Two games into the Western Hockey League championship series, the Portland Winterhawks have shown no signs of slowing down.
Winners of 42 of 45 games since early January, the Winterhawks own a 2-0 lead over the Edmonton Oil Kings as the best-of-7 series resumes with games today and Wednesday at Rexall Place in Edmonton.
Portland outscored Edmonton 8-3 in winning the first two games at the Moda Center. But before the teams shared a plane to Alberta late Sunday, both coaches said the games are closer than the scores indicate.
“We know how close the series is as far as the play on the ice in the first two games,” Portland coach Mike Johnston said. “We know how hard it is to play in Edmonton.
“We’ve been really focused this playoff on ‘Hey, let’s not look ahead. Let’s not get carried away with what’s happened behind us. Let’s just focus on our next game.’ “
That game comes at 6 p.m. PDT today.
Edmonton coach Derek Laxdal said after Game 2 that his team competed much better on Sunday then it did in Saturday’s 5-2 loss. He also liked the energy his team played with in the third period Sunday, when the Oil Kings had more of the territorial advantage though they only managed to put one puck behind Hawks goalie Corbin Boes.
“We finally started to get pucks in deep, we started to get pucks on net, we played with a sense of urgency,” Laxdal said. “We have to be on our toes, we can’t be on our heels. When we’re on our toes we’re effective.”
The Winterhawks knocked the Oil Kings backward quickly in the first two games of the series by scoring inside of the first three minutes and leading 3-0 after the first period of Game 1 and 2-0 after the first period of Game 2.
“Early in the game (on Sunday) I really liked our speed. I liked how we came at Edmonton,” Johnston said. “I thought we gave them some trouble in certain areas. So that’s how we have to play up there (in Edmonton).”
The Oil Kings, like the Hawks, have won all of their home games in this playoff season. They have outscored visitors 36-12 in eight home playoff games this season.
To turn the confidence meter in their direction, they will be looking to start fast both Tuesday and Wednesday.
Johnston said power plays — Portland was one for nine, Edmonton one for seven in the first two games — is one area both teams will be looking to improve.
“Our penalty kill’s done a good job. Their penalty kill’s done a good job,” the Portland coach said. “So we’ve got to make some adjustments for both teams on the power play. Those are key areas of the game. They’re momentum swings.”
Notes
• Winterhawks forward Paul Bittner, who scored three goals in the first two games, was named Monday as WHL player of the week.
• Television for the remaining games in the series will be tape-delayed and follow Mariners baseball games on Root Sports.
• Game 2 was the first time in Portland’s 16 playoff games this season that defenseman Derrick Pouliot did not register a point. The Pittsburgh Penguins prospect has four goals and 24 assists in the playoffs. Brendan Leipsic, who was suspended for Game 1 but scored a goal in Game 2, has had a point in each of the 15 playoff games he has participated in this season. He has 13 goals and 16 assists in the playoffs.
• Oliver Bjorkstrand (15 goals, 15 assists) leads all WHL scorers with 30 points in the 2014 playoffs.
