Winterhawks take 3-2 series lead over T-Birds | WHL playoffs

For the Reporter

The Portland Winterhawks defeated the Seattle Thunderbirds 5-3 in Game 5 of their first-round Western Hockey League playoff series at Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Portland on Saturday night.

The Winterhawks have a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.

Game 6 is 7:05 p.m. at the ShoWare Center. Game 7, if necessary, is 7 p.m. Wednesday at Portland.

Portland took a 1-0 lead at 7:54 of the first period. Keegan Iverson scored on a slap shot from the top of the right circle. Nic Petan and Oliver Bjorkstrand had the assists.

The Winterhawks made it a 2-0 lead on a goal from Paul Bittner at 17:08 of the first. Bittner beat Seattle goalie Taran Kozun from the low slot on a pass from Bjorkstrand. Layne Viveiros had the second assist.

Scott Eansor got the T-Birds on the board with 11 seconds left in the first period on a shorthanded breakaway. Eansor stole the puck from the Portland defenseman along the right boards. Eansor streaked up the right wing into the Portland zone all alone. He came down on Portland goalie Adin Hill and beat him through the legs. It was Eansor’s third goal of the playoffs.

Portland outshot Seattle 15-8 in the first period.

Bittner put the Winterhawks in front 3-1 at 4:54 of the third period with a power-play goal. Bittner tipped a shot point shot from Adam Henry past Kozun. Chase De Leo had the second assist.

Seattle cut the Portland lead to one goal a second time at 7:54 of the third. Cory Millette passed the puck from the right circle to Shea Theodore in the left circle. Theodore waited out a Portland defender and then put a hard wrist shot over Hill’s glove for a power-play goal. Ryan Gropp had the second assist.

Portland took the two-goal lead back at 11:41 of the third when Alex Schoenborn converted on a two-on-one break. Iverson passed the puck from the left wing to Schoenborn in the slot and he was able to beat Kozun.

Mathew Barzal scored less than a minute after Portland’s fourth goal to cut the lead back to one. Barzal put a rebound past Hill from the bottom of the left circle. Millette had the only assist on the goal.

Bjorkstrand scored an empty-net goal with 19:22 left in the third period to seal the win for Portland.

Portland outshot Seattle 35-30 in the game.

Kozun made 30 saves on 34 shots. Hill stopped 27 of 30 shots he faced.

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SERIES GLANCE

Seattle vs. Portland, first-round series

Game 1 – Seattle 4, at Portland 3
Game 2 – At Portland 3, Seattle 0
Game 3 – At Seattle 5, Portland 2
Game 4 – Portland 8, at Seattle 5
Game 5 – At Portland 5, Seattle 3
Game 6 – Portland at Seattle, April 7, 7:05 p.m.
Game 7 – Seattle at Portland, April 8, 7 p.m.* (Veterans Memorial Coliseum)

*If necessary

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Tickets

Game 6 is a Director’s Mortgage 2-for-Tuesday special. All tickets are 2-for-1 and the ShoWare Center will feature concession specials including $2 beer, $2 hot dogs, $2 soda and $2 popcorn for all fans.

Tickets for Game 6 are available now at the T-Birds website and at the ShoWare Center box office. The ShoWare Center box office is open Monday through Friday 10 am to 5 pm, and Saturday 10 am to 2 pm.

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GAME 5 SCORING SUMMARY

First period – 1, Portland, Iverson 2 (Petan, Bjorkstrand), 7:54. 2, Portland, Bittner 1 (Bjorkstrand, Viveiros), 17:08. 3, Seattle, Eansor 3, 19:49 (sh). Penalties – Millette, Sea (tripping), 19:22.

Second period – No scoring. Penalties – Ottenbreit, Sea (unsportsmanlike conduct), 7:45. Iverson, Por (unsportsmanlike conduct), 7:45. Holowko, Sea (slashing), 14:40.

Third period – 4, Portland, Bittner 2 (Henry, De Leo), 4:54 (pp). 5, Seattle, Theodore 2 (Millette, Gropp), 7:54 (pp). 6, Portland, Schoenborn 1 (Iverson, De Leo), 11:41. 7, Seattle, Barzal 4 (Millette), 12:38. 8, Portland, Bjorkstrand 3, 19:22 (en). Penalties – Lipsbergs, Sea (charging), 4:23. Texeira, Por (roughing), 6:27. Barzal, Sea (double minor-roughing), 19:56. Petan, Sea (double minor-spearing), 19:56.

Shots on goal – Seattle 8-4-18 30, Portland 15-6-14 35. Goalies – Seattle, Kozun 34 shots-30 saves (2-3); Portland, Hill 30-27 (3-2). Power plays – Seattle 1-1; Portland 1-3. A – 7,119. Referees – Fraser Lawrence, Nathan Wieler. Linesmen – Bevan Mills, Jarrod Bowman.