PORTLAND WINTERHAWKS
Where they stand: At 35-15-2-1 (73 points), the Winterhawks are second in the U.S. Division behind Tri-City (37-13-1-1, 76 points).
This week: At Tri-City on Friday, at Seattle on Saturday, host Tri-City on Feb. 15, at Everett Feb. 17.
Last week: Beat Everett 7-3, lost to Vancouver 3-2, beat Vancouver 5-4.
Player of the week: Sven Bartschi scored a unique hat trick in Monday’s win over the Vancouver Giants. He scored once on the power play, once at even strength, and once with Portland shorthanded — all three in the second period. The Swiss forward has 18 goals and 48 assists in 34 games played.
Notes and numbers:
• Ty Rattie’s status for this weekend is uncertain. The league’s top scorer with 87 points, Rattie left last Saturday’s game against Vancouver “banged up” according to coach Mike Johnston.
Rattie did not play in Monday’s win over the Giants. He was scheduled to skate at the team’s practice on Thursday. Johnston said he doesn’t anticipate the injury being long term.
• Beating Vancouver on Monday was big, Johnston said, because the Giants had won the first three meetings between the teams this season.
• Johnston remains pleased with his team’s consistent play on the power play and the penalty kill. The Winterhawks’ power play leads the league at 28.4 percent. Their penalty kill ranks second to Tri-City at 83.6 percent.
• The Winterhawks try to break their season down to five-game segments and, according to Johnston, try not to focus on the standings. Still, if the Winterhawks are to catch Tri-City to win the U.S. Division, they probably need to win at least three of the remaining four games between the team. Portland plays the Americans twice in the next six days, visiting Tri-City today (Friday, Feb. 10), then hosting the Americans on Wednesday, Feb. 15.
• One strength Portland has going forward is the versatility that makes it tough for opponents to focus on shutting down one key line, Johnston said. The Winterhawks shuffle lines because of recent absences and players are comfortable playing alongside different teammates.
• The Feb. 4 loss to Vancouver stopped a home win streak that a day earlier had reached a Winterhawks’ record 19 games. The Winterhawks outshot the Giants 49-29 in the loss.
VANCOUVER VICTORY
Where they stand: At 16-21-2 (34 points), the Victory are in fifth place in the seven-team NORPAC.
This week: Vancouver is idle until Feb. 18-19 home games against Eugene. Both games start at 7 p.m. at Mountain View Ice Arena.
Last week: Lost to Southern Oregon 6-3, lost to Seattle 6-1.
• Seattle’s depth showed up in the third period of Wednesday’s game at Mountain View Ice Arena, with the Totems outscoring the Victory 4-0 over the final two periods (3-0 in the third period).
