Winterhawks complete weekend sweep

Published 12:00 am Sunday, January 23, 2022

Ryan McCleary scored 2:44 into overtime Sunday, Jan. 23, as the Portland Winterhawks completed a sweep of three weekend games, beating the Spokane Chiefs 5-4 at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

With their 15th win in their last 17 games, the Winterhawks improved to 22-11-3-2 (49 points), third in the Western Conference of the Western Hockey League.

Spokane is 10-21-3-1 (24 points).

Cross Hanas had a goal and three assists, including the cross-crease pass to McCleary for the game winner.

Tyson Kozak scored his fifth goal of the weekend and 20th of the season, tying the game 3-3 midway through the third period with Portland’s second power-play goal of the game.

Hanas scored to give the Winterhawks a 4-3 lead with 9:13 left in the game.

Spokane’s Graham Sward scored on a re-direct play with 12 seconds left in the third period to force overtime.

Gabe Klassen and Jack O’Brien scored first-period goals for Portland.

Taylor Gauthier stopped 26 of 30 shots to improve to 5-0 since joining the Winterhawks.

Portland next has its third three-game weekend in as many weeks, with Gauthier’s former team, Prince George, visiting Friday, the Winterhawks at Seattle on Saturday, then home Sunday against Tri-City.