(Prince George, British Columbia) Following a grueling six games in the Western Conference Championship, the Portland Winterhawks emerged with a 4-2 series win over the Prince George Cougars after winning a thrilling 2-1 overtime game on Monday night.
With a 14-hour bus ride from the Rose City to the CN Centre and three much-needed days off after five games in seven nights in the rear-view mirror, both teams came out on the front foot when the puck was dropped.
Goaltenders Josh Ravensbergen and Jan Špunar were dialed in early. It was a sign of what was to come: a spectacular goaltending performance from both young men. Ravensbergen finished with 36 saves on 38 Portland shots, while Špunar turned aside 48-of-49.
Winterhawks president, general manager, and head coach Mike Johnston said, “I thought early in the game (our start) gave us a lot of confidence on the bench. I thought we had some good looks at the beginning of the game, good opportunities, and the first period we carried a bit of play.”
First, it was the Winterhawks, courtesy of Josh Davies, who returned to the lineup after missing Games 2-5. 16-year-old rookie forward Kyle McDonough saucered a pass over to Davies, who redirected the puck on goal. However, Ravensbergen made a left-pad save to deny the Flordia Panthers prospect.
Then, up the ice, Nicholas McLennan hit Ryan Miller up high near the head. Davies stood up for his teammate but, in doing so, was assessed a four-minute roughing penalty and a ten-minute misconduct as McLennan did not drop the gloves.
As a result, the Cougars had a power play for four minutes and peppered Jan Špunar. The 19-year-old’s best save came on Borya Valis, who had a one-timer from point blanked stopped.
Portland survived the stretch and approximately two minutes later had an opportunity on the man advantage as Tyson Jugnauth drew a holding penalty on Oren Shtrom. The top unit for the Winterhawks moved it well and put a couple of shots onto Ravensbergen, but were unable to convert.
After 20 minutes, Špunar kept all ten Prince George shots out, while Ravensbergen denied the 12 sent his way by Portland.
During the second period, both teams played disciplined hockey, and the referees let the players decide the outcome. There were moments when a penalty might have been called, but the whistles mostly stayed in the pocket.
Despite Grade-A chances, Špunar and Ravensbergen kept the high-powered skaters off the scoresheet.
The second-period horn sounded; however, a minute prior to the middle frame ending, Nate Danielson’s shot appeared to cross the goal line. The off-ice official called down and reviewed the play. Following a lengthy look at the video, it was determined the Detroit Red Wings signed prospect’s shot did, in fact, enter the net for a 1-0 Portland lead. Many of the Prince George Cougars players and coaches had already gone to the locker room, but they were notified that 60 seconds were being put back on the clock to finish the period.
Kyle Chyzowski said over the phone he did not see the puck go in live, but only when it was displayed on the jumbotron during the video review.
“We weren’t really sure what was going on, but they finally took it to replay. We saw a little bit of daylight between the white and the puck, so we hit it with a little bit of a celebration,” Chyzowski said.
In the third period, the Cougars came out firing as their season was on the line.
Borya Valis was one of the better forwards for the Cougars all series, and he showed up big again in Game Six.
The Colorado native tied the game 5:45 into the final regulation stanza. Riley Heidt and Zac Funk worked a passing play below the goal line to perfection before Funk’s pass to the slot for Valis to net his 9th of the postseason. The 19-year-old, who was acquired from the Regina Pats on December 31, scored his fourth of the series to bring the sellout crowd of 6,016 fans to life.
With all the momentum on their side, the Cougars looked to take the lead, but Špunar was lights out. The Czechia native turned away another ten shots in the third period.
“You look at Špunar; I didn’t think he looked fatigued at all,” Johnston said of his 19-year-old netminder who played in all six games of the series. “I thought he looked very composed in goal, didn’t give up any rebounds, kept everything close to him, and that is a sign that a goaltender is really on his game.”
The first overtime session went back and forth with both teams continuing to put what looked to be sure goals, only to have Ravensbergen and Špunar come up with another save.
“Ravensbergen was playing special hockey,” Chyzowski said. “We knew it was one shot, and that was going to win the series.”
Prince George had a prime opportunity to force a Game Seven when a tripping penalty was called on Chyzowski with 8:20 left in the first overtime. However, Špunar and the Winterhawks penalty killers had other ideas after allowing a power-play goal in the first five games of the series.
“The penalty kill saved my life tonight as I took a penalty in overtime,” Chyzowski said before offering praise to his teammates. “A blocked shot by Danielson; he takes a slapshot right to the leg and shakes it off like nothing. The four minutes in the first period were huge, too. Our penalty kill was the difference tonight.”
Johnston highlighted the magnitude of killing off the overtime penalty. “It (was) huge, especially if you are killing a penalty in overtime, as you don’t often get that. I don’t fault the refs; it was a legit call, but to kill one in overtime is big time.”
Heading into the second overtime session, the Winterhawks’ depth continued to get tested.
Already playing without San Jose Sharks 4th-round selection Luca Cagnoni, Philadelphia Flyers prospect Carter Sotheran was lost due to injury when the 18-year-old blocked three shots in one shift in the second period. Then, overage forward Jack O’Brien did not play in either overtime session.
