Milic’s shutout snaps Hawks’ win streak

A standout 28-save shutout from Thomas Milic was the difference on Wednesday as Seattle got on the board in the best-of-seven series.

Round 2, Game 3: Portland (0) vs Seattle (3) [Portland leads series 2-1]

SOG: POR (28) – SEA (30)

PP: POR (0/3) – SEA (1/4)

Saves: Gauthier (25/29) – Milic (28/28)

COMPLETE BOX SCORE

SCORING:

• SEA – 6:14 – First Period – Jared Davidson (5) from Lukas Svejkovsky and Henrik Rybinski
• SEA – 5:29 – Second Period – Lukas Svejkovsky and Jeremy Hanzel
• SEA – 7:29 – Third Period – Conner Roulette (1) from Lukas Svejkovsky and Jeremy Hanzel
• SEA – 17:05 – Third Period – Jared Davidson (6) from Lukas Svejkovsky and Tyrel Bauer *EN
• SEA – 17:37 – Third Period – Lucas Ciona (5) from Conner Roulette

The Story:

After notching two comeback wins to open the series, the Winterhawks were held at bay on Wednesday as Thomas Milic stopped all 28 Portland shots en route to a 5-0 shutout in Game 3.

Portland leads the best-of-seven 2-1 heading into Friday’s Game 4 in Kent.

Jared Davidson grabbed the game’s first goal at 6:14 of the first period, marking the third straight game that Seattle has scored first. Portland maintained a foothold in the game even after Lukas Svejkovsky’s second-period strike made it 2-0 heading into the third, but three T-Birds tallies from Conner Roulette, Davidson and Lucas Ciona in the final frame put the game out of reach.

Portland netminder Taylor Gauthier earned third-star honors with 25 saves on 29 shots.

QUOTE OF THE NIGHT presented by BBF TECHNOLOGIES:

“I don’t have to remind (the players), they’ve been through it…our guys understand what they have to do – they’re a team that has been through a lot of things during the year and they’re going to be able to rise to the occasion.”

Winterhawks Head Coach Mike Johnston