RECAP: Hawks held in Game 5; another chance to advance on Monday
Portland struck first for the third straight game but the Cougars roared back to keep their season alive in Game 5.
Round 3, Game 5: Portland (1) vs. Prince George (6) [POR leads series 3-2]
SOG: POR (26) – PG (36)
PP: POR (0/2) – PG (1/3)
Saves: Špunar (31/37) – Ravensbergen (25/26)
COMPLETE BOX SCORE
SCORING:
- POR – First Period – 7:03 – Gabe Klassen (5) from Marek Alscher and Tyson Jugnauth
- PG – First Period – 9:43 – Koehn Ziemmer (3) from Viliam Kmec
- PG – First Period – 18:38 – Koehn Ziemmer (4) from Ondrej Becher and Keaton Dowhaniuk
- PG – Second Period – 11:47 – Hunter Laing (1) from Borya Valis and Hudson Thornton
- PG – Third Period – 3:22 – Ondrej Becher (5) from Oren Shtrom
- PG – Third Period – 11:19 – Borya Valis (8) [Penalty Shot]
- PG – Third Period – 13:30 – Keaton Dowhaniuk (4) from Ondrej Becher and Koehn Ziemmer
The Story:
Gabe Klassen grabbed the game’s opening goal but the Prince George Cougars rattled off six straight from there, staving off elimination with a 6-1 win in Game 5 of the best-of-seven Western Conference Championship.
Portland still holds a 3-2 series lead and can advance to the WHL Championship with a win in Game 6 in Prince George on Monday.
Klassen was the first to find twine for the second straight game as he reacted to a Marek Alscher rebound off the back wall, banking it it off Josh Ravensbergen for a 1-0 Portland lead at 7:03 of the first. Just 2:40 later, though, Koehn Ziemmer leveled the score from the right circle. He then potted his second of the night just before the break for a 2-1 Cougars lead through 20 minutes.
Prince George extended its lead to two midway through the second period on Hunter Laing’s first of the postseason on a power play, then tacked on two more in the third through Ondrej Becher and a Borya Valis penalty shot for the 6-1 win. Portland’s Jan Špunar finished with 31 saves on 37 shots, while Ravensbergen turned aside 25 of 26 in for the visitors.
Monday’s Game 6 starts at 7:00 P.M. at the CN Centre in Prince George. Should Game 7 be necessary, that game will take place on Tuesday.
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“We gave them a little bit too much open ice tonight. In other games, we were checking better, getting above people. That’s something we have to make sure we do moving forward.”
Hear from Mike Johnston following Game 5.#WHLPlayoffs | #FeedingTheFuture pic.twitter.com/5v0IZOMAnK
— Portland Winterhawks (@pdxwinterhawks) May 3, 2024
“We won a game up there already this series, so we know what it’s gonna take. That fourth one is the hardest one to win, so we’ll just be ready for that and come into their building strong.”
Hear from Gabe Klassen following Game 5.#WHLPlayoffs | #FeedingTheFuture pic.twitter.com/m55LtJbxhG
— Portland Winterhawks (@pdxwinterhawks) May 3, 2024
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