Former Blades centre scores twice in
Winterhawks win
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| Josh Paterson celebrates his first goal with the Winterhawks. |
The 19-year-old Edmonton, Alta., product scored two
power-play goals in the second period to help power the Winterhawks to a 5-4
victory over the Blades in a highly entertaining WHL regular season game.
At game’s end, Paterson was named the first star of the
contest, and he received another round of applause from the spectators in
attendance.
 |
| Josh Paterson scored twice for Portland. |
Paterson was playing in just his second game with the Winterhawks having been dealt to Portland
before the WHL’s trade deadline on Thursday.
“It was a special
night,” said Paterson, who stands 6-foot-3 and weighs 205 pounds. “It was a
quick turnaround, and they’ve been a great team to me.
“They’ve welcomed me
in like family. I’m just really excited to see where the rest of the season
takes me.”
As Paterson was
interviewed, a couple of Blades office staffers walked past and gave him a pat
on the back. While he was focused on helping the Winterhawks win a game that
was a battle of two of the WHLs top teams, he was touched by the video tribute
that played at the 4:15 mark of the first period.
“It was nice to get
recognized,” said Paterson, who played 246 regular season games with the Blades
over three and a half seasons collecting 74 goals and 64 assists. “I’ve been
here for a long time and had a lot of memories here.
“It was nice to see
that on the jumbotron.”
Paterson was sent to
the Winterhawks along with a second round selection in the 2020 WHL
Bantam Draft and a fourth round pick in the 2021 WHL Bantam Draft to the Blades
in exchange for another Edmonton, Alta., product in 19-year-old left-winger
Ryan Hughes.
Hughes was held off the scoresheet on Saturday night playing on a
line with Blades 17-year-old star centre Kirby Dach.
 |
| Josh Paterson scores his first goal with the Winterhawks. |
Paterson started the contest centring a forword line for
Portland that had speedy 18-year-old Mason Mannek at right wing and Highland
Village, Texas, product Cross Hanas, who turned 17-years-old earlier this
month, at left wing.
As the night moved
on, Paterson was moved to left wing on Portland’s top line playing with star
captain Cody Glass at centre and overage star Joachim Blichfeld at right wing.
 |
| Blades G Nolan Maier stops Winterhawks C Josh Paterson. |
Glass and Blichfeld
picked up helpers on that tally.
“It was a nice
relief,” said Paterson. “It was always great to score against the old team, and
it was even special that it was that quick of a turnaround.”
Paterson’s second
power-play goal was a near copy of his first one, and it tied the contest up at
3-3 at the 8:52 mark of the second. Centre Jake Gricius and Glass picked up
assists on that marker.
 |
| Mason Mannek had the winning goal on Saturday for the Winterhawks. |
In the second
period, Saskatoon went up 3-1 early in the frame only to see the Winterhawks
roar back with three straight goals to take a 4-3 advantage.
The Blades were able
to tie things up at 4-4 heading into the second intermission.
With 2:30 remaining
in the third period, the Winterhawks scored the winning tally. A bad angled
shot from defenceman Matthew Quigley hit the toe of Blades star netminder Nolan
Maier and sat loose in the crease of the Saskatoon net.
Mannek was
positioned in front of the Saskatoon goal and he knocked the puck into the net
to ultimately give the Winterhawks the win. The Herriman, Utah, product had a
pair of goals and an assist in Portland’s victory.
 |
| Max Gerlach scored twice for the Blades. |
The glove hand of
Winterhawks netminder Shane Farkas robbed Haden from recording a potential
equalizer.
Max Gerlach scored twice for the Blades, while Kyle Crnkovic
and Dach had singles.
Seth Jarvis tallied for Portland with 41.8 seconds remaining
in the first period.
Maier made 34 stops in goal for the Blades. Farkas turned away 35 shots in goal for the Winterhawks.
“It was a great game,”
said Paterson. “There were two of the top teams in the league, and it was great
to see that battle.
“It was very
entertaining for the fans.”
 |
| Gary Haden had a chance to tie things late for the Blades. |
They return to action this coming Friday, when they host the
Regina Pats at 7 p.m. local time at the SaskTel Centre.
Portland improved to 26-12-3-2 and won five of six outings
on a road trip playing all six WHL East Division teams. That road jaunt
concluded with Saturday’s win over the Blades.
The Winterhawks now enjoy six days off. They return to action next Saturday when they host the
Everett Silvertips at 5 p.m. local time at the Veterans Memorial Coliseum.
Having spent the
last two nights staying with the Winterhawks in a hotel, Paterson will spent
Saturday night staying with his Blades billet family. On Sunday, he will load
up his car and head out to Portland.
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| The Winterhawks celebrate their victory over the Blades on Saturday. |
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