First Round NHL Pick Gives Young Winter Hawks a Lesson

Portland, (14-34-1-1), lost its 8th straight with the youngest lineup on any team in major junior hockey.

Salem-News.com SPORTS

PORTLAND - Devin Setoguchi (Set-oh-GOOCH-eee), who was chosen 8th overall in the first round of last year’s NHL draft by the San Jose Sharks, scored a hat trick to lead the Prince George Cougars to a 6-2 win over the Portland Winter Hawks Tuesday in Memorial Coliseum.

20-year-old Jared Walker had a goal and 2 assists and 2nd round Tampa Bay Lightning draft pick, defenseman Vladimir Mihalik, added 3 assists for Prince George.

16-year-old winger Tayler Jordan scored his first WHL goal for Portland and Frazer McLaren added the Hawks’ other counter.

The Cougars blew the game open with 5 second period goals.

Portland, (14-34-1-1), lost its 8th straight with the youngest lineup on any team in major junior hockey.

The Hawks have lost 6 in a row at home since beating Prince George in a shootout, 3-2, on January 10th in the Coliseum, the only other game played between the two teams.

The Hawks left right after the game for Vancouver, B.C., to play the Giants Wednesday, at 7:00 PM in Pacific Coliseum.

Portland hosts Seattle Friday at 7:30 PM in Memorial Coliseum.

Then, the Hawks hit the road for 5 straight games, starting Saturday in Seattle at 7:05 PM, in Kelowna on Wednesday at 7:00 PM, in Prince George for two games next Friday and Saturday, both at 7:00 PM, and then in Kamloops Sunday February 11th at 7:00 PM.

The Hawks return home to play the Kootenay Ice for the only time this season on Valentine’s Day, Wednesday February 14th at 7:30 PM in the Coliseum.

Prince George, (20-23-2-4), lost twice over the weekend on home ice to red hot Tri-Cities after putting together a 3-game winning streak.

Prince George’s roster is fairly formidable roster with 9 NHL draft picks, including two San Jose first rounders, Devin Setoguchi and Ty Wishart.

They also have seven first round WHL Bantam draft choices in their lineup. But, injuries and lack of consistency have foiled the Cougars all season, keeping them below expectations.

They are just about certain of a third place finish in the B.C. Division, so now they have 24 games to get their game in order for the playoffs. And, they are a team that could be a post-season threat.

The Hawks scratched Colton Sceviour, still out for 2-3 weeks with a broken foot, and Chip Petrino (numbers).

The only injury reported by Prince George was defenseman Jesse Dudas, who has only been able to play 17 games this season due to knee problems.

Portland was trying to build on a strong third period in Saturday’s 2-1 loss to Chilliwack in the Coliseum, when the Hawks outshot the Bruins 13-3.

Viktor Sjodin had a decent deflection opportunity in the mid-slot on a Cameron Cepek point shot during the Hawks’ first power play, but it went just wide of the left goal post.

Portland played fairly steady defense until Setoguchi’s highlight reel goal opened the scoring at 10:08 of the first period.

Wishart sent him up the middle with a nice tape to tape pass and Setoguchi drove to the net with a Hawk draped all over him, scoring one handed, off balance, snapping the puck through Hawks’ goalie Kurtis Mucha as he steamed in full speed.

It was one of the prettier goals scored all season in Portland.

The Hawks’ best chance came on a power play on a blocked shot that bounced to Thomas Frazee in the low slot.

He fed Chris Francis, back door, but Cougar goalie Scott Bowles made the premier sliding save at the left goal post.

The Cougars turned it up a notch on their next power play, but it was time for the Mucha show. He made 2 or 3 quality saves, but one amazing one.

Nick Drazenovic muscled a pass through two Hawk penalty killers to Eric Hunter in front of net and he had time to shoot twice.

The second shot, a backhand, appeared destined for twine, but Mucha dove across, somehow keeping it out.

Shots were 12-7, Prince George, and the Cougars led 1-0 after one.

A nightmare second period started when 16-year-old Dale Hunt hit Slovak Richard Rapac with an outlet pass from his own half wall to send Rapac away on a breakaway to make it 2-0 at 3:10.

Jared Walker drove into the slot and snapped off a beautiful shot that beat Mucha on the glove side at 6:51.

Mucha was left to fend for himself several times in the period, and he made some good saves on Walker and Setoguchi before Setoguchi connected with his second of the game from the left face off circle after just missing the net on a partial breakaway as he caught defenseman Max Gordichuk with his speed going wide.

Walker and Setoguchi won the puck back on the boards and Setoguchi didn’t miss this time to make it 4-0.

An entry shot by Vladimir Mihalik (2nd round, Tampa Bay) produced a rebound for Evan Fuller in front and he was able to muscle away from Gordichuk and slide home a backhand at 18:52.

Jordan got Portland on the board after some good work by Matt Betker in the slot to keep the play alive and push the puck to the front of the net.

Jordan made a nice move with the forehand for his first career goal at 19:18. But, the Hawks allowed yet another breakaway to Setoguchi only 16 seconds later.

He had time to make a premier forehand, backhand move to make it 6-1 after two.

Shots were 20-6, Prince George, in a period of total domination by the Cougars.

Portland played better in the third period when the matchups were less overwhelming as Setoguchi and the Cougars’ older players played less and more conservatively.

Some of the Hawks showed some good hustle.

16-year-old defenseman Bo Montgomery handled Setoguchi once perfectly on a one-on-one and finished quite a few checks to get the Shilo Inns “Most Physical Player” nod.

17-year-old forward Matt Betker was noticeable, as was 18-year-old Matt Schmermund.

The two joined Nick Hotson on a line for much of the third period and had some positive moments.

And, team captain Frazer McLaren finished a hit on the end wall to separate a Cougar from the puck on the power play and the puck bounced right to him for a slam dunk for the Hawks’ second goal.

Portland outshot Prince George 7-2 in the third period. Shots were 34-20, Cougars, in the game.

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