The Everett Silvertips and the Portland Winter Hawks square off on back-to-back nights, playing tonight in Everett and Saturday in Portland. These are meetings Nos. 3 and 4 of 12 between the teams this season. Everett won the first two meetings, prevailing 5-4 in Portland on Oct. 23 and 3-1 at home on Oct. 26.
Portland took full advantage of Everett’s recent seven-game losing streak and is now breathing down the Silvertips’ necks. Everett still holds the top spot in the U.S. Division with 31 points (15-12-1-0). But Portland, which went 7-1-1-1 in November, is now just two points behind, and the Winter Hawks (13-7-1-2) have five games in hand, giving them a better winning percentage.
However, Portland has its own injury issues, all of it on defense. Nineteen-year-old Max Gordichuk (wrist) and 17-year-olds Cameron Cepek (wrist) and Scott Gabriel (neck/shoulder) are out indefinitely, and 17-year-old Justin Mazurek (shoulder) is out for the season. To help fill the void, the Winter Hawks made a pair of trades this week, picking up 17-year-old defensemen Mike McDonald (Tri-City) and Lenny Thunderchild (Lethbridge) in exchange for Bantam Draft picks. Portland’s top two defensemen, 19-year-old Michael Funk and 18-year-old Michael Sauer, are healthy.
Portland has compensated for its defensive injuries with its offense. The Winter Hawks scored 19 goals during their current four-game winning streak, led by 19-year-old Brandon Dubinsky, the reigning WHL Player of the Week. Dubinsky, who’s always given the Silvertips fits, is fifth in the league in scoring with 36 points (14 goals, 22 assists). He’s received plenty of support from 20-year-old left wing Brian Woolger (14 goals, 16 assists), 19-year-old right wing Jannik Hansen (13 goals, 16 assists), 19-year-old center Kyle Bailey (seven goals, 19 assists) and 20-year-old right wing Jonathan Bubnick (14 goals, 11 assists).
Portland’s biggest weakness has been in goal. Eighteen-year-old Dustin Butler (9-6, 3.12 goals against average, .898 save percentage) has been shaky, but neither 18-year-old Luke Shier nor 16-year-old Kurtis Mucha has been any better.
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