Portland Winterhawks
This week: Host Spokane at 7 p.m. Friday (Rose Garden); visit Everett at 7:05 p.m. Saturday; host Lethbridge at 7 p.m. Jan. 18 (Rose Garden).
Last week: Beat Everett 5-3, beat Prince George 6-4, beat Prince George 3-0. All three were home games.
Where they stand: At 35-5-1-0, the Winterhawks have the Western Hockey League’s best record and 71 points from 41 games. Kelowna (62 points in 42 games), Calgary (62 points in 43 games), and Kamloops (60 points from 43 games) have the next-best records in the WHL. Portland is 16 points up on second-place Spokane in the U.S. Division. In the Canadian Hockey League top-10, Portland remained third this week behind top-rated Halifax of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League and the London Knights of the Ontario Hockey League.
Trevor Cheek to Edmonton: Trevor Cheek was traded Wednesday to the Edmonton Oil Kings. It is the second time this season the 20-year-old forward from our Vancouver has been traded. Cheek played his first two WHL seasons with Calgary. At the beginning of this season, he was traded to the Vancouver (B.C.) Giants. The trade to Edmonton (for a 2013 second-round bantam draft pick) gives Cheek the chance to finish his junior hockey career with a playoff team.
Wins keep coming: The Winterhawks have won 12 consecutive games for the second time this season — despite not having a full roster since early December with key players gone for international competition. Ty Rattie and Tyler Wotherspoon rejoined the team for the wins over Prince George after playing for Canada at the World Juniors tournament. Seth Jones, a member of gold-medal Team USA, was given time off this week. Jones and fellow Winterhawks Nic Petan and Oliver Bjorkstrand will play for Team Orr in Wednesday’s Canadian Hockey League Top Prospects Game at Halifax, Nova Scotia (4 p.m. Jan. 16, NHL Network, Comcast Ch. 418/730).
Players signed: The Winterhawks signed 18-year-old Shaun MacPherson on Jan. 4. The 6-1, 200-pound defenseman has been in the lineup for the last three games. Began the season with the Kindersley Klippers of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. Portland also has signed Justin Greer, its fourth-round pick in the 2012 bantam draft. Greer, 15, can join the team next season.
Tickets available: Single-game tickets are now on sale for the Winterhawks’ final nine home games in February and March. Visit Winterhawks.com, or call 503-236-4295 for details.
Vancouver Vipers
This week: Host Tri-City at 7:35 p.m. Saturday at Mountain View Ice Arena.
Last week: Lost 11-3 to West Sound; lost 7-1 at West Sound; lost 8-4 at Tri-City.
Where they stand: At 2-24, Vancouver is last in the six-team Northern Pacific Hockey League.
Roster update: The Vipers have added 19-year-old defenseman Adam Moon of Boise and 18-year-old goalie/skater Sam Anderson of Portland. Both previously played this season with Tri-City.
Tickets: Vipers tickets cost $5, $3 for students with school IDs.
