Portland Jr Winterhawks U16 vs Everett Jr Silvertips U16AAA

Image Credit Anders Nystroem, @AndersNystroem on Twitter

The Portland Jr. Winterhawks U16 team hosts the Everett Jr. Silvertips U16AAA team this Sunday at Sherwood Ice Arena. I thought it might be fun to dust off the old blog and give people a primer on the two teams they will see this weekend.

The Everett Jr Silvertips have tapped former NHL player, and Seattle Thunderbirds coach Turner Stevenson to coach their U16 team this year. The Jr. Silvertips have 12 players that attended WHL camps this summer.

• Spokane Chiefs: Cade Pattison (16), Dawson Tritt (11), Dawson Butt (9)
• Seattle Thunderbirds: Gabriel Kwiatkowski (18), Nico deVita (6), Cole Dubicki (14)
• Vancouver Giants: Alonzo Colburn (10)
• Calgary Hitmen: Hunter Campbell (27)
• Everett Silvertips: Jake McNeil (19), John Studioso (2), Jakob Stevenson (22)
• Portland Winterhawks: Sammy Willman (13)

After some tune up games in Canada to start the season, the Jr Silvertips began league play in the North American Prospects Hockey League on September 22nd in Blaine, MN. The Silvertips went 3-2 in the showcase with wins over the Esmark Stars, Washington Little Capitals, and Meijer AAA. Colburn and Stevenson led the team in goals with 4 each. Butt and Campbell led the team in Assists with 6 each. Dubicki led the team with 7 PIM's.

'01 Goalie Devin Chapman (35) was in net for four games, going 2-2 with a 3.51GAA and a .873 SV%. Goalie Jakob Fry (1) was in net for the Silvertips 6-1 win over the Little Capitals. He allowed 1 goal on 13 shots. Jakob was on the SnoKing Jr. Thunderbirds Bantam team when they went to USA Hockey's Tier II National Championship in 2015.

The Portland Jr Winterhawks are 7-5 on the season. A rough 0-2 start against the Couer d'Alene Hockey Academy U16 Varsity team, led to a 3-2 showing in San Jose, CA. The San Jose trip included two wins against the West Coast Renegades U16 National team, and a win over the Las Vegas Jr Storm U16AAA's. Portland spent last weekend in Richmond, BC at the Seafair 2016 Ice Breaker tournament. They went 4-1 in the tournament, losing in the championship game to the Vancouver Thunderbirds.

Portland is led by team Captain Greg Ross (15), and Alternates Owen Ward (10), Henry Andres (4), Walker Reiersgaard (16), and Austin Pick (8). Austin Pick returns to Portland after playing the last year in Canada for Pursuit of Excellence. Clayton Littlefield (11) played for the Everett Jr Silvertips last year and made the jump to Portland this year. Goalie Ben Greenlee (20) comes to Portland from Temecula, CA.