Portland Winterhawks forward Brendan Leipsic will miss the first game of the Western Hockey League finals.
Leipsic was suspended for one game by the WHL for a major spearing penalty late in Friday’s series-clinching win at Kelowna. With Portland on its way to the 7-3 win, Leipsic and Kelowna’s Tyrell Goulbourne tangled behind the play. Leipsic put his stick in the midsection of Goulbourne before Goulbourne dropped his gloves and started punching Leipsic.
The Winterhawks and the Edmonton Oil Kings meet for the third consecutive season in the WHL championship series, which begins with games on Saturday and Sunday at the Moda Center in Portland.
• Winterhawks’ forward Nic Petan was named the WHL Player of the Week. Petan had three goals and four assists to help the Winterhawks to three victories over Kelowna to win Western Conference championship. Petan was named MVP of that series. Also on Monday, the WHL nominated Corbin Boes of the Winterhawks for the Canadian Hockey League Goaltender of the Week award.
