PORTLAND WINTERHAWKS
Where they stand: At 25-11-2-1 (53 points), the Winterhawks are second in the U.S. Division behind Tri-City (30-7-0-0, 60 points).
This week: Portland plays host to Everett on Friday in the Rose Garden, visits the Vancouver Giants on Saturday, then hosts Kelowna on Jan. 11 (Memorial Coliseum) and Jan. 13 (Rose Garden).
Last week: Portland won four home games coming off the holiday break, extending its winning streak at home to 13 games.
Player of the week: Taylor Peters. The 19-year-old center scored the game-winner in overtime on Tuesday to beat Moose Jaw and extend the Winterhawks home winning streak. On New Year’s Day, the native of Delta, British Columbia, helped save a man who had fallen from his kayak into the Willamette River.
Notes and numbers:
• Sven Bartschi suffered an injury that was described as a “light concussion” on Dec. 28 while playing for Switzerland in the World Junior Championships and missed his team’s final round-robin game.
• Winterhawks public address announcer Sean Norris will be appearing on the Jan. 9 episode of Jeopardy, airing at 7 p.m. on KATU (channel 2). Norris was in Los Angeles in October to tape the episode.
• Nic Petan of Portland had three goals in five games for Team Pacific in the World Under-17 Hockey Challenge for top 16-year-old prospects. His team finished in fifth place.
• Even with Sven Bartschi away for the World Juniors, Ty Rattie has continued his sizzling season with four goals and three assists since the break. Rattie’s 37 goals is best in the entire Canadian Hockey League, which includes the WHL, and the Ontario and Quebec junior leagues. His 68 points ranks second in the CHL.
VANCOUVER VICTORY
Where they stand: At 14-13-2 (30 points), the Victory are in third place in the seven-team NORPAC.
This week: Vancouver plays home games at 7 p.m. on Saturday and 1 p.m. on Sunday against second-place Seattle at Mountain View Ice Arena.
Last week: Vancouver split two games in Bremerton, beating West Sound 4-3 on Dec. 30 and losing 7-4 on Jan. 1.
Notes and numbers:
• John Nogatch, who returned as the Victory head coach last month, said he has told his team this month is the start of the playoff push. More than half of Vancouver’s 14 remaining games are against Seattle and first-place Southern Oregon.
Concentration and determination will define this season, Nogatch said.
“If we play 60 minutes of hockey and stay out of the penalty box, we’re one of the best teams in the league,” Nogatch said.
“We’ve got a young team. When you’ve got a young team, sometimes they show up not ready to play. They got to learn you’ve got to show up every game ready to go at this level. It’s not like bantams or midgets when if you’re the best player you can just show up and do whatever you want. There are good players on every team in this league so you’ve got to come ready to go.”
• With 66 points, Vancouver’s Avik Bordak (28 goals, 38 assists in 29 games) continues to lead the NORPAC in scoring.
