Sports Story
author: Reno
 e-mail: reno@reed.edu
|
Winterhawks claim Series Lead, 3-2. Here's a sports story, as requested.
|
PORTLAND (OR) - The Portland Winterhawks took a quick and shocking command of their first round play-off series with the Spokane Chiefs, winning the first two games of the best of seven affair at home. The Winterhawks were obviously boosted in their play by the returns of Chad Wolkowski, Braydon Coburn, and Brandon Dubinsky, all of whom returned from injury. While Wolkowski looked sluggish and lost at times, Coburn provided his much needed solid presence on the blue-line, and Dubinsky brought an enthusiasm and flair for play-making creativity he had not previously exhibited.
In game one, the Winterhawks jumped all over the Chiefs, this being the first time I've seen them out-shoot an opponent in quite some time. Alex Aldred scored two goals to lead a well-balanced offensive, and the team looked very, very different from the one that'd been out there the past few weeks. Craig Valette and Cody McLeod also scored for Portland, which triumphed 4-2. There was a big fight and Krister Toews didn't have his best game in net, but all in all this was a fun, well-played Portland victory.
In game two, the Chiefs continued to suffer from their losses to injury. My notes got all messed up by the cops, so I don't remember their names, but three pretty important Spokane forwards are going to miss the series because they're hurt. The Chiefs have an obviously skilled group of players, but they definitely looked like they were missing some key element or two, like a first or second line center. I wish I could tell you more about this, because it seems to have had a pretty big impact on the series, but my memory for this stuff is shot. Take it up with the PPB.
Anyway, game two was closer than game one, though the Winterhawks still won, 3-1. Wolkowski was able to shake whatever lethargy had plagued him in the first game, and had an assist and a beautiful breakaway goal for the game-winner. The first Portland goal was scored by Craig Valette on an absolutely amazing pass by Richie Regehr, threaded through two Spokane defenders and quickly one-timed into the top left corner. Portland looked a little sloppy and lost in the first period, but battled back in the second and third to claim victory. Toews had quite a fine and sportsmanlike game, as opposed to his Spokane counterpart, whose last name is Brust. Mister Brust punched Danny DaSilva behind his net and started a big brawl, from which he quickly skated away. Goalies are punks.
The teams then went up to Spokane to play three games. Fuck if I was going to go up and watch them, but the Winterhawks' website says that Spokane won two games and Portland won one. This means that there'll be at least one more hockey article, which I'm sure makes all of you as thrilled as I am. I will have seen in the neighborhood of thirty hockey games this year when it's all said and done, most of them played rather poorly. I guess it's nice that the last two, at least, were played rather well. And if the Winterhawks somehow manage to win another in the next two games, that means they'll move on the next round, likely for a rematch of last year's first round failure against Seattle. Which means it'll be fun, fun, fun until the 'Hawks put the T-Birds away (I'm sorry, I had to get a cheesy line in somewhere). Oh wait, the game is Monday, which means I have Anthro. This adds a compelling bit of personal drama that even I don't care much about. Will I go to class, or skip to watch hockey? Check-in next week for the thrilling conclusion.
|
add a comment on this article
add a comment on this article
|
