By RON OLSON
of The Oregonian staff
Richard Kromm admits he's been getting a few "easy goals" thus far in the young Western Hockey League season, but none of his previous shots come close to the one he nailed home Saturday night. Kromm brought the Memorial Coliseum crowd of 7,162 to its feet midway through the third period when h scored a goal from 145 feet away-the other end of the ice-as the Portland Winter Hawks humbled the defending Lethbridge Broncos 8-4 for their fourth straight victory.
"I'm very pleased," said Hawk Coach Ken Hodge. "We had the week off, we were playing one of the best defensive clubs-if not the best defensive club-in the league and we were playing one of the better goaltenders in the league. We get eight goals and the strong, physical play we showed was pretty exciting."
This season's version of the Broncos somewhat resembles the champions of a year ago. They play the bump and grind style' dump the puck and chase it. But Lethbridge goalie Ken Wreggett was nowhere in the form Saturday that he was in last spring when Lethbridge defeated the Hawks in five games for the title. This one was billed as Lethbridge's tenacious defense against Portland's explosive offense. Wreggett didn't get a lot of help from his five veteran defensemen while the Hawks peppered him with 48 shots. Portland's offense won this one handily, and the line of Alfie Turcotte-Kromm-Grant Sasser continued to cook. Kromm had a pair, while Turcotte and Sasser added singles giving the trio 21 of Portland's 39 goals this season.
"Richard Kromm is just playing standout hockey for us" said Hodge. "He's showing a lot of quickness, playing a physical game and showing a lot of quickness in his forechecking. He's also finishing his plays like we thought he could."
Even from 145 feet.
A picture goal by Turcotte early in the third period staked the Hawks to a 7-4 advantage. Turcotte stole the puck at the Bronco blueline, eluded Lethbridge defenseman Grant Couture and beat Wregget from 30 feet.
However, it was Kromm's desperation clearing shot from deep in the Portland zone that rained on Lethbridge's parade. The Hawks were having a little difficulty killing off a penalty to Hawk winger Terry Perkins when Kromm lofted a clearing shot out of the zone. The puck bounced in front of Wreggett, hit the inside of his right skate and trickled into the net. "Here's how it went," said Kromm with a smile. "I scooped the puck out of the corner, saw that the goalie was asleep and picked a corner. And it went in. "Actually, I got hit as soon as I let it go and never saw it. I heard the people screaming and I thought somebody had made a good check."
The Broncos could muster little after that and Hawk goalie Peter Fry denied any threat. Fry finished with 43 saves in another good showing, despite the Broncos' four goals in the second period. The Hawks were able to get a quick jump once again with Ray Podloski and Jeff Rohlicek scoring in the first period to give Portland a 2-0 lead. "We wanted to go out strong," said Podloski. "We wanted to bump them right from the beginning and try to get them off their game."
In the first period, Lethbridge was content to dump the puck and try to win the wars in the corners. It didn't work, the Broncos adjusted in the second period and they managed to penetrate the Hawk defense by setting up plays. "It worked for them for awhile until we adapted," said Podloski.
The teams each scored four goals in the middle 20 minutes and Portland had a 6-4 spread to start the final period. Included in Portland's second-period burst were goals by Randy Heath and defenseman Bryan Walker, their first of the season. "Terry Perkins had a few golden scoring opportunities for us tonight," said Hodge, "but Wregget always seemed to save his best saves for Terry's shots. I also thought Jamie Huscroft and Rick Davidson showed continued improvement on defense and getting Tim Lorenz back in our lineup gave some added muscle up front."
SCORE BY PERIODS
Lethbridge.........................................................0 4 0 - 4
Portland...........................................................2 4 2 - 8
FIRST PERIOD
1. Portland - Podloski (Heath, Perkins) 2:14
2. Portland - Rohlicek (Sasser, Jones) 19:10
Penalties
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