A piece of Portland Winterhawks history 1991-1992

[Akuracy503]

Thought I'd post this tidbit about the 1991-1992 Portland Winterhawks.

I also have a team signed stick in the general classified ads for those interested.

Ah I miss the good old days of go Hawks go!


1991-92 Record: 31-37-4
Points: 66
Regular Season Finish: 5th
Playoffs: Lost in First Round (Spokane).

Brian Shaw had to resign from his full time position as General Manger due to a bout with double pneumonia that nearly cost him his life, but he had already set a few things in motion that would bring winning hockey back to Porltand again. It was apparent the combination of Tory replenishing the younger talent pool, hiring Brent Peterson as Director of Hockey Operations and co-coach with Hodge, and a couple of promising trades would remove the Hawks from the rubble of the previous two seasons. In his first move as General Manager, Hodge acquired winger John Badduke from the Victoria Cougars just before the season started. Cale Hulse, Mike Williamson, and Chris Rowland, along with Badduke, gave the Hawks a no-nonsense approach to the game.
And, even though it did not show in the win and loss column until the last two months of the season when the Hawks went (17-7-1), the fans started to warm up to the Hawks again. Konowalchuk was clearly the key guy. In fact, he was so appreciated by his peers that he was voted as the WHL Most Valuable Player, a rarity for someone on a losing team, after scoring 104 points while outworking every opponent. Unlike the year before, though, Konowalchuk had some help.
The Hawks tapped Europe for Jiri Beranek, a likeable persnoality from the Czech Republic who finished second in team scoring with 94 points. Rowland had a career high 34 goals and became a very important team captain in Hawks' history as the club tried to restore the pride in the franchise that had existed in the early years. Porltnad had some promising youth in Colin Foley, Layne Roland, Williamson, Hulse, Dave Cammock, Nolan Pratt, goaltender Joaquin Gage and, espeically, Adam Deadmarsh.
Deadmarsh is probably Portland's most noteworthy graduate in the NHL. During his rookie season, he scored 30 gaols, 60 points, and rocked opponents with a plethora of body checks. He added to the fun already established by Badduke, Hulse, Williamson, and Rowland. No one played Portland without looking over his shoulder. It started to come together after Christmas, especially when the Hawks added even more depth by picking up Gordon Pell through waivers from the Ontario Hockey League and, especially, Nick Vachon, who was unhappy with his on-ice role at Boston University.
By the end of the regular season, the Hawks were one of the league's better teams just in time for a first round playoff date with the Spokane Chiefs. Porltand and Spokane were the two most penalized teams in the WHL and the series was very physical.
"Spokane feels that its muscle is very , very important," said Ken Hodge. "Well, we have a little muscle too and I think we respond pretty well." The Tacoma Rockets joined the Western Division, so six teams made the playoffs, ending the best-of-nines. The Hawks led the best-of-seven series, 1-0, and seemed to make the Chiefs pay for their over-physical tactics by scoring five goals in the second period of Game 2 to lead, 5-4, after 40 minutes in the old Spokane Coliseum. But, the penalties matched up in the third period and Spokane scored four times for an emotional 8-6 win. The Hawks forced the series to overtime of Game 6 in the Coliseum when Valerie Bure, now a top scorer for the NHL Calgary Flames, unloaded a howitzer from outside the right circle at 7:12 that beat Gage clean to end the Hawks' season. Still, the groundwork had been laid for a promising 1992-93

[Reel_Big_Fish]

Those were some good hockey days back then. I haven't been to a game this year. Actually I haven't been to games that regularly the last few years.