Music: {allcanada} WHL: BARTSCHI LEADS WINTERHAWKS PAST SPOKANE FOR SERIES LEA

Saturday, April 30, 2011

{allcanada} WHL: BARTSCHI LEADS WINTERHAWKS PAST SPOKANE FOR SERIES LEA

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PORTLAND, Ore. -- Sven Bartschi scored a goal and added two assists to lead the Portland Winterhawks to a 3-2 victory over the Spokane Chiefs in Western Hockey League playoff action Saturday.

Trailing by a goal late in the second period Bartschi tied it for Portland before Ty Rattie and Craig Cunningham added third-period goals for Portland which took a 3-2 lead in the Western Conference final. Game 6 goes Monday in Spokane.

Tyler Johnson opened the scoring for Spokane 59 seconds into the game and Mitch Holmberg scored midway through the third period to set up a tense finish.

Portland goaltender Mac Carruth made 39 saves to earn the victory, while James Reid stopped 40 shots for the Chiefs.

For the second straight night, the Chiefs got off to a blazing start. Johnson took a pass from Levko Koper in the neutral zone, skated in on a breakaway and beat Carruth.

Spokane scored 10 seconds into Game 4 Friday night en route to an 8-3 victory.

Spokane held the lead until Portland tied the game with 33 seconds left in the second period. Joe Morrow fired a slap shot that Bartschi tipped past Reid to send the teams to the intermission with the score at 1-1.

The goal came 12 seconds after the end of a Portland power play, during which the Winterhawks peppered Reid's goal.

Portland took the lead on a one-timer by Rattie from the left circle at 5:22 into the third period. At the 11:47 mark, Cunningham gave the Winterhawks a two-goal cushion after he was sprung on a long pass by Bartschi.

The Chiefs' Holmberg scored a minute after Cunningham to cut the lead to one, weaving through the Portland defence and sending a wrist shot over Carruth's blocker.

But Spokane couldn't get an equalizer, despite a barrage of opportunities in the final four minutes.

The game was a clean affair, with only three minor penalties being called -- all in the second period. Spokane couldn't score with one chance on the power play, while Portland didn't convert with two opportunities.