Sometimes it is better for young hockey players to play a lot of games with minimal time off. At least that’s been the trend for the Portland Winterhawks, whose only game this week is on Friday against visiting Tri-City.
Portland won 12 of 14 games during a busy January, but after a week of practice didn’t play with the same energy last weekend in losses at Seattle and Everett.
“We let our guard down and didn’t start those games the way we needed to,” coach Jamie Kompon said. “Playing catch-up hockey is not playing winning hockey.”
Kompon was especially disappointed in the start of Sunday’s game at Everett. The Silvertips were playing their third game in 48 hours while the Winterhawks were idle on Saturday. Yet Everett led 2-0 after outshooting Portland 19-9 in the first period.
“To come out and play like that in such an important game was disappointing,” Kompon said.
In the two games last weekend Portland was outshot 92-62.
“That’s an indication that we weren’t ready to play at the start of the game,” Kompon said. The shot difference shows that Seattle and Everett were being allowed into the attacking zone too easily and that too many rebounds were created, Kompon added.
The coach he is responsible for making the team ready at the start of each game, but that the players also have a responsibility to themselves and their teammates to play with energy from the start of games.
The Winterhawks rallied from early deficits both nights before losing. In Everett, a goal from Chase De Leo with 32 seconds left earned Portland a point in the standings in an overtime loss.
“We battled back. It was a good point (in the standings),” Kompon said.
The Winterhawks will need some help to win the U.S. Division. They play Everett only one more time in the regular season, on March 11 in Everett. The Silvertips lead the season series 6-3, though one win was in a shootout and another was Sunday’s overtime victory.
Friday’s game is the first of six remaining against Tri-City. Portland faces third-place Seattle and fourth-place Spokane three more times each.
Around the rink
This week: Host Tri-City, 7 p.m. Friday (Memorial Coliseum).
Last week: Lost 6-3 at Seattle; lost 4-3 in overtime at Everett.
Where they stand: At 31-20-1-3, the Winterhawks are second in the U.S. Division. Their 66 points are seven behind first-place Everett. Seattle, which has played one fewer game, is third with 62 points.
Schoenborn update: Forward Alex Schoenborn is expected to return for the final week of the regular season. Kompon said Schoenborn has undergone surgery for a lower-body injury, but declined to specify the procedure. Kompon said he knew Schoenborn would need the surgery at some point and the team decided it was best to do it now so he will be healthy for the postseason.
Walter plays: Mitchell Walter, an 18-year-old winger acquired at the trade deadline, played in both games last weekend. Walter suffered a concussion on Jan. 14 at Kamloops in the first game he played with Portland, and missed the next eight games.
Kompon said Walter is an energy guy who brings speed to the forecheck.
“We’re just trying to see where he fits in,” Kompon said. “We can sense what he provides, but we’d like to see it on a consistent basis before we know how he best fits in.”
Hawks in the pros: Former Winterhawk Sven Bartschi scored three goals on Wednesday, helping the Adirondack Flames to a 10-0 win over Syracuse in the American Hockey League. It was the first hat trick as a professional for Bartschi. Former Portland defenseman Tyler Wotherspoon had two assists in the game, including on Bartschi’s third goal.
