Portland No Whl Pushover Improving Winter Hawks Face Chiefs In Key Rematch
The last time the Portland Winter Hawks were in the Arena they had yet to establish themselves as contenders in the Western Hockey League West.
A lot’s happened in 10 days. The Hawks are back tonight as one of the hottest clubs in the Western Hockey League, a winner of five straight.
And odds are, they’ll be even better the next time we see them, just before Thanksgiving. By then, probably long before then, the Winter Hawks should have right wing Brad Isbister back from the NHL Phoenix Coyotes’ organization.
Isbister, an 89-point scorer a year ago, had a strong training camp with the Coyotes, who sent him to their American Hockey League affiliate in Springfield, Mass. They can’t keep a 19-year-old there much longer.
“I’d be very surprised if he’s not back with them by the end of the month,” Chiefs general manager Tim Speltz said Tuesday.
With Isbister back, the Winter Hawks would begin to match the scoring depth the Spokane Chiefs have up front. He’d tighten an already interesting rivalry.
The Hawks are the talk of the league this week, less for their Oct. 6 win here than for coach Brent Peterson’s comments regarding the Chiefs’ alleged lapses of discipline and second-period stupidity in a 4-3 loss to Portland.
Peterson has since taken a vow of silence. With the Portland coach unavailable, Chiefs coach Mike Babcock stoked the fires a little bit Monday, pointing out that every coach plays mind games and Peterson is one of the best at psychological warfare.
“Coaches never tell the truth about other teams,” Babcock said. “All I see in the paper from Pete is how good we are. Brent has the market cornered in the snow-blowin’ department.”
Not an easy Marc this time?
Marc Magliarditi, rotating starts with Aren Miller, gets the call in goal tonight for Spokane, his first since the one-goal loss to the Winter Hawks.
“We’ll try to give him some help this time,” Babcock said. “To beat Portland last time he would’ve had to initiate the breakout, forecheck and tend goal. Let’s hope we play a little better in front him.
“You always evaluate yourself against the best,” Babcock said. “So far, scouts tell me they’re more impressed with Prince George than anybody. All we know is Portland is the team that has exposed the greatest weaknesses in the Spokane Chiefs.”
Regina wants ‘98 Cup, too
A Western Hockey League city will host the ‘98 Memorial Cup, the championship event in North American junior hockey.
Indications are that Spokane and Regina are the two front-runners, with Red Deer, Alberta having an outside shot.
The four-team championship event matches champions of the Quebec, Ontario and Western leagues, plus a host team.
The host city sees eight or nine intense games in May. Having a team in a championship event is a windfall for the club, the fans, the city and the arena.
“I consider us a leading candidate,” Chiefs GM Tim Speltz said, “but I know what Spokane would do with it. Our job is to make sure everyone in the league knows.”
Presentations are due at a Dec. 2 owners meeting in Calgary.
Regina backers are seeking 40,000 signatures on a local petition to support their bid.
Spokane will counter with some impressive numbers - its potential for corporate support, an impressive fan base and the strong competitive state of the Chiefs.
Late Rozzini remembered
Word from hockey fan Dan McDougal is that former Spokane Flyers center Gino Rozzini died last April. He was 79.
Rozzini, who had stints with the NHL Boston Bruins and New York Rangers in the mid-1940s, played here from 1950-56. The 5-7 Rozzini - nicknamed The Razor - played on teams that won the Memorial Cup, Calder Cup and Allen Cup but is remembered here for playing through pain.
Former S-R columnist Harry Missildine once wrote that Rozzini was sent to a Spokane orthopedist, who supposedly told him he’d seen arthritic grandmothers with two better knees.
Around the league
Youngest player in the WHL is Regina Pats center Bret Lysak, who doesn’t turn 16 until Dec. 30. Lysek is playing regular shifts and killing penalties … Turns out Lethbridge Hurricanes coach Parry Shockey was right a couple of weeks ago when he told us Terry Ryan is not headed back to juniors. Ryan, the former Tri-City Americans star winger, signed with Montreal for $408,000 plus a base salary of $435,000 (U.S.). He is expected to play in about 40 games with the Canadiens.
, DataTimes