The Portland Winterhawks have won 25 of their last 27 games after Tuesday night's 4-3 win over the host Spokane Chiefs at the Arena. Portland had a much different look from its 9-1 win over Spokane five weeks ago. Read story

Green said he'll always remember Spokane as the place where he grew up.

"In a way, Spokane will always be a really fond place for me," Green said. "I feel like I matured a lot here over the years."

Green also thanked suspended coach Johnson for everything he'd done for him.

"Mike Johnston, for me, is one of the best coaches I've been around at any level in hockey," he said.

The Winterhawks knew that they would have to respond when some of their best players were selected for tournaments during the season.

"This wasn't a typical Winterhawk game, where it was high-flying, high-scoring, but we really buckled down," Green said.

"We knew we were going to lose guys and we've been telling them they'd have to step up to the occasion. I gotta tip my hats to them, because a lot of our guys really played well. ... I think this is one of those road games where we preached sticking to our system and sticking to the way we play, and we found a way to win."

Klemm's Chiefs enter the holiday break on a bit of a downer.

"It's unfortunate," he said. "You never want to have to go home (for the break) losing three of your last four games. But at the same time, I think it's good to get away ... get some rest and come back refocused."

Klemm wasn't ready to call the game a moral victory, by any means, but he saw positives.

"I thought we did some good things," he said. "When we manage the puck properly and put it into areas where we can go to work, good things happen.

"But (the Winterhawks) are a group that is highly skilled and can make you pay the price."

 

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