Portland Winterhawks advance to WHL Championship Series
The Portland Winterhawks are the best in the west.
Now, The Western Conference Champions will fight to prove they’re the top team in the league as Portland returns to the WHL Championship series for the first time since 2014.
The series came to a dramatic conclusion with a 2-1 Winterhawks double overtime victory in Game 6 to eliminate the Prince George Cougars.
2024 NHL Draft-eligible netminder Jan Spunar put forward a sensational effort with 48 saves on 49 shots, setting a new career high for saves in a WHL game.
Florida Panthers prospect Josh Davie’s fifth goal of the postseason came just under six minutes into the second overtime period to end the series.
Portland is 6-1-0-0 on the road, including two overtime wins, in the postseason and has only lost two games in the 2024 WHL Playoffs after sweeping Victoria in the first round and Everett in the second round.
Detroit Red Wings prospect Nate Danielson scored the game-opening goal and leads all Winterhawks skaters with five goals and 16 assists for 21 points in 14 games.
Spunar, who was named WHL Goaltender of the Month for April, is 12-2-0-0 in the postseason, sporting a 2.32 goals-against average, a .923 save percentage and a shutout.
Portland’s roster features seven NHL prospects- James Stefan (Edmonton), Josh Davies (Florida), Nate Danielson (Detroit), Marek Alscher (Florida), Tyson Jugnauth (Seattle), Carter Sotheran (Philadelphia) and Luca Cagnoni (San Jose).
Diego Buttazzoni and Josh Zakreski are also ranked by NHL Central Scouting ahead of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.
The Winterhawks have won the Ed Chynoweth Cup three times, most recently in 2013, and have lifted the Memorial Cup in 1983 and 1998 as CHL Champions.
Portland awaits the winner of the all-Saskatchewan Eastern Conference Championship.
The regular-season champion Saskatoon Blades and powerhouse Moose Jaw Warriors are currently tied with three wins each.
Game 7 between the Blades and the Warriors is set for Tuesday, May 7 at Saskatoon’s SaskTel Centre at 7:00 p.m. ST.