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Notebook: Bittner’s NHL draft stock on the rise

By Paul Danzer, Columbian Soccer, hockey and Community Sports Reporter
Published: November 21, 2014, 12:00am

This week: at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m. Friday; at Kelowna, 7:05 p.m. Saturday; host Victoria, 7 p.m. Tuesday (Memorial Coliseum); host Kootenay, 3 p.m. Nov. 28 (Memorial Coliseum).

Last week: lost 4-3 at Everett (shootout); beat Everett 7-1; lost 4-1 at Kamloops.

Where they stand: At 9-12-0-3, the Winterhawks have 21 points from 24 games. They are tied with Seattle and Spokane, but have played more games than both of those U.S. Division teams.

National TV: Today’s game at Kelowna will air live on the NHL Network.

Daylight game parking: Fans who attend the Nov. 28 game against Kootenay, which starts at 3 p.m., can pay $8 to park at Rose Quarter lots. After 3:30 p.m., prices increase to $15. The Trail Blazers play in the Moda Center at 7 p.m. the same day.

Hawks listed by Central Scouting: Paul Bittner, Nick Heid, Keoni Texeira, and Evan Weinger were among 59 WHL players named to NHL Central Scouting’s preliminary list of players to watch for the 2015 NHL Draft.

Bittner is one of eight WHL players assigned an A-level rating, meaning he is potentially a first-round pick. A third-year Winterhawk from Minnesota, Bittner’s eight goals this season rank third on the Winterhawks.

Defensemen Heid and Texeira, and forward Weinger received C-level ratings, meaning they are now projected to be drafted in rounds 4-6.

Kelowna ranked No. 1: The Rockets team that hosts Portland on Friday and Saturday this week returned to the No. 1 spot in the BMO CHL Top 10, a poll of NHL scouts who rank teams from the three CHL major junior hockey leagues. Kelowna is 20-1-2-0, with one of the overtime losses coming at Portland. The Rockets have three of the top six scorers in the WHL, led by Nick Merkley (8 goals, 34 assists) and Rourke Chartier (24 goals, 17 assists). The two games at Kelowna are the last regular-season games between the teams this season.

Scoring outburst: The seven goals Portland scored on Sunday against Everett were a season high. The Winterhawks had twice scored six goals in a game this season. The Hawks average of 3.16 goals per game is second most in the U.S. Division. Nic Petan scored two goals in Sunday’s win, doubling his season total. Petan has four goals and a team-best 17 assists in 17 games played this season.

Cancer research drive: Goalie Brendan Burke is raising money for prostate cancer research and men’s health initiatives. If the Winterhawks’ “Movember” page reaches $1,000 in donations by the end of the month, Burke has pledged to shave his head. Fans can donate at www.mobro.co/winterhawks.

Booster club viewing party: Members of the Portland Winterhawks Booster Club will host a viewing party for Saturday’s game at Kelowna at Kenton Station, 8303 N. Denver in north Portland.

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Columbian Soccer, hockey and Community Sports Reporter