The Portalnd Winterhawks played their first games at home for the 2024-25 season showcasing a new team with plenty of new faces.
Box Score
Portland (3) Prince George (2)
SOG: POR (33) – PG (40)
PP: POR (0/5) – PG (1/5)
Saves: POR: Schlenker (38/40) – PG: Michaluk (30/33)
Taking a mere 18 seconds to start the game, the Winterhakws Hudson Darby netted a quick goal to start the game. A shocker to everyone in the building, it set the tone for what would be a battle for both sides throughout. After losing to Prince George in the 2023-24 Playoffs, there is not love lost between the two organizations. It showed with players routinely getting into skirmishes and fights after the whistle.
Prince George took advantage of early penalties tieing the game at 1-1 off a Viliam Kmec goal during 4-on-4 situtaion. Before the end of the period As the period ended, the teams came together in a end of period fight which landed four Winterhawks in the penalty box to start the 2nd period.
In the second period Prince George came out strong as they would net the goahead goal, a power play goal, off a Hunter Laing shot off the right circle. The majority of the period saw opportunities to score, but both goalies played well keeping the puck out of the net. Portland fought back throughout the period and were rewarded late in the period when Josh Zarneski scored off on a drive to the net to tie the game at 2-2.
The third period same much of the same as neither team wanted to give up a goal. It took until the waining seconds of the third period for Portland’s Ryan Miller to slam home the game winner off of a Tyson Yaremko pass with 3-seconds remaining to give Portland the win 3-2.
