Portland Winterhawks lose to Seattle Thunderbirds 5-4

The Portland Winterhawks ended their regular season with a loss against the Seattle Thunderbirds, falling 5-4. Both teams decided to rest their key players before starting the playoffs next week. Portland finished the season with a record of 36 wins and secured 5th place in the Western Conference. They will face the Prince George Cougars in the playoffs, marking their third matchup in four years. In the first period of Saturday's game, Portland struggled early and allowed Seattle to score two quick goals. After finally getting into the game, Portland managed to take 12 shots and scored once. The second period was more exciting, with both teams trading goals. After Seattle scored again right at the start, Portland quickly tied it with two goals. However, Seattle's Matej Pekar scored to regain the lead, and Seattle added another goal before the period ended. The third period featured tight defense from both sides, with no goals scored until Portland pulled their goalie for an extra attacker late in the game. They scored another goal but ran out of time to tie the game. The win for Seattle was highlighted by excellent individual performances from Braeden Cootes and Matej Pekar, along with standout play from goalie Scott Ratzlaff, who blocked 40 shots. Despite the loss, the Winterhawks are healthy heading into the playoffs. Seattle will also be preparing as they wrap up their final game against Tri-City before facing the Everett Silvertips. The playoffs for these teams start next Friday.