What: Portland (6-6-2) takes on Spokane (9-6) in Western Hockey League action.
When: Friday, November 1, 7pm PDT.
Where: Spokane Arena, Spokane, Washington.
Watch: You can stream the game via the CHL TV pay per view (about US$7.50 for one game).
Listen: Portland and Spokane audio.
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Portland has lost seven straight, being outscored 17-36 in that span. It’s not going to be easy to break it this weekend, first going to Spokane and then making the overnight trip across Washington to Seattle.
As things stand, they’re still 7th in the conference, both by points and percentage, so they’re still above the playoff line. But it feels precarious, although it’s always going to feel that way in the midst of a 7-game losing streak.
Their biggest problems have been their starts and their even strength play. Depending on how you look at it, they’re either the worst- or second-worst-starting team in the league. They’ve only led after the 1st period twice in 14 games. And per game they’ve given up the most goals in the league at even strength, which has given them the worst goal differential.
[stats are subject to late adjustments]
Chyzowski is tied for 10th in the league in scoring, and leads the league in power play points after a power play goal last Sunday against Everett. It’s only during this losing streak that their power play has zoomed near the top of the league, as their even strength play has sunk.
Zakreski and Buttazzoni each had two assists on Sunday.
Jugnauth had an even strength goal to open the scoring on Sunday, but he kind of illustrates where Portland is at. He’s tied for 3rd in the league in power play points (one behind Chyzowski), but only has 3 points at even strength. On the other hand, while Portland players mostly have ugly plus/minus numbers, his -5 is pretty good in context.
Goaltending has been the other problem during the streak, if not the problem. The save percentage during the streak is .842. It’s not the biggest shock in the world. Their two goalies had no experience coming into the season, and it was always going to be a worry.
With back-to-backs, you would expect each goalie to get a game. Not that it has mattered; Portland’s goalie has been hooked in 5 of 14 games.
Off of an 8th-place finish and getting swept in the 1st round last season, Spokane is off to a good start this season, in a year where they hope Kraken 1st-rounder Berkly Catton can lead them into contention. They had a respectable 3-3 road trip to the east, fading at the end.
Their last two games have been home losses they would have expected to win, against Tri-City and Edmonton. Edmonton on Wednesday was probably worse; they didn’t show up at the start, going 4-0 down in the 1st, ending up losing 6-3 and giving up two shorthanded goals. So they will probably be on edge and looking to take out their frustrations on a struggling Portland team.
Speaking of -5, Catton was scoreless and -5 on Wednesday against Edmonton. You wouldn’t expect him to have a worse game the rest of his career.
Van Olm, known more as an agitator than an offensive dynamo with Kamloops, is off to a fine start in his 20-year-old season, tied for 6th in scoring. Playing with Catton has something to do with that.
Harrington is having a breakout season as a 17-year-old. He has a 3-game point streak, the only Spokane player who has a streak going.
They picked up Oremba, the primary part in one of the league’s more head-scratching trades in the league a couple of years ago, from Regina last week.
Martin and Paupanekis are both ‘B’ skaters per Central Scouting.
Portland catches a break as Preston, one of the league’s better 16-year-olds, is away at the U17 World Hockey Challenge.
They might not have enough offense from their defensemen to match up with Everett at the top of the division. Crampton and Weinstein have scored more in the past.
Cowan started the season on fire, but he’s had three poor games in a row and four out of five. They have a back-to-back this weekend but you’d expect him to start both games.
Esler (a rare 1st-rounder as a goalie) is away at the U17 tournament, so they’ve brought in Tamelin, who played one game last season with Victoria, and at 6-8 takes over as the tallest player listed in the league.
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