Spokane Chiefs Win Game 1 of Western Conference Championship

Sports stats



WHL Portland Winterhawks

Spokane Chiefs Win Game 1 of Western Conference Championship

April 26, 2025 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Portland Winterhawks News Release


The Spokane Chiefs took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven Western Conference Championship series with a 10-4 Game 1 victory on Friday. Diego Buttazzoni, Alex Weiermair, and Tyson Jugnauth had multi-point games for the Winterhawks in the loss.

Round 3, Game 1: Portland (4) vs Spokane (10)

SOG: POR (29) - SPO (40)

PP: POR (1/6) - SPO (1/2)

Saves: Štěbeták (3/7), Schlenker (27/33) - Cowan (25/29)

COMPLETE BOX SCORE

SCORING:

SPO - Berkly Catton (8) from Andrew Cristall and Shea Van Olm

SPO - Sam Oremba (3) from Berkly Catton

POR - Tyson Jugnauth (4) from Joel Plante and Alex Weiermair*

SPO - Chase Harrington (4) from Mathis Preston and Brayden Crampton

POR - Diego Buttazzoni (10 from Ryder Thompson*

SPO - Shea Van Olm (10) from Berkly Catton

SPO - Assanali Sarkenov (3) from Saige Weinstein and Rasmus Ekstrom

POR - Josh Zakreski (7) from Diego Buttazzoni and Kyle Chyzowski

SPO - Mathis Preston (7) from Shea Van Olm and Nathan Mayes

SPO - Andrew Cristall (14) from Berkly Catton and Shea Van Olm

SPO - Assanali Sarkenov (4) (shorthanded)

POR - Diego Buttazzoni (11) from Tyson Jugnauth and Alex Weiermair (power play)

SPO - Brody Gillespie (1) from Will McIsaac

SPO - Owen Martin (3) from Sam Oremba and Chase Harrington (power play)

* The WHL will apply an official scoring correction

GAME SUMMARY:

Game One of the Western Conference Championship began with a flurry of goals. Before the ten-minute mark, a combined six goals were scored.

Seattle Kraken signed prospect Berkly Catton opened the scoring 34 seconds into the contest with a wrist shot high over Portland's starting goalie Ondřej Štěbeták. 2:10 later, overage forward Sam Oremba took a pass from Caton below the goal line for his third goal of the 2025 WHL Playoffs.

The Winterhawks responded courtesy of 20-year-old defenseman Tyson Jugnauth's slick move in the slot. Joel Plante picked up the primary assist as the Kelowna, British Columbia, defenseman deked around a Chiefs defender before beating Dawson Cowan.

Spokane restored its two-goal lead 22 seconds later on a Chase Harrington goal through traffic in front of Štěbeták.

Diego Buttazzoni then answered with his tenth goal. The 2006-born forward showcased how dangerous Portland can be in transition as his shot deceived Cowan.

Shea Van Olm matched Buttazzoni's goal total as Catton picked up his third point of the period with the primary assist. A native of Calgary, Alberta, Van Olm finished one tally short of 50 goals in the regular season, and only needed 12 games to reach double-digits in the postseason.

Marek Schlenker entered the game for his second relief appearance of the postseason.

Assanali Sarkenov padded the Chiefs' lead to three, converting a rebound chance off the stick of Saige Weinstein.

With 1:22 remaining in the opening frame, Josh Zakreski accepted a pass from Buttazzoni, who cut to the slot just inside the offensive blue line. The 19-year-old winger went blocker side on Cowan after he beat his defender to the front of the net.

When play resumed in the second period, goals 36 seconds apart from 2008-born rookie forward Mathis Preston and Cristall pushed the Spokane lead to four. Schlenker got his glove on Preston's shot, but not enough, as the puck caromed over the goal line. Then, the top line of Spokane combined for the seventh of the evening.

Winterhawks had a four-minute power play with 11:04 on the clock in the middle stanza, but Sarkenov added his second on a shorthanded breakaway.

With Van Olm in the box for two separate penalties, and then a high-sticking infraction on Rasmus Ekstrom, Buttazzoni's one timer off a Jugnauth feed gave the Winterhawks a power-play goal in six straight games.

In the third period, Brody Gillespie and Owen Martin scored for the Chiefs.

UP NEXT

The best-of-seven series resumes at the Veterans Memorial Arena in Spokane on Sunday after an off day on Saturday. Portland will look to earn a road split before the series shifts back to the Rose City on Wednesday.

Check out the Portland Winterhawks Statistics

• Discuss this story on the Western Hockey League message board...

Western Hockey League Stories from April 26, 2025


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

Other Recent Portland Winterhawks Stories



Sports Statistics from the Stats Crew
OurSports Central