Carruth Gets the Shutout on Another Record Setting Night:: 3-0 in Game 2.

Mac Carruth set two different playoff records for the Winterhawks on Saturday night. By getting the 3-0 victory over Spokane, he is now the WHL leader in playoff wins with 39. Former Red Deer Rebel and current Carolina Hurricane Cam Ward had held the record previously. Also, with the shutout, his 4th career playoff shutout, he is now the franchise leader in that category as well. He had been tied with Lanny Ramage(1999-2003) for that honor. How many more franchise records will Mac Carruth make his own?

Mac Carruth

10.326 were in the Rose Garden to watch the Hawks take on the Spokane Chiefs in game 2 of their best of 7 series. Portland was up 1 game to 0 coming into tonight.

13:17 into the game, after a long stretch pass missed a speeding Oliver Bjorkstrand and went on net, Bjorkstrand corralled the puck behind the net and found Taylor Leier in front. Instead of shooting, Leier somehow found Chase De Leo all alone on the backdoor to open the scoring. This was a back and forth period that combined for 31 shots (20 for Portland and 11 for Spokane). Both goaltenders played exceptionally well in the opening frame.

Portland would add to their lead in the second off another broken play around the Chief's net. Ty Rattie attempted the backhanded wraparound but was turned aside by Spokane goalie: Eric William's stick. Nic Petan however pulled out the rebound and put it home for his 4th of the playoffs. This period was much tighter checking wise and the Hawks made more of a commitment to blocking shots and limiting the looks Spokane got at Carruth.

Seth Jones

The 3rd period was business as usual for the Hawks, who would first score to take the 3-0 lead, the play shutdown defense to take the 2-0 series lead. They would score with 10:58 left in the game when Seth Jones made an incredible interception on a 3 on 2 Spokane rush and went all the way down the ice with the puck. He then found Rattie in front of the net and Rattie found Brendan Leipsic all alone for the slam dunk goal. It was Leipsic's 5th of the playoffs and was the last goal scored on the night.

Mac Carruth made 27 saves or his shutout and Eric Williams stopped 40 of 43. Portland was surprisingly 0/4 on the power play and Spokane was 0/1.

3 Stars:
#3- Seth Jones-Had a great assist and was part of an amazing defensive effort by the Hawks. They all bought into the system and did an excellent job of keeping a majority of shots from a distance rather then in close.

#2- Brendan Leipsic- Was possibly the Hawks best forward all night. He was strong on the puck and helped create a very strong cycle all night for the Hawks.

#1- Mac Carruth- A night after Rattie set his record in style with a hat trick, Carruth did the same with a shutout. He faced 27 shots but helped his defense out by making sure any rebounds were pushed out strongly to the side and not right in front of his net.

Random Notes:
-7 posts were hit between the 2 squads as the Goalie's best friend made his appearance on both sides.
-Rattie has 39 career playoff goals and is 8 behind the WHL record of 47.
-In a much different game, the Hawks committed only one penalty all game.
-Don Nachbaur made an adjustment on his top line, putting in 4th liner: 6'1" 205 lb forward Jackson Playfair, in place of Adam Helewka. One has to think Nachbaur did this to give his top unit a little more size.
-Playfair is the Son of one former Hawk: Jim Playfair and nephew of another one: Larry Playfair.
-Playfair was given a 10 minute misconduct with 12 seconds left in the game.
-Game 3 goes Tuesday night at 7:05pm in Spokane.
-In the only other action Saturday night: Kamloops, led by Brendan Ranford's 2 goals, beat Kelowna 4-2 in game one.

Jim Playfair Hawk from 1981-83