leslie (3) from Carson Wetsch and Will Sharpe
POR – Cole Slobodian (1) from Ryan Miller
GAME SUMMARY:
Kelowna opened the scoring tonight at Prospera Place with a tic-tac-toe power-play strike that sent the teddy bears flying as the Rockets took a 1-0 lead 6:32 into the game.
Mazden Leslie added a second tally in his 300th career WHL game to give the home team a two-goal cushion. Nathan Free appeared to pull one back with a hard solo effort, dancing around a defender and wiring a wrist shot into the net, but the goal was overturned moments later as replay showed the puck snuck through the twine rather than crossing cleanly.
Portland finally broke through on its 28th shot of the night, as Ryan Miller found Cole Slobodian alone at the blue line and the defenseman ripped a no-doubt shot to the back of the net to pull the Hawks within one.
Despite a late surge of chances in the third, Kelowna netminder Harrison Boettiger stood tall and shut the door on a potential Portland comeback, as the Hawks ultimately fell 2-1.
UP NEXT:
The Portland Winterhawks return home for a day-after-Thanksgiving matinee showdown with the Regina Pats. Puck drop set for 3 p.m. at the Glass Palace.
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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