Pre-Playoff Articles
Post-Intelligencer
T-Birds know playoff foe well
By MATTHEW GASCHK
SPECIAL TO THE P-I
In the playoffs, every feat and mistake is magnified. A clutch play, a good game or a breakthrough series can instill a player in team lore for years to come.
The same can be said for rivalries. When the Thunderbirds begin their Western Hockey League first-round playoff series with the Portland Winter Hawks tonight at KeyArena, it will allow both teams the opportunity to have a memorable series in one of the region's longest-standing rivalries.
The last time they met in the playoffs was 2002. Portland was heavily favored, leading the T-Birds by 30 points in the standings and having dominated the season series.
But Seattle ousted Portland in seven games in the series known by fans as "The Upset."
This year, there is no great discrepancy in the standings, but Seattle owns an 8-2-1-1 edge in the season series.
"Both teams start at zero and it's even going in. I don't think records have much impact on the series," Seattle coach Rob Sumner said. "It puts an edge on the series when there's a rivalry between the two teams. But in preparing, there's no difference. It just makes it a little more exciting."
As little bearing as the season series has on the playoff series, so does the T-Birds' regular-season record. Though they finished the season second in the U.S. Division at 35-31-1-5, their record fails to show just how strong they were in the second half.
Portland is led by its top line of Jannik Hansen and Jonathan Bubnick flanking center Brandon Dubinsky.
Sumner said that if the T-Birds focus on their own style, the Winter Hawks will be forced to match their intensity.
THUNDERBIRDS VS. WINTER HAWKS
WHAT: Game 1 of WHL first-round playoff series
WHEN / WHERE: Tonight, 7:05, KeyArena
RADIO: KKNW/AM-1150
RECORDS: Seattle was second in the U.S. Division at 35-31-1-5 (76 points); Portland was third at 32-32-3-5 (72 points).
NOTES: T-Birds won season series 8-2-1-1, and were 5-0-0-1 at KeyArena. Seattle outscored Portland 50-34 in the series. ... Portland was the highest scoring team in the U.S. Division with 204 goals; Seattle was last with 186. Portland allowed the most goals with 258; Seattle was second with 211. ... Aaron Gagnon led T-Birds in the season series with 10 points (8 goals, 2 assists) and Jonathan Bubnick led Portland with 10 points (3 G, 7 A).
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