Don’t look now, but Portland is Portland again in the Western Hockey League.
The Portland Winterhawks (11-12-3), recuperating from an uncharacteristically slow start, are 6-3-1 in their last 10 games, including a two-game weekend road sweep of the CHL top-ranked Kelowna Rockets.
“Portland is starting to fire on all cylinders,” warned Royals head coach Dave Lowry.
“It’s going to be a real challenge going into their building, which is always tough to play in, against a good team. Although we feel we’re headed in the right direction, too.”
Indeed, the Royals (14-11-2) also ride a two-game winning streak into tonight’s game at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum and are 3-1 in their last four, having taken four of a possible six points against CHL top-10 teams Kelowna and Everett.
The Royals are also riding the WHL’s hottest goaltender, not to mention super sub. Jayden Sittler, a call-up player summoned when Evan Smith went down to injury, is the WHL nominee for Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week honours. Sittler appeared in three games over the past week and recorded a 2-0 record with a 0.71 goals-against average, .974 save percentage and one shutout. In six appearances for Victoria this season, the call-up from the Fort McMurray Oil Barons of the Alberta Junior Hockey League is 2-0 with a 1.21 goals-against average and .953 save percentage in becoming a kind of instant WHL crease folk hero.
The 18-year-old hasn’t looked back since replacing regular starter Coleman Vollrath 12 minutes into a game last Wednesday against Kelowna, creating a goaltending situation in the Victoria crease. Smith, a six-foot-six American ranked by Central Scouting for the 2015 NHL draft, is expected to be healthy by next week. Lowry won’t tip his hand, saying he is in “no hurry.”
As for Sittler, he said he’s simply going to take advantage of any opportunities he gets in the Victoria crease. He’s certainly been doing a good job of that, for which he deflects praise to his defencemen.
“They have been clearing bodies to the sides and allowing me to see shots in traffic,” said Sittler.
One of those Royals blue-liners, Travis Brown, has nine goals but knows what job No. 1 is for a player in his position.
“In Portland, we need a big team effort and to play a solid defensive game against an offensive Winterhawks team,” said Brown.
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Portland’s elusive forward and Winnipeg Jets-prospect Nic Petan is starting to pick up the pace and has 22 points in 19 games, many of those points coming in latter outings. Oliver Bjorkstrand, under NHL contract to the Columbus Blue Jackets, is on a six-game point streak. Alex Schoenborn, taken in the third round of the 2014 NHL draft by the San Jose Sharks, has nine points in seven games. Don’t let the early part of the season fool you. This is still a potent Winterhawks group and it seems to be hitting its stride now.
Tonight’s game is a reprise of last spring’s combative second-round playoff series, which the Winterhawks won in five games. The Royals head to Spokane on Wednesday to face the Chiefs (12-7-3), the team Victoria eliminated in a four-game sweep in the first round of the 2014 playoffs.
The Royals cross back over the border Saturday for a game in Kamloops against the Blazers (11-10-5).
