PORTLAND WINTERHAWKS
Where they stand: At 27-12-2-1 (57 points), the Winterhawks are second in the U.S. Division behind Tri-City (32-8-0-0, 64 points).
This week: Host Kelowna on Friday (mascot night promotion), at Seattle on Saturday, host Tri-City on Monday (3 p.m. at Rose Garden).
Last week: Beat Everett 3-1, lost at Vancouver 8-4, beat Kelowna 4-2.
Player of the week: Brad Ross all three goals in the Jan. 6 win over Everett.
Notes and numbers:
• Portland’s home win streak is at 15 games, one shy of the team record set in 1993-94.
• Sven Bartschi is still sidelined because of a concussion suffered on Dec. 28 while playing for Switzerland in the World Junior Championships. Bartschi was allowed to face contact in practice on Thursday and looked good, according to coach Mike Johnston, but will not play on Friday.
• There is no indication that the New York Islanders will return Nino Niederreiter to the Winterhawks this season. But if they did, Portland would be allowed to carry three Europeans on their roster.
German forward Marcel Noebels, acquired this week in a trade with Seattle, and Swiss forward Sven Bartschi are the Europeans currently on the roster, but the WHL limit of two international players does not apply to NHL players returning to their junior teams. NHL teams have until the Feb. 27 NHL trade deadline to return players to their junior teams, should they choose to do so. Niederreiter, 19, has played in 18 games for the Islanders this season, registering one goal and no assists.
• Johnston said he was very happy with the additions of forwards Cam Reid and Noebels, both NHL-drafted players, at the WHL trade deadline this week.
“We wanted to get a little bit more experience and a little bit more size up front,” Johnston said.
• The trades left Portland short of bantam draft picks this year and next.
“In order to get good players (in trades) you have to give up something,” Johnston said. “My preference was not to give up any of the good young players we have in our system.”
• Portland has signed 16-year-old North Dakota native Alex Schoenborn. Schoenborn, listed at 6-2, 195 pounds, reportedly was receiving interest from many NCAA schools.
VANCOUVER VICTORY
Where they stand: At 15-14-2 (32 points), the Victory are tied with Yellowstone for third place in the seven-team NORPAC.
This week: Vancouver plays at Eugene at 7 p.m. on Friday, then hosts Eugene at 7 p.m. on Saturday and West Sound at 1 p.m. on Sunday at Mountain View Ice Arena.
Last week: Vancouver split two home games with Seattle, winning 5-4 on Saturday then losing 10-1 on Sunday.
Notes and numbers:
• Vancouver had 85 minutes in penalties during Sunday’s meltdown against Seattle. Joe Bordak, Elijah Bordak and Cam Calloway each received a game misconduct penalties.
• Avik Bordak and Erik Mathies each had two goals in Saturday’s 5-4 win over the Totems.
