Portland are Back to Back Champions!
best time of the year
The best regular season team in the league finished the job.
After dominating the regular season, surviving multiple playoff battles, and unleashing one of the deepest offenses the FWHL has seen in years… the Portland Winterhawks are officially FWHL champions.
And they earned every bit of it.
Portland 5 – Saskatoon 2
Day 6
6 Portland 5 Saskatoon 2
Portland closed out the championship series in style.
After a tightly played opening period ended tied 1–1, the Winterhawks completely took over in the second. Tomas Mrsic, Miguel Marques, and Emmitt Finnie all scored in a dominant middle frame that broke the game wide open. Saskatoon pushed late, but Portland’s depth and special teams once again proved overwhelming.
Emmitt Finnie finished with two goals and an assist, while Tomas Mrsic and Miguel Marques both added three-point performances. Portland’s power play struck again, and Max Hildebrand delivered another calm, reliable performance in net to secure the championship.
Meanwhile, Saskatoon battled hard until the very end. Goals from Parr and Zahejsky kept them alive temporarily, but Portland simply had too much firepower.
Why Portland Won the Championship
Offensive Depth
Nobody in the league could match Portland’s attack.
Every line was dangerous:
- Andrew Cristall
- Berkly Catton
- Tomas Mrsic
- Emmitt Finnie
- Ty Halaburda
- Shea Van Olm
If one line cooled off, another exploded.
By playoff end, Portland scored 97 goals in 20 playoff games—an absurd offensive pace.
Special Teams Dominance
Portland’s power play completely changed the finals.
In Game 6 alone:
- Portland went 1-for-4
- Saskatoon went 2-for-7 but struggled to generate momentum consistently
Throughout the playoffs, Portland’s puck movement and offensive-zone structure were elite.
Max Hildebrand Held Steady
He didn’t always need to steal games—but he consistently made the saves Portland needed at the right moments.
- 16 playoff wins
- 2.76 GAA
- .894 save percentage
The definition of dependable championship goaltending.
Saskatoon’s Incredible Run
Even in defeat, Saskatoon deserves massive credit.
They entered the playoffs as one of the league’s most complete teams and proved it repeatedly:
- eliminated Prince Albert
- eliminated Vancouver
- pushed Portland harder than anyone expected
Marcus Nguyen, Gunner Hodnett, Luke Mistelbacher, and Burke Hood were outstanding throughout the postseason.
Their structure, discipline, and ability to win tight games carried them all the way to the finals.
They simply ran into a Portland team peaking offensively at exactly the right time.
The Story of the Playoffs
Round 1
- Saskatoon survives Kelowna
- Prince Albert upsets Kamloops
- Portland begins rolling early
- Edmonton announces itself as a contender
Round 2
- Vancouver stuns Regina
- Edmonton and Red Deer go to war
- Portland overwhelms Spokane offensively
- Saskatoon survives another tight series
Round 3
- Saskatoon edges Vancouver in a battle of structure vs speed
- Portland defeats Edmonton behind elite scoring depth
Finals
- Saskatoon steals Game 1
- Portland responds with three straight wins
- Saskatoon forces Game 6 with OT heroics
- Portland closes the door and captures the championship
Final Thought
Portland didn’t just win the championship.
They proved they were the