WINTERHAWKS ADVANCE TO CHAMPIONSHIP
KELOWNA, B.C. (CP) – The Portland Winterhawks will play for the Ed Chynoweth Cup for the fourth year in a row after defeating the Kelowna Rockets 7-3 on Friday in Western Hockey League playoff action.
Brendan Leipsic had a pair of goals for the Winterhawks, who took the best-of-seven Western Conference final 4-1, while Taylor Leier scored once and set up two more.
Chase De Leo, Keegan Iverson, Dominic Turgeon and Mathew Dumba also scored for Portland and Oliver Bjorkstrand tacked on three assists.
Jesse Lees, Justin Kirkland and Tyson Baillie supplied the scoring for the Rockets, who won Game 1 before dropping four straight.
Corbin Boes made 35 saves for the Winterhawks as Jordon Cooke turned away 34-of-41 shots in defeat.
Leipsic’s night came to an early end when he was assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct for spearing at 16:27 of the third period.
Portland will face the winner of the Medicine Hat Tigers-Edmonton Oil Kings series. Edmonton leads the series 3-1 with Game 5 scheduled for Saturday.
Portland and Edmonton again tthese two teams are far superior to any teams. Kelowna you just don't have enough top guns.
Missing Myles Bell for this series was a huge blow to the Rockets. You don't replace that firepower that easily at this point in the season.
PBB
Amazing 4 straight WHL championship appearances for the Winterhawks & going to be 3 straight for Edm after tonight. There is something wrong with this picture, as I thought all teams went through rebuilds. Chalk up another Championship yet again next yr because most of there top end forwards are coming back. Makes me kind of laugh as well that this was supposed to be a rebuilding year for Edm. I have talked to some local scouts in the past & what they are looking for talent is beyond me, as some of the top end forwards that are passed… Read more »
Kelowna doesn't have enough top guns? At least they made it to the west final. Port & Edm are in a class by themselves in this league.
That's my point Kelowna docent have enough top guns to compete with Portland and Edmonton.
What this shows is how inept we still are. Gallacher bought the team in 2008. In two season thereafter they were in the League final. now they have been there four years in a row. They are so deep that even after the league punished them, they drafted well last year. They traded and got a 1st round pick this year. The exploit the USA pipeline. They do it right. Our new GM is going into his 5th season and we still don't have much going. It's troubling when Marquardt says he doesn't think the team needs much improvement. Really!… Read more »
You could be like Mark Lamb in Swift Current & tell the people he has a plan…But no one has any idea what that plan is..lol. 5 yrs later we are still waiting for this magic, but he has the local board believing that he has some sort of plan. First thing I would do is get a head scout that knows a thing or too about spotting talent..not one who thinks he knows talent.
Leo MacDonald used to work for the Regina Pats, and he somehow wasn't deemed qualified to takeover when Rich Preston moved on. Had that happened I believe the entire trajectory of the Regina Pats narrative would be different today.
Y'er Welcome
Obama – Leo MacDonald's friend.
Isn't Leo Mcdonald finding talent for the WinterHawks?
Yes yes yes, Leo is a scout for the Winterhawks. Terry Perkins scouts for Victoria too.
Portland has 21 scouts on their staff page! It's all Leo!
Wow, I have less respect for Leo MacDonald now that I know he's friends with Obama.