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The 3rd seed Royals come into the round having swept the Chiefs, while the 2nd seed Winterhawks also won their series against the Giants in 4 straight, earning 9 days off between rounds.
It’s the first time the franchises have met in a playoff series.
Victoria finished 10th, in the final CHL Top 10 rankings after reaching 7th, while Portland finished 3rd.
2013-14 regular-season record:
Portland: (54-13-2-3) 113 pts
Victoria: (48-20-1-3) 100 pts
SERIES SCHEDULE:
(4 in 5 nights to start)
Friday, April 4th - Victoria @ Portland 7:00 p.m. Veterans Memorial Coliseum
Saturday, April 5th – Victoria @ Portland 7:00 p.m. Moda Center
Monday, April 7th – Portland @ Victoria 7:05 p.m.
Tuesday, April 8th – Portland @ Victoria 7:05 p.m.
Thursday, April 10th – Victoria @ Portland 7:00 p.m. (if necessary) Moda Center
Saturday, April 12th – Portland @ Victoria 7:05 p.m. (if necessary)
Monday, April 14th – Victoria @ Portland 7:00 p.m. (if necessary) VMC
SEASON SERIES:
Victoria won the season series with a 3-1 record, winning once in regulation, once in overtime and once in a shoot out. They earned regulation and overtime victories in Portland both by 3-2 scores. On the Island they won 3-2 in a shoot out while falling 2-1 in regulation.
Brandon Magee scored the overtime goal in Portland, while Jack Walker notched the shoot out winner.
All four games were decided by a goal, and the Royals held the Winterhawks to just 2 goals each game.
Netminder Coleman Vollrath played all 4 games in the season series posting a 3-1 record, with a 1.96 GAA and 0.949 SAV %.
Goaltender Brendan Burke appeared in two games versus the Royals this season, posting a 1-0-1 record, a 1.99 goals-against average and a .933 save percentage.
Defenseman Travis Brown’s first two games with Victoria were against Portland on Jan 10th and 11th. Matthew Dumba had not yet suited up for his team.
Victoria forward Logan Nelson only played in two games in the season series, and Portland has yet to face Joe Hicketts due to injury.
The Royals outscored the Winterhawks, 10-8, while being outshot 157-120 (-37).
Victoria’s power play operated at 25% (4/16) scoring once in each game, while Portland was 17.6% (3/17) efficient with the man advantage.
Head to Head Top Scorers:
Portland:
Brendan Leipsic 3gp (2g-3a) 5pts
Derrick Pouliot 3gp (0g-5a) 5pts
Victoria:
Austin Carroll 4gp (2g-2a) 4pts
Brandon Magee 4gp (2g-2a) 4pts
OVERALL REGULAR SEASON:
Portland scored 100 more goals during the regular season than Victoria (338-238), however the Royals allowed 26 fewer (181-207)
Portland Victoria
Home Record 29-6-1-0 22-11-1-2
Away Record 25-7-1-3 26-9-0-1
GF 338 238
GA 207 181
PP (Overall) (92/334) 27.5 (61/297) 20.5
PK (Overall) (60/332) 81.9 (53/284) 81.3
FIRST ROUND SERIES, VICTORIA:
The Victoria Royals swept the Spokane Chiefs to win the franchise’s first playoff series last Thursday night.
Victoria won the first two games in overtime by 2-1 and 4-3 scores, then in Spokane by 6-1 and 4-2 margins.
Netminder Patrik Polivka won all 4 games, with a 1.68 gaa, and 0.938 sav %. Both Portland and Victoria allowed the fewest goals against on average per game in the opening round at 1.75.
The Royals were lead in scoring by Brandon Magee’s 7 points (1g 6a). Logan Nelson and Austin Carroll each contributed 3 goals and 2 assists for 5 points a piece.
7 players recorded at least four points.
Victoria power play was 3/18 (16.7%), while their penalty killing was tops in the first round stopping 14 of 15 chances (93.3%)
FIRST ROUND SERIES, PORTLAND:
The Winterhawks completed a sweep of their first round series against the Giants with a 6-1 Wednesday in Vancouver. They previously earned victories of 6-3, 3-0 and 4-3, outscoring their opposition 19-7.
