PORTLAND WINTERHAWKS
Where they stand: At 33-14-2-1 (69 points), the Winterhawks are second in the U.S. Division behind Tri-City (35-12-1-1, 72 points).
This week: Host Everett on Friday, host the Vancouver Giants on Saturday and on Monday. All three games are 7 p.m. at the Memorial Coliseum.
Last week: Won 3-2 at Spokane and won 8-3 at Seattle.
Player of the week: Brad Ross. Scored two goals, including the overtime winner, in the Jan. 27 3-2 win at Spokane.
Notes and numbers:
• Team captain William Wrenn is expected to miss four weeks. The defenseman suffered a broken finger in the win at Seattle.
• Coach Mike Johnston said the 3-2 win at Spokane on Jan. 27 was significant because the Chiefs had dominated two home games against the Winterhawks one week earlier.
“It was one of those must-win games,” Johnston said, explaining that it kept the Chiefs from developing a feeling of invincibility at home.
Johnston said a good start was key to that win. “I thought we played a very good game overall,” Johnston said.
It was a bounce-back game for Ross, who five days earlier was ejected from a 6-1 loss in Spokane.
Ross has 31 goals and 30 assists this season, evidence of his maturing game. Johnston said he has been pleased with the line of Ross, Brendan Leipsic and Cam Reid.
• Defenseman Derrick Pouliot set up the winning goal in the final seconds of Wednesday’s Canadian Hockey League top prospects game in Kelowna. Pouliot’s Team Orr beat Team Cherry 2-1 in the game that featured 40 of the top NHL draft-eligible players.
VANCOUVER VICTORY
Where they stand: At 16-19-2 (34 points), the Victory are in fifth place in the seven-team NORPAC.
This week: Vancouver hosts Southern Oregon on Friday, Feb. 3; hosts Seattle on Feb. 8. Both games start at 7 p.m. at Mountain View Ice Arena.
Last week: Vancouver was idle.
