Hawks Vs. Silvertips Preview/ Tuesday News and Links

Portland takes on the Everett Silvertips tonight on one of only 2 games scheduled for them this week. Everett broke the win streak Portland had in the matchup, at 8 games, with a 4-2 victory on Saturday night.

Austin Lotz, will most likely get his 3rd consecutive start as he is a hot Goalie, stopping 82 of the last 85 shots he has faced. Included in that, was him coming into the 3rd period of a 7-1 loss to Edmoton last Friday and stopping all 13 shots he faced.

19 year old Left Wing, Joshua Winquist is quietly operating at nearly a point per game pace for the Tips, as he has, 43 points in 45 game played. 20 year old Defenseman Landon Oslanski, acquired via waivers from the Lethbridge Hurricanes, is 2nd in team scoring with 42 points. Oslanski was originally selected by the Spokane Chiefs in the 3rd round of the 2007 Bantam Draft. He was traded to Lethbridge in a deal that sent Kyle Beach to Spokane.

Landon Oslanski

Portland's Ty Rattie, at 99 points is one point away from being the first Winterhawk since Todd Robinson (1996-97 and 97-98), to post consecutive 100 point seasons. He got bumped down into 5th place in the WHL points standings, when Justin Feser of Tri City with a goal and an assist in the American's 6-3 victory over Prince George Monday jumped up to 100 points(Kamloop's Colin Smith also has 100).

Brendan Leipsic and Nic Petan remain tied for the Goal scoring lead at 44 goals. Rattie is tied for 3rd at 42 goals with Medicine Hat's Curtis Valk.

The Winterhawks are 2nd in the WHL in the Goals Against category and tops overall in Goal For. Everett is last in the WHL in Goals For and 17th of 22 in the Goals Against category.

Oliver Bjorkstrand, currently has 57 points, leading the WHL rookie scoring category by 5 points. Troy Rutkowski, 2nd in scoring among Defensemen at 60 points, is currently one goal behind Spokane's Brenden Kichton in Goals among D-men.

News and Links:



Todd Robinson Hawk from 1994-99

-In former Winterhawk news: Todd Robinson leads his ECHL team in scoring at 62 points. His team: the Evansville Icemen, also employs another former Hawk: Oliver Gabriel. Robinson (14 year Professional veteran), assisted on one of Gabriel's two Goals Sunday night.
-Robinson amazingly has 1.288 career professional points in 923 games played (more then any professional, regardless of the level, over the last 14 years).

-Former Hawk Kurtis Mucha helped the University of Alberta win the Canada West Men's Hockey Chamionship with a Game 3 win in the best of 3 series over the University of Saskatchewan.

-The NHL has worked out it's Draft rules with the lottery factoring in heavily. This could mean that Seth Jones gets drafted by a team that would not want to put him directly into the NHL next year.

-Tri City re-took 4th place from Spokane with their win Monday.

-P.G. used one of the three games they had in hand on Seattle and Everett and are still 8 points out of the last playoff spot.

-Regina, Moose Jaw, Brandon and Vancouver are the teams that are mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Lethbridge, is sitting 6 points back of Kootenay for the final spot in the East and the dubious honor of facing Edmonton in the first round.

-Hawks extended the contracts of Assistant Coach Kyle Gustafson, Scout Matt Bardsley and Athletic Trainer Rich Campbell.