By sweeping the Giants, the Hawks have now won 11 straight games including the regular season, and 32 of their last 33 games overall.
Brendan Leipsic led the Portland in scoring with 9pts (5g 4a), Oliver Bjorkstrand was second with 8pts (4g 4a). Taylor Leir and Derrick Pouliot had 6 points each, while Nic Petan and Mathew Dumba had 4 a piece.
Netminder Brendan Burke went the distance in the series with a 1.75 gaa and 0.924 sav %, including 1 shut out.
One Hawk also made history in the win, as defenseman Derrick Pouliot registered his 47th career playoff point, tying Glen Wesley for the franchise record for postseason scoring among blueliners.
Portland’s power play was 5th best at 6/27 (22.2%), while their penalty killing was 2nd to Victoria’s, stopping 13 of 14 chances (92.9%)
PORTLAND REGULAR SEASON:
Last season Portland won the WHL title in 6 games over Edmonton, but fell in the Memorial Cup to the Halifax Mooseheads in the Championship game.
This year, the Winterhawks won the U.S. Division for a second straight year, and third in the last 4 seasons. They also reached the 50 win plateau for a 2nd straight season.
Portland finished the regular season 2nd in the West, with 113 points, 2nd most in the WHL, just 5 back of Kelowna. It was the 4th straight season the Winterhawks hit the 100 point mark.
Portland rode a 7 game win streak into the post season, going 9-1 in the last 10. They won 28 of their last 29 which included a 21 game win streak, surpassing their previous franchise record of 15 in a row.
At home the Winterhawks only lost 6 games in regulation, with a 23 over .500 record (29-6-1-0), while on the road were 22 over .500 record (25-7-1-3).
Portland scored the most goals in the league since 1998, with 338 averaging 4.69 per game - 28 more than the nearest competitor Kelowna. The Winterhawks also took the most shots for per game on average with 39.
The line up boasts 7 players with 20 or more goals and 6 players with 70 or more points.
4 players made the Top 20 in scoring. Nic Petan scored the 2nd most points with 113, and the leagues most assists with 78. Oliver Bjorkstrand was 3rd in scoring with 109 points including 50 goals. Brendan Leipsic was 12th with 91 points, while Chase Deleo was 19th with 81 points
They surrendered the 7th fewest goals per game, as netminder Brendan Burke had the 11th best gaa (2.75), and 3rd most wins with 34.
The Winterhawks owned the number 1 power play (27.5%) and 4th best penalty kill (81.9%). Portland was the 5th most penalized team.
9 Winterhawks are drafted or signed by NHL clubs. Brendan Burke (6th rd PHX ’13), Anton Cederholm (5th rd VAN ‘ 13), Garrett Haar (7th WASH ’11), Nic Petan (2nd rd WPG ’13 – signed), Taylor Leir (4th rd PHI ’12), Mathew Dumba (1st rd MINN ’12 – signed), Oliver Bjorkstrand (3rd CBJ ’13 – signed), Brendan Leipsic (3rd NSH ’12), Derrick Pouliot (1st rd PITT ’12).
Defenseman Mathew Dumba has 24 points in 26 game since making debut with the Winterhawks in mid-January (8g 16a) and a plus +31. Dumba played 13 games for the Minnesota Wild, and had his rights acquired from Red Deer in December for F Presten Kopeck and conditional picks.
Four Winterhawks are listed on the NHL’s Central Scouting Mid-Term rankings of North American Skaters, for the 2014 NHL Draft. Chase De Leo #26, Alex Schoenborn #57, Keegan Iverson #64 , and Dominic Turgeon at #130.
VICTORIA REGULAR SEASON:
The Royals concluded their best regular-season performance in franchise history, having smashed Club records for wins (48) and points (100) in a season. Brandon Magee led the team in points with 67, and Austin Carroll in goals with 34.
Victoria’s offense boasts a balanced attack, with six players who hit the 20-goal mark and nine players who posted at least 30 points.
