SERIES PREVIEW: (8) Portland Winterhawks vs. (1) Everett Silvertips

Is this the year the Everett Silvertips change the narrative?

The back-to-back Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy winners have long dominated the regular season and never missed the postseason since joining the WHL back in 2003-04.

But for all the success and accolades the Silvertips have enjoyed, they’ve yet to lift the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL Champions.

Now, fresh off a 57-win regular season, the Tips will seek revenge against the very team that doused their title hopes in 2025- the Portland Winterhawks.

Portland, while entering as the eighth seed, has qualified for the posteason every year since 2009, a remarkable run that includes winning it all in 2013 and five trips to the Championship Series.

The Hawks downed the Silvertips in six games in 2025 to move on to the Western Conference Championship, and, despite their underdog status in 2025-26, managed to split the regular season series against their rivals (though two of their wins came in overtime and a shootout).

Everett reigns as the third-highest scoring team in the WHL while allowing the second-fewest goals.

Flashy rookie Matias Vanhanen piled up 87 points (21G-66A), while five of his teammates surpassed 20 goals- including his fellow Finn and Seattle Kraken Julius Miettinen.

Detroit Red Wings first-rounder Carter Bear is driving the engine for the forwards with 36 goals (including seven game-winners) and a new level of determination after a scary injury forced him to miss the 2025 playoffs.

The Tips get a powerful boost on defence with the top pairing of captain and Anaheim Ducks pick Tarin Smith and 2025 WHL Rookie of the Year Landon DuPont, who combined for 34 goals and 110 assists, while Smith led the league with a +65 rating.

General Manager Mike Fraser largely stayed pat at the Trade Deadline, but did bring in 6-foot-6 Philadelphia Flyers defensive prospect Luke Vlooswyk and Rylan Gould, who returned to the WHL from college ranks in hopes of a deep playoff run.

In net, Anders Miller and Raiden LeGall split duties, while Miller ranked in the top five league-wide in goals-against average (2.30), save percentage (.914), wins (31) and shutouts (4).

Portland star and Vegas Golden Knights prospect Alex Weiermair is the highest scorer in the series, having finished his sophomore campaign with 93 points (37G-56A), good for fifth among all WHL skaters.

The 20-year-old, who signed his ELC with Vegas in March, is also third among all skaters in faceoff wins with 740 (53.8%).

Captain and 2025 Pittsburgh Penguins fifth-rounder Ryan Miller is right behind with 30 goals of his own.

Both skaters took on key roles in Portland’s 2025 playoff upset.

On defence, Utah Mammoth prospect Max Psenicka and draft-eligible Will McLaughlin lead the charge with 30 points apiece.

Between the pipes, Ondrej Stebetak is locked in for his second trip to the WHL Playoffs after piling up 23 wins and the third-most saves of any WHL goaltender.

Portland also has five skaters ranked by NHL Central Scouting for the 2026 NHL Draft, including McLaughlin and forwards Jake Gustafson and Jordan Duguay.

The PNW powerhouses meet for Game 1 at Angel of the Winds Arena on Friday, March 27, at 7:05 p.m. PT, before the series shifts to the Veterans Memorial Coliseum for Game 3 on Tuesday, March 31.

 

2025-26 Regular Season Series: Everett leads 3-1-1-1

September 28, 2025- Portland 3, Everett 2 (OT)
November 15, 2025- Portland 7, Everett 6 (SO)
December 31, 2025- Everett 2, Portland 5
March 6, 2026- Portland 2, Everett 5
March 7, 2026- Everett 4, Portland 2
March 15, 2026- Everett 8, Portland 5

GAME BREAKERS

Portland: This Bear is out of hibernation. Carter Bear hasn’t seen postseason action since 2024, well before breaking out as a clutch scorer. For a guy with 218 regular-season points and only four playoff assists, Bear is ripe for a statement performance. The 19-year-old, who was named WHL Player of the Month for February, tallied two goals and an assist in four games against the Hawks in 2025-26, having missed one match at the start of the season as he worked back from injury, and one while he was away at the 2026 IIHF World Junior Championship. Everett is 3-0-0-1 against Portland with Bear in the lineup.

Everett: No one has found the net as often as Alex Weiermair in this series. The 6-foot-1, 207-pound centre buried six goals and six assists for 12 points in four outings and hasn’t been held off the scoresheet against the Tips. Expect him to feature heavily on Portland’s special teams, where he has 11 powerplay strikes and four shorthanded goals.

GOALTENDING

Portland: It’s a Steb-attack! Ondrej Stebetak saved his best for the playoffs in 2025, making 40 or more saves in four of six games against Everett in the second round. This season, the draft-eligible netminder went 2-1-0-0 against the Tips with a 3.89 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage.

Everett: Anders Miller has fit right in since being acquired from the Calgary Hitmen just ahead of the regular season. Miller is 2-1-0-0 against the Winterhawks this year with a 3.00 GAA and a .913 save percentage.

X FACTOR

Portland: Defence wins championships. Utah Mammoth second-rounder Max Psenicka will look to lock down the Hawks blueline. Clocking in at 6-foot-4, 174-pounds, Psenicka cuts an intimidating figure on the ice and has upped his game with 30 points (8G-22A) in 52 games in his first full WHL season. Psenicka logged three assists against Everett in 2025-26.

Everett: Captain Tarin Smith is coming off his strongest season yet. The Porcupine Plain, Sask. product led all Silvertips skaters in goals against Portland with five, in addition to a couple of helpers. He also averaged well over a point-per-game in the 2025 WHL Playoffs with 16 points (4G-12A) in 13 tilts.

2026 WHL PLAYOFFS SERIES SCHEDULE

Game	Visitor		Home	Day	Date	Time
1	Portland	@	Everett	Friday	March 27	7:05 p.m PT
2	Portland	@	Everett	Saturday	March 28	6:05 p.m. PT
3	Everett	@	Portland	Tuesday	March 31	7 p.m. PT
4	Everett	@	Portland	Wednesday	April 1	7 p.m. PT
5*	Portland	@	Everett	Friday	April 3	7:05 p.m. PT
6*	Everett	@	Portland	Saturday	April 4	6 p.m. PT
7*	Portland	@	Everett	Tuesday	April 7	7:05 p.m. PT

* = if necessary