Winterhawks Weekly: Playoff Prep
What a week for the Winterhawks! Earning seven of eight possible points and clinching the U.S. Division, the Hawks picked up steam during a busy four-game stretch and now enter the final week of the regular season with points in eight straight games. Portland is neck-and-neck with Prince George for the Western Conference’s top seed, with the potential for both teams to finish tied in points and wins – the Hawks will need to be perfect this week as another three-in-three approaches!
Hot Hawks:
- Defenseman Luca Cagnoni notched a whopping 10 points in four games last week and leads all WHL defensemen with 87 points on the year. His season total is the highest by a WHL defenseman since 2000.
- Forward Nate Danielson tallied eight points in the final three games of last week, including a four-point performance in Friday’s 11-1 rout of Tri-City. Since joining the Winterhawks, Danielson has 37 points in 26 games and ranks fourth in overall team scoring.
- Forward James Stefan stretched his point streak to eight games – spanning the entire month of March – with seven points last week. Stefan boasts 99 points on the year, one point shy of becoming Portland’s second 100-point scorer this season.
- Defenseman Carter Sotheran found the scoresheet in three of four games last week, logging two multi-point performances in that span. The Philadelphia Flyers prospect starred on NHL ice on Sunday with two goals in the Battle on the Sound.
- Defenseman Tyson Jugnauth recorded six points in four games last week to push his total to 38 points in 38 games with Portland. Jugnauth ranks second in scoring among all WHL rookie defensemen, despite playing nearly half the games of his competition.
Play of the Week:
On a blue line with players like Luca Cagnoni and Tyson Jugnauth, Carter Sotheran’s offensive talent often doesn’t get the respect it deserves. The Philadelphia Flyers prospect made sure to show off his goalscoring touch at Climate Pledge Arena on Sunday, particularly with this jaw-dropping move for his second tally of the night. Watch Sotheran dance past Vancouver Canucks prospect Sawyer Mynio, then freeze Buffalo Sabres prospect Scott Ratzlaff long enough to execute a wraparound. What a goal! ⤵️
CARTER. SOTHERAN. WOW. pic.twitter.com/ZMw9JMi1J4
— Portland Winterhawks (@pdxwinterhawks) March 18, 2024
Weekly Rewind:
Portland 3 at Spokane 2 (Tuesday):
Luca Cagnoni scored twice in his 200th WHL game to help the Winterhawks hold off the Spokane Chiefs 3-2 on Tuesday night.
Portland 11 vs. Tri-City 1 (Friday):
Fourteen different Portland skaters recorded a point – including seven multi-point performances – as the Winterhawks routed the Tri-City Americans 11-1 on Friday night.
Portland 5 at Wenatchee 3 (Saturday):
The Winterhawks captured their sixth U.S. Division title – and 15th divisional crown in team history – with a 5-3 win over the Wenatchee Wild at Town Toyota Center on Saturday night.
Portland 4 at Seattle 5 OT (Sunday):
Carter Sotheran (2G) and Portland’s potent power play helped the Winterhawks earn a hard-fought point in their third game in three nights, but a rested Seattle side took the extra with a 5-4 overtime victory at Climate Pledge Arena on Sunday.
The Week Ahead:
Heading down the home stretch of the season with plenty left to play for, the Hawks face another three-in-three weekend against a pair of U.S. Division rivals.
First, a road trip on Friday takes the Hawks to Kennewick for a battle with Tri-City at 7:05 P.M. Can they repeat their 11-1 showing against the Ams from last week?
Then, the final home game of the regular season arrives on Saturday night! It’s Portland vs. Seattle once again, with a 6:00 puck drop slated for the rematch of Sunday’s Battle on the Sound. Be there to send the Hawks off to the postseason with a bang!
Wrapping up the week, the Winterhawks hit game #68 in Kent at 5:05 P.M. on Sunday with another battle against the Birds. Tune in for both Seattle games on Portland’s CW!
Upcoming Playoff Games:
Round 1, Game 1 – Friday, March 29 – BUY TICKETS
Round 1, Game 2 – Saturday, March 30 – BUY TICKETS
Single-game playoff tickets are on sale now! Click the links above to shop seats for our first two confirmed home games in the postseason.
Catch every minute of playoff action with the “Chase The Dream” Playoff Pass! For just $175, you get a lower-bowl seat to every single potential home game at the VMC in the 2024 WHL Playoffs. Availability is limited – act fast to secure your seat on the bandwagon!
[CLICK HERE FOR PLAYOFF TICKETS]
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