Photo by Brandi Crowe
Brandon, MB (CKLQ) – Jiri Patera kicked aside 47 shots and Ben McCartney scored twice but it wasn’t enough as the Portland Winterhawks earned a 4-3 win at Westoba Place on Tuesday night.
Ben McCartney sure knows how to start a hockey game. For the second straight night, the Portage, MB native opened the scoring less than 2:00 into the first period. Just 1:14 into Tuesday’s game McCartney found himself on a breakaway and made no mistake, burying his 10th of the season.
Moments later, the second year forward ended up on the receiving end of a spectacular passing play and notched his 2nd of the night. Ridly Greig found Connor Gutenberg on the back door who slipped a pass to a wide-open McCartney who made no mistake.
The early deficit could be chalked up to "bus legs" for the Winterhawks who quickly turned the tables and fired 22 shots on Jiri Patera. Michal Kvasnica and Seth Jarvis would respond for the Hawks to round out the period tied at two.
Momentum swung both directions in the second period with both teams generating quality scoring chances. Portland would get their first lead of the game on a bad bounce in front. Jayden Dureau found a loose puck that pinballed around in front of the Brandon goal and put the Winterhawks in front 3-2 heading to the dressing rooms.
The Winterhawks would get some insurance in the third on a shorthanded marker from league leader Joachim Blichfield. His league-leading 37th of the put the Hawks up 4-2 with less than 9:00 to go in the game.
Brandon wasn’t about to roll over and take the loss, however. Braden Schneider fired a knuckle puck past Shane Farkas with 5:07 in the game to set up a wild finish to the game. With the goalie on the bench, Brandon fired everything but the kitchen sink at the Portland goal in the final minutes of the game but couldn’t draw even.
Shane Farkas stopped 11/12 in the third period to pick up win number 23 on the year while Patera’s 47 saves earned him third-star honors.
Brandon drops to 16-16-3-3 on the year and will look to rebound on Friday when they open a three-in-three weekend at home ice vs the Red Deer Rebels. (7:30 on QCountry Radio).
SCORING SUMMARY
1st PERIOD
BWK – Ben McCartney (10) (Greig) 1:14
BWK – Ben McCartney (11) (Greig, Gutenberg) 3:45
POR – Michal Kvasnica (7) (Gilliss) 5:37
POR – Seth Jarvis (10) (Dereau, Newkirk) 15:38
Shots: 22-9 Portland
2nd PERIOD
POR – Jayden Dureau (9) (Gricious, Cicek) 14:39
Shots: 17-14 Portland
3rd PERIOD
POR – Joachim Blichfield (37) (Gricious) 10:03 SHG
BWK – Braden Schneider (5) (Daley) 14:53
Final Shots: 51-35 Portland