WHL Morning Skate: April 16
NEED TO KNOW
-With an overtime win on Monday, Portland is one victory away from advancing to the Western Conference Final
-Everett’s Ben Hemmerling scored 18 seconds into the second period, marking the fastest goal to start a period in the 2024 WHL Playoffs
-Saskatoon and Prince George will try to extend their series leads to 3-0 on Tuesday night
RESULTS
Portland 4, Everett 3 (OT)
POR leads 3-0
It looked like Everett had turned a corner by jumping out to a 3-0 lead on home ice, but the depleted Silvertips couldn’t hang on as Portland chipped away at the deficit with goals from Philadelphia Flyers prospect Carter Sotheran and Gabe Klassen. Kyle Chyzowski scored his fifth goal of the series to force overtime and Sotheran capped off the four-goal comeback with the game-winning goal. Portland is now 7-0-0-0 in the playoffs and can advance to the Third Round with a win on Friday, April 19.
THREE STARS
1- Carter Sotheran, POR
-2G, 1A, +2
2- Ben Hemmerling, EVT
-1G, 1A, +1
3- Gabe Klassen, POR
-1G, 2A, +2
TOP PERFORMER
Portland defenceman Carter Sotheran flashed some offensive brilliance in Game 3 between his Winterhawks and the Everett Silvertips.
With the Hawks trailing 3-0 in the second frame, Sotheran collected the puck off a rush and wired it top shelf from the slot to kickstart the Portland comeback.
The 2020 Philadelphia fifth-round pick would add a secondary assist on Captain Gabe Klassen’s first goal of the night.
With less than five minutes remaining in the extra frame, Sotheran got a friendly bounce off of Everett goaltender Tyler Palmer’s blocker, which saw the puck ricochet off the boards and bank into the net off of Palmer’s back.
U N B E L I E V A B L E 🤯
Carter Sotheran gets a friendly bounce in an unfriendly barn and the Hawks have a 3-0 series lead!#WHLPlayoffs | #FeedingTheFuture pic.twitter.com/48CmRWJOxA
— Portland Winterhawks (@pdxwinterhawks) April 16, 2024
This marks Sotheran’s first-ever multi-goal playoff game.
The Sanford, Man. product has four goals and five assists for nine points in seven contests in the 2024 WHL Playoffs.
ON TAP