The Royals were the second best defensive team in the league, with netminder Patrik Polivka earning 28 wins, and the 5th best goals against average (2.56). His tandem Coleman Vollrath lead the league in save percentage (0.928), held the 3rd best GAA (2.29) while earning 20 wins.
Other franchise records include, points in 14 consecutive games, road wins with 26 including 9 victories in a row, home wins with 21, scoring the most goals (238), giving up the fewest (181), having a positive goal differential for the first time (+57), cracking the CHL Top 10, now ranked 10th after reaching 7th last week.
The Royals power play is 13th, penalty kill 7th.
- Marlon Martens
Season Series & Head To Head Stats:
Description
|
Result
|
|
| Head to Head Record 2013-14 Regular Season | Victoria 3-1-0-0 | Portland 1-1-1-1 |
| Head to Head Record 2012-13 Regular Season | Victoria 0-4-0-0 | Portland 4-0-0-0 |
| Last 5 Years record between teams | Victoria 9-10-1-0 | Portland 11-7-1-1 |
| Victoria vs. Portland Last 5 Years record at Victoria | Victoria 6-3-1-0 | Portland 4-5-0-1 |
| Victoria vs. Portland Last 5 Years record at Portland | Victoria 3-7-0-0 | Portland 7-2-1-0 |
| Previous Meetings This Season | Portland 2 @ Victoria 1 (Jan 11 2014) Final Portland 2 @ Victoria 3 (Jan 10 2014) Final SO Victoria 3 @ Portland 2 (Jan 4 2014) Final Victoria 3 @ Portland 2 (Nov 9 2013) Final OT |
How the 2 teams match up
Portland
|
Victoria
|
|
| Team Record | 54-13-2-3 -- 113 points | 48-20-1-3 -- 100 points |
| Division Ranking | 1st U.S. | 2nd B.C. |
| Conference Ranking | 2nd Western | 3rd Western |
| League Ranking | 2nd | 6th |
| Past 10 Games | 9-1-0-0 | 6-4-0-0 |
| Streak | 7-0-0-0 | 0-3-0-0 |
| Last Game | 5-4 W vs Everett (Mar 16 2014) Final SO | 3-2 L @ Everett (Mar 15 2014) Final |
| Home Record | 29-6-1-0 | 22-11-1-2 |
| Away Record | 25-7-1-3 | 26-9-0-1 |
| GF | 338 | 238 |
| GA | 207 | 181 |
| PP (Overall) | (92/334) 27.5 | (61/297) 20.5 |
| PP (Home) | (51/184) 27.7 | (33/153) 21.6 |
| PP (Away) | (41/150) 27.3 | (28/144) 19.4 |
| PK (Overall) | (60/332) 81.9 | (53/284) 81.3 |
| PK (Home) | (31/167) 81.4 | (29/146) 80.1 |
| PK (Away) | (29/165) 82.4 | (24/138) 82.6 |
| Leading Rookie | Haar (7-38-45) | Soy (15-15-30) |
| Most PIM | Schoenborn - 121 | Carroll - 114 |
| Team PIM/GM | 16.6/Game | 13.9/Game |
| Leading Scorers | Petan (35-78-113) | Magee (25-42-67) |
| Bjorkstrand (50-59-109) | Carroll (34-23-57) | |
| Leipsic (39-52-91) | Blomqvist (24-32-56) | |
| De Leo (39-42-81) | Walker (24-30-54) | |
| Leier (37-42-79) | Nelson (23-31-54) | |
| Last 5 Games | 5-4 W vs Everett (Mar 16 2014) Final SO | 3-2 L @ Everett (Mar 15 2014) Final |
| 7-0 W vs Seattle (Mar 15 2014) Final | 5-3 L vs Everett (Mar 14 2014) Final | |
| 5-2 W @ Seattle (Mar 14 2014) Final | 3-2 L @ Vancouver (Mar 12 2014) Final | |
| 3-2 W vs Tri-City (Mar 11 2014) Final OT | 3-2 W @ Kelowna (Mar 11 2014) Final | |
| 4-1 W vs Vancouver (Mar 8 2014) Final | 3-2 W vs Kamloops (Mar 8 2014) Final | |
| Leading After 1st | 32-2-0-0 | 27-2-1-1 |
| Leading After 2nd | 44-1-0-1 | 33-0-1-1 |
| Tied After 1st | 17-4-1-2 | 14-4-0-0 |
| Tied After 2nd | 6-1-0-0 | 9-0-0-1 |
| Trailing After 1st | 5-7-1-1 | 7-14-0-2 |
| Trailing After 2nd | 4-11-2-2 | 6-20-0-1 |
| Out Shooting Opponents | 45-5-1-2 | 20-7-1-2 |
| Out Shot by Opponents | 6-8-1-1 | 24-13-0-1 |
| 1-Goal Games | 11-4-2-3 | 22-8-1-3 |
| 2-Goal Games | 9-1-0-0 | 12-6-0-0 |
| 3-Goal Games | 17-3-0-0 | 6-3-0-0 |
Victoria Royals
| # | Player | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 | Austin Carroll | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 8 | 0 |
| 18 | Brandon Magee | 4 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 2 |
| 21 | Axel Blomqvist (total) | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 |
| LET | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| VIC | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | |
| 11 | Steven Hodges | 4 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 | 1 |
| 4 | Jordan Fransoo | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | -1 |
| 10 | Ben Walker | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | -1 |
| 6 | Travis Brown | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 27 | Brett Cote | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 16 | Jack Palmer (total) | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -2 |
