Pre Game 3 Stories/Notes
OregonLive.com
Hawks search for answers
Portland hopes its defense gets better against Vancouver with rest and some adjustments
Tuesday, April 11, 2006
MOLLY BLUE
Until he helped out, Sasha Golin said, he had no idea what the Portland Winter Hawks defensemen were going through.
Injuries and defections cut the Hawks' defense in half by the first two games of the Western Hockey League Western Conference semifinals against Vancouver.
So Golin, a right wing, moved back to help out in Saturday's 7-1 loss at Vancouver's Pacific Coliseum.
"I was glad to kind of help on defense. I didn't realize how short-shifted they were," Golin said. "I played every second shift, pretty much."
Portland was propelled to an emotional 1-0 win at Vancouver in Game 1 -- and the first against the Giants all season -- that Golin said was boosted by the momentum generated in the Hawks' Game 7 come-from-behind 4-3 overtime victory at Seattle last Wednesday.
"It's been an emotional roller coaster," Golin said. "We used that energy from Game 7 to our advantage. I think that helped us."
With the best-of-seven series tied 1-1, Portland now plays host to Vancouver on Wednesday and Thursday at the Rose Garden. Both games start at 7 p.m.
"We stole a game," in Vancouver, Portland coach Mike Williamson said. "We did what we had to do to get one. The important thing is that we're 1-1."
For the Hawks to win again, they'll need more rest and more defensemen.
Portland has had some rest, with a three-day break between games after playing four in five days, but how did the Hawks get so short-handed?
Garth Collins left the team during the first round of the playoffs against Seattle. Lenny Thunderchild was injured in Game 7 at Seattle and has been sidelined.
Michael Funk has an undisclosed injury and hasn't played since the second game of the Seattle series. And Jordie Fike is in uniform and on the bench but hasn't played against Vancouver.
In Vancouver, the Winter Hawks brought in defenseman Tu Ariss, a 16-year-old list player, to bolster their back line. But Ariss didn't travel back to Portland because of school conflicts and won't be available this week.
That leaves Cameron Cepek, who returned to the lineup just before the playoffs after missing 51 games with a wrist injury, Scott Gabriel, Max Gordichuk and Michael Sauer, who also is on the ice for penalty kills and power plays.
"Sauer probably played a little more, because of the special teams, but they all had a ton of shifts," Williamson said.
Vancouver coach Don Hay said he expects the games in Portland to be more physical and more aggressive.
"The rest is obviously good for them," Hay said. "Four games in five nights is a task for any team. I expect Portland to come at us with a lot more energy and with more of an offensive push."
_____________________
Tipped Off