Saturday, May 14, 2011

Hawks Fall 4-1 in Game 5; Ice Win WHL Title

Press Release

After a 103-point season, the U.S. Division title and a Western Conference championship, the Winterhawks’ incredible season came to an end Friday as the Kootenay Ice won Game 5 of the WHL Finals 4-1 to win the Ed Chynoweth Trophy. The Ice will now represent the WHL in the Memorial Cup.

Friday’s Game 5 was played in front of a second consecutive sellout crowd of 10,947 at the Rose Garden, who exploded early when the Winterhawks opened the scoring. Just 2:26 into the first period Sven Bartschi was deep in the Kootenay zone and threaded a backhand pass through two Ice players to defenseman Tyler Wotherspoon, who’d snuck in from the point and fired it past Ice netminder Nathan Lieuwen to give Portland the early 1-0 lead.

The Ice evened the game at the 15:47 mark when Steele Boomer scored his fourth of the playoffs to tie the game at 1-1 going into the second period.

Late in the second with the score still tied 1-1, Kootenay’s Matt Fraser scored a power play goal with 44 seconds left in the frame to give the Ice a 2-1 lead going into the third period.

Fraser struck again at the 14:15 mark of the third to give the Ice a 3-1 lead. Late in regulation, the Winterhawks pulled goaltender Mac Carruth for an extra attacker as they fought valiantly to even the game. But with 41 seconds left Kootenay’s Jesse Ismond scored into the empty net and sealed the win to give Kootenay the championship.

Carruth was outstanding for the Hawks, making 36 saves on the 39 shots he faced. Lieuwen was also terrific in net for the Ice, with 26 saves on 27 Portland shots.

(Nathan can be reached at fourniern@students.nescom.edu)

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