Russell Bombs Chiefs Portland’s Hot Scorer Overpowers Spokane
The Portland Winter Hawks took a stronger grip on second place in the Western Hockey League West Wednesday night, squeezing the Spokane Chiefs with the scoring muscle of Bobby Russell.
Bobby Russell?
A year ago, Russell had all of six goals in 60 games. With two goals and a pair of assists in the Winter Hawks’ 4-1 win in the Arena, the 18-year-old right winger already has nine strikes in as many games this season.
That’s three more goals and three times the confidence.
A week ago, after a one-goal win here, the Winter Hawks talked about the Chiefs’ proclivity for taking costly penalties. Wednesday night, they did something about it, making Spokane pay for its infractions.
By the time this one was barely 11 minutes old, the Chiefs’ Kris Graf and Chris Lane had spent time in the penalty box, both for roughing, and Russell had turned them into goals on the power play.
The first came 4 minutes into the game off a Chiefs turnover in the Spokane defensive zone, a mistake that marred what was, in some ways, a brilliant 20 minutes.
“The first period was our best of the year,” Spokane coach Mike Babcock said, “yet we give up two power-play goals on turnovers. We got off to a real good start, but we don’t compete all the time. And if you don’t compete all the time, you’re cheating yourself.
“They did the little things that get you over the top. When they put a stick on us, we didn’t fight through. When we’re in the scoring area we lean backwards instead of leaning ahead. Little things. So it doesn’t matter if you’re on them and the shot clock says you’ve out-shot them. So what?”
Credit the special-teams edge to Russell, Todd Robinson, Brenden Morrow, Andrew Ference and Kevin Haupt - the Winter Hawks game-wreckers on the power play.
Their second goal, the game-winner, was Russell at his best. Diving to get a stick on the puck, Russell chipped it over Spokane goaltender Marc Magliarditi, although that wasn’t exactly where he thought the shot might end up.
“I shot it, got the rebound - kind of lunged at it - and it just went up and over the goalie,” Russell said. “I was just trying to get it on net, maybe turn it loose to Morrow or Robbie.”
It was a fortunate bounce of the puck, and a strength of purpose that Babcock isn’t seeing when the Chiefs have the puck deep.
Portland coach Brent Peterson - pointing to Spokane’s 41-24 shot advantage - said the Chiefs were the dominant team.
Babcock saw a lot to like, and more reasons to shake his head.
“As I’ve said, I like our players. I don’t like our team right now,” said Babcock, whose defending division champions fell to 5-3. Portland, 7-2, won its sixth straight game to keep the pressure on division-leading Prince George.
As for the penalties that gave Portland the extra attacker, and essentially the game, Russell said, “I’d have to say they took a couple of dumb penalties and we kept our composure - stayed focused.”
The Chiefs climbed back into it briefly early in the second period when Joe Cardarelli rebounded an Adam Magarrell blast from the left point over the left leg of sliding goaltender Chris Wickenheiser. That came at 1:43 into the second period with the Chiefs on the power play.
Winter Hawks 4, Chiefs 1
Portland 2 1 1 - 4
Spokane 0 1 0 - 1
First period - 1, Portland, Russell 8 (Morrow, Ference) 4:04 (power play); 2, Portland, Russell 9 (Robinson, Ference) 11:18 (pp). Key penalties - Graf, Spo., 3:02; Cote, Por., 6:54; Lane, Spo., 10:45; Ference, Spo., 13:04. Second period - 3, Spokane, Cardarelli 2 (Magarrell, Whitfield 1:43 (pp); 4, Portland, Robinson 4 (Russell, Haupt) 6:17 (pp). Key penalties - Haupt, Por., :21; Milne, Spo., 5:23; Podkonicky, Por, 9:39; Strobl, Por., 14:43; Robinson, Por., 19:37.
Third period - 5, Portland, Morrow 6 (Robinson, Russell) 7:25 (pp). Key penalties - Cirjak, Spo., 5:58; Graf, Spo., 13:20; Podkonicky, Por., 17:23.
Power plays - Portland 4 of 6; Spokane 1 of 6.Saves - Portland, Wickenheiser 14-15-11-40. Spokane, Magliarditi 6-8-6-20.A - 4,929. , DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo