Hawks Soar Past the Blazers for 4-1 Game One Win

7,079 present at the Veteran's Memorial Coliseum on Friday night were treated to a very eventful Game One Friday night. The first period was particularly fast paced and it only got more entertaining from there. Ending with the typical bad blood between the two squads.

The scoring was started from an unusual source for the Blazers: fourth line Center Joe Kornelsen. This was his first of the playoffs. He scored when Portland D-man Tyler Wotherspoon attempted to intercept a pass and instead poked it right onto the waiting stick of Kornelsen who roofed it glove side past Mac Carruth only 2:10 into the game. The First period was insanely quick paced, with both teams creating solid chances back and forth. Despite this, no other goals were scored until Chase De Leo fired a spinning shot at the net that Taylor Leier was able to deflect past the unprepared Cole Cheveldave with 4:57 left in the period. This was Leier's 6th of the playoffs. The eventual game winner was scored with 2:44 left in the period, when Ty Rattie was sprung for a breakaway. An out of position Joel Edmundson responded by hacking at Rattie and preventing him from getting a shot off. Rattie was thus rewarded a penalty shot that he roofed on Cheveldave ending the period, with a 2-1 lead for the Hawks.

Mac Carruth

No goals were scored in the second period, as both teams buckled down their defense and did not activate their defenseman into the play as much. However, both teams did strike one post apiece in the period.

Brendan Leipsic

Portland added their first insurance goal on the power play when Brendan Leipsic found an activated Troy Rutkowski in front of the net. Cheveldave made the initial save, but Rutkowski found his own rebound to make it 3-1 Hawks. Rutkowski now haw 3 goals in the playoffs. Kamloops responding, getting several chances from the Cole Ully, Brendan Ranford and J.C. Lipon line, but Carruth was able to turn all of them away. The Hawks then put the game away with 6minutes left in the game off a beautiful tic-tac-toe goal from Rattie, Nic Petan and Brendan Leipsic, that finished with Leipsic going backhand roof on Cheveldave.

After the Leipsic goal, Kamloops seemed more interested in sending a message for the rest of the series then trying to make a late comeback. Kale Kessy was warranted a game misconduct after losing his temper and appearing to shove an official. He could be hearing from the league office for that one. Then, with 1:58 left in the game and both players heading to their benches, Chase Souto speared Rattie with the butt end of his stick. Rattie responded checking Souto from behind and sending him sprawling into the boards. Rattie could be chewing his nails waiting to hear what the league thinks of this incident. He was given 5 minutes for checking from behind and a game misconduct.

Carruth made 33 saves on 34 shots one goal and Cheveldave stopped 37 of 41.

3 Stars:
#3- Brendan Leipsic- He had 10 points in 4 games vs.the Blazers in the regular season and added 2 more in this game to keep the trend going.

#2- Mac Carruth- He was solid when he needed to be, stopping the last 33 shots he faced in the game, as Kornelsen's goal was on the first shot in the series.

#1- Ty Rattie- 1 goal and 2 assists for Rattie, he was the best player on the ice and should feel complimented that Kamloops has placed a huge target on his back moving forward.

Ty Rattie

Random Notes:
-Rattie is now in sole possession of 2nd place all time in WHL playoff goals with 42. He is only 5 back of the all time record holder (Mark Pederson 47).
-Kornelsen had a solid game for the Blazers and was even moved up into Tim Bozon's spot on the second line for the Blazers. This might be attributed to a lack of fitness, as Bozon missed all of the last round vs. Kelowna.
-Despite getting Bozon back, the Blazers continued to go with Ully-Ranford-Lipon. This was seemingly a good choice, as they were by far the Blazers best line in this game.
-A lot of scoutswere reported as being in the audience for Game 1. In Portland, no doubt to look at Ully and Matt Needham for the Blazers and Seth Jones, Nic Petan, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Preston Kopeck for the Hawks,all being draft eligible age in June.
-Portland was 1/3 on the power play and Kamloops was 0/5.
-The Hawks again decided to switch out Paul Bittner and Keegan Iverson with older players on the 3rd line, during the later stages of the game. This time Joey Baker and Preston Kopeck were moved up.
-Just like in the Spokane series, Portland had to have a decisive faceoff winning advantage. Colin Smith for the Blazers even intentionally lost some in the first and second periods.
-Edmonton knotted up the series with Calgary in Game 2 with 5 goals in the 3rd for a 6-0 win.