Winterhawks Extend Winning Streak to 12

The Portland Winterhawks (38-12-2-3) extended their winning streak to 12 games with a 5-3 victory over the Everett Silvertips (26-21-7-1) Saturday at Veterans Memorial Coliseum.

The 12 straight wins sets a new season-high, and is three behind the franchise record of 15 set in both the 1979-80 and 1997-98 seasons. The Hawks also had a 14-game streak last season.

Everett’s Ben Betker opened the scoring 8:01 into the game to give the visitors a 1-0 lead, but the Hawks responded at the 11:54 mark when Layne Viveiros scored on a blast from the point to make it 1-1, which remained the score going into the second.

Portland took their first lead 57 seconds into the second period when Taylor Leier scored on a power play to give the Hawks a 2-1 advantage. It remained a one-goal lead until the 16:13 mark when Everett’s Brayden Low scored to even the game at 2-2.

Everett went ahead 3-2 at the 2:07 mark of the third on a shorthanded goal from Kohl Bauml, but from there the Hawks responded with a flurry of goals. Portland registered three goals in a span of just 2:30, as Leier with his second of the game, Alex Schoenborn and Nic Petan vaulted the Hawks to a 5-3 lead, which stood as the final.

The Hawks are back in action with a 2 p.m. matinee in Prince George when they take on the Cougars.