Johnston inserted rookie Cole Slobodian into the lineup for his first WHL game. After being listed by Portland, Slobodian signed with the Winterhawks in November.
“We ride with Slobodian,” Chyzowski said. “We were so excited to have him. It is pretty cool for your first WHL game to be in Game Six of the Western Conference Final. Tell me it doesn’t get better than that? He jumped in, we made sure he was comfortable, and he looked great.”
Slobodian gave Johnston six or seven quality shifts prior to the overtime, which allowed the remaining four defensemen to catch even a little bit of a breather.
Marek Alscher, Tyson Jugnauth, Ryder Thompson, and Josh Mori all played significant minutes against a Cougars team that finished the regular season as the WHL’s second-highest scoring team with 316 goals (Portland was first with 330).
“I thought our defense played great tonight,” Johnston said. “All four of those guys played huge minutes tonight. Then, Cole Slobodian, it was his first WHL game, and you don’t often get to see that where he jumps into a game where it is a double overtime game for your first game. It is kind of a unique experience, and thought we was good out there tonight. Our depth on defense has been the backbone of our team all year. I thought thonight, our transition game was built from our defense.”
Portland’s defensemen, Špunar, and the forward group were outstanding all series long, but especially against Funk and Heidt, who finished as the WHL’s second and third top scorers.
The duo finished the regular season with a combined 104 goals and 136 assists for a total of 240 points.
They each scored three points in the six games against the Winterhawks during the Western Conference Championship (Funk 1G/2A; Hedit 3A).
Between the first and second overtime, besides the obvious break, Portland’s players needed nutrition to keep up the level of play required to win the series.
Chyzowski credited Rich Campbell, Portland’s head athletic trainer and strength and conditioning coach, saying, “He was dialed on all that. He had liquids for us with electrolytes and a lot of salt. Some bananas and oranges as well. You want things that will give you a little jolt. I think that kept us straight.”
It was a full-team effort by the Winterhawks to help get the job done.
Going into the 5th period, Davies’ confidence in his teammates was strong, saying, “I think we kind of just had to believe in our group. We took a step back a little and took a couple of minutes to breathe. We knew that this game was ours and we came out flying and got the job done.”
The Cougars forced a turnover as the Winterhawks tried to clear the defensive zone, which led to a glorious chance about 15 feet from Špunar’s net. Instead, the shot was blocked by Jugnauth’s leg, and the rebound went right to Mori. Immediately, the Richmond, British Columbia native raced to center ice to try to catch Prince George in transition.
“Jugnauth made a nice block, and (Mori) jumped the rush, and thought I had to get up there,” Davies said describing the play leading to his first career playoff overtime goal. “(Mori) made a nice play, kind of held it through the middle, and passed it over to me. After that, I just heard the post and saw the puck trickle behind the goalie, and that was kind of it as I blacked out with the guys.”
Davies mentioned the disappointment of missing Games 2-5 in the series after he was so excited to play in the playoffs for the first time in his career. The game-winning goal, therefore, meant even more to him.
“It is an amazing feeling. These guys are a band of brothers. I came in here not knowing what to expect, and they took me in right away. To get this goal, it means the world to me… So to be able to come back and have a special playoff moment like this with these guys, I just wouldn’t change it for the world. I’m so happy for all of us.”
Chyzowski was rightfully elated to see the puck cross the goal line. “You don’t really know what to do. You just want to find a guy, jump on him, hug him, and then find another. What a feeling!”
The moment was also a sigh of relief as well for the Surrey, British Columbia native. “So much battle and back-and-forth effort with chances. I think that was the toughest series ever anyone on our team has played in. It was six really tough games, and it had to end like that in double overtime with a good shot. Both goalies played out of their minds. It was definitely a series to remember,” Chyzowski said.
Hockey players are notoriously superstitious, which includes the question, ‘Do you touch the trophy of the conference championship or wait to touch the Ed Chynoweth Cup as winners of the Western Hockey League?’
Chyzowski said the decision was a simple one.
“We went in with the ‘we earned it’ mentality. It is tough to get to the finals. It is just the start, and we aren’t even close to finished, but you earn the right to touch the trophy. So we thought, ‘might as well enjoy it,’” he said.
The Winterhawks now await the winner of the Eastern Conference Championship, which plays Game Seven tonight between the Saskatoon Blades and Moose Jaw Warriors.
Portland will either open on the road in Saskatoon or at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum if the Warriors emerge.
Either way, Davies said the team will be prepared.
“I wouldn’t think four years ago today I would be in the WHL Championship. I think nine months ago, I wouldn’t believe I would be here today, but look at us now, we are going to the WHL Championship. We are just going to go home, get some rest, get some food in us, and be ready for our next opponent. Whether it is Moose Jaw or Saskatoon, we already to to take them on. We aren’t scared and won’t back down,” he said.
Chyzowski ended his post-game interview with a bang saying, “We now get to travel by plane, can’t get more pumped than that for what it represents.”
