Carruth Health Watch/ Thursday News and Links

No news has got to be good news considering Portland goalie Mac Carruth's injury on Tuesday night. He left the game with 9:44 left after stretching out trying to make a save on Victoria forward Logan Nelson's breakaway chance and did not come back in. The Hawks had the game in hand though and coach Travis Green could've been playing it safe with the goalie he is going with in the post season. No injury has been reported by the Winterhawks at this time.

Mac Carruth

Carruth has had an incredible season thus far and has to be in contention for Western Conference and WHL goalie of the year awards. He is second in the WHL with a 2.06 Goals Against Average and 3rd overall in Save % with .929. He also is tied for the league lead in shutouts with 7. Despite splitting time with Brendan Burke, Carruth also is one of only 8 goalies in the WHL with 30 wins (Burke has 21).

One has got to think that the Hawks will go with Burke in their 2 remaining home games: Friday vs. Seattle and Sunday vs. Spokane and if Carruth is not 100%; Saturday night in Seattle. These games, will most likely, be the last action Burke will get before next season.


Random Notes/ Links:
-With the Rutkowski signing today, the Hawks have 8 players whose rights are owned by NHL teams:

• Goalie Mac Carruth(Chicago)- Drafted in the 7th round-2010.
• Forward Ty Rattie(St.Louis)- Drafted in the 2nd round-2011.
• Defenseman Tyler Wotherspoon(Calgary)- Drafted in the 2nd round-2011.
• Defenseman Derrick Pouliot(Pittsburgh)- Drafted 8th overall-2012.
• Forward Brendan Leipsic(Nashville)- Drafted in the 3rd round-2012.
• Forward Taylor Leier(Philadelphia)- Drafted in the 4th round-2012.
• Forward Taylor Peters(Dallas)- Signed by Dallas on March 4th.
• Defenseman Troy Rutkowksi(Ottawa).

-Portland will continue to be a hot spot for NHL scouts as Seth Jones, Nic Petan, Oliver Bjorkstrand and Brendan Burke are all likely to be drafted in Philadelphia this June.
-The 8 players is 2nd most in the WHL to Edmonton (9).
-I guess WHL commisioner Ron Robison will not be in attendance to award the Hawks the Scotty Munro trophy for the WHL's best regular season record (Surprise, Surprise).
-Carruth has kept his head in the game more this year, allowing him to have a career year.
-Portland's first round opponent has yet to be decided. Prince George is still 4 points back of Everett for the 8th seed with 3 games left for both teams. Seattle has 2 games left, but has clinched a spot, being 7 points ahead of P.G. and 3 of Everett for the 7th seed. Portland is 9-1 vs. Everett, 4-0 vs, P.G. and 8-2 vs. Seattle (2 games left vs. the T-birds).
-Seattle's Brendan Glover will be serving the 2nd game of his 2 game suspension Friday in Portland, meaning the Hawks will most likely get rookie goalie Danny Mumaugh. Glover was suspended for charging down the ice and fighting Everett goalie Austin Lotz, despite an official's attempts to stop the fight.
-In former Hawk news: Defenseman William Wrenn scored his 2nd of the year for the AHL's Texas Stars in a 4-3 win over Abbotsford.

William Wrenn Hawk from 2010-12