World Juniors pays dividends for Winterhawks

PORTLAND — Nic Petan was the center of attention for a night across Canada. Oliver Bjorkstand was at center for the tournament’s surprise team. Chase De Leo went back to his youth for a memorable goal.

For all three Portland Winterhawks, the recent International Ice Hockey Federation Under-20 World Championships provided lasting memories while competing alongside and against the best teenage hockey players in the world.

The experience was particularly rewarding for Petan, who was instrumental in Canada winning the gold medal for the first time since 2009. A Winnipeg Jets prospect, Petan tied for his team’s scoring lead with four goals and seven assists for 11 points. Three of those goals came in Canada’s semifinal win against Slovakia.

“A night to remember, for sure,” the Delta, B.C. native said. “You try not to think about what it means during the game. But it was a pretty cool experience.”

A Columbus Blue Jackets prospect, Bjorkstrand also built his résumé by playing center, a position he hasn’t played since before joining the Winterhawks as a 17-year-old in 2012.

“I skated a lot and had a lot of responsibility on the ice. I had a lot of fun with it,” Bjorkstrand said. “Hopefully Columbus sees that I can also play a center role if they need me to. I feel like I can play center or wing.”

Centermen usually possess the puck more than wingers, and Bjorkstrand enjoyed that aspect.

“When you play wing, you kind of just go,” Bjorkstrand said. “At center you’ve got to be a little more careful and make better plays and make sure you don’t turn the puck over.”

Unlike Petan and Bjorkstrand, De Leo wasn’t sure he would make Team USA.

“I just went there and worked my hardest. I didn’t really expect anything,” De Leo said. “I just tried to earn everything. At the end of the day, mentally it made me stronger on and off the ice.”

He didn’t see as much ice time as he would have liked, but he did get a moment in the spotlight. De Leo scored the winning goal in the shootout as Team USA opened with a 2-1 win over Finland. De Leo said he used the same move as a 14-year-old to score a shootout winner against Brendan Burke during the Winterhawks preseason camp Neely Cup tournament.

“I don’t think I’ve been booed that loudly in my life,” he said of the reaction from the Canadian crowd at Bell Centre in Montreal to the USA victory.

Petan said that last season it took him several games to re-establish his timing upon returning from the World Juniors, where the pace and intensity of play is significantly higher than in the WHL.

Bjorkstrand didn’t seem fazed. He won the WHL player of the week award after returning, producing four goals and four assists over three games.