Overview
- Portland jumped to a 3-0 first-period lead with two goals from Carsyn Dyck and one from Will McLaughlin, then closed it out 6-3 with Ryan Miller’s late empty-netter.
- Saskatoon arrived 9-4 and ranked fourth in the WHL, while Portland entered ranked 15th, underscoring the significance of the result.
- The game marked the return to the renovated Veterans Memorial Coliseum, where the team celebrated its 50th anniversary with gold uniforms and a Top 50 players presentation.
- Portland completed its 11-game road stretch at 6-5, clinching a winning trip the night before with a 6-5 victory over Vancouver that featured 16-year-old goalie Blake Clark’s debut.
- Recent roster and rotation notes include trading defenseman Kayd Ruedig to Kamloops for a second-round pick and managing a three-goalie setup with starter Ondrej Štěbeták rested during a 3-in-3.