| BDN | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 | |
| VIC | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -1 | |
| 29 | Chaz Reddekopp | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 6 | X Isaac Schacher | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 22 | Taylor Crunk | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 26 | X Matt Dykstra | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 20 | Logan Fisher | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 25 | Brandon Fushimi | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -2 |
| 3 | Ryan Gagnon | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -1 |
| 28 | X Luke Harrison | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 | Keegan Kanzig | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 |
| 7 | Jake Kohlhauser | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 19 | Logan Nelson | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8 | Mitch Skapski | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 17 | Tyler Soy | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 35 | Coleman Vollrath | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 14 | Jack Walker | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 12 | X Landon Welykholowa | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| # | Player | GP | W | L | OTL | SL | MIN | GA | GAA | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 35 | Coleman Vollrath | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 245:31 | 8 | 1.96 | 0.949 |
Portland Winterhawks
| # | Player | GP | G | A | PTS | PIM | +/- |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28 | Brendan Leipsic | 3 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 2 |
| 51 | Derrick Pouliot | 3 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 0 |
| 19 | Nicolas Petan | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 2 |
| 27 | Oliver Bjorkstrand | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 1 |
| 20 | Taylor Leier | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 23 | Dominic Turgeon | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| 42 | Layne Viveiros | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 11 | Adam De Champlain | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 |
| 9 | Chase De Leo | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| 4 | Josh Hanson | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| 13 | Keegan Iverson | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | -1 |
| 41 | X Steven Alldridge | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 7 | Paul Bittner | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 11 | 0 |
| 30 | Corbin Boes (total) | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| LET | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| POR | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1 | Brendan Burke | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 2 | Anton Cederholm | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
| 18 | Garrett Haar | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2 |
| 12 | X Presten Kopeck | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6 | X Shaun MacPherson | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 |
| 3 | Ethan Price | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | -1 |
| 17 | Adam Rossignol | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2 |
| 33 | X Jarrod Schamerhorn | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 22 | Alex Schoenborn | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 |
| 44 | Keoni Texeira | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -1 |
| 39 | X Colton Veloso | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| # | Player | GP | W | L | OTL | SL | MIN | GA | GAA | SV% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brendan Burke | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 120:31 | 4 | 1.99 | 0.933 |
| 30 | Corbin Boes (total) | 3 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 146:41 | 7 | 2.86 | 0.922 |
| POR | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 64:58 | 2 | 1.85 | 0.939 | |
| LET | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 81:43 | 5 | 3.67 | 0.912 | |
| 33 | X Jarrod Schamerhorn | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 59:00 | 3 | 3.05 | 0.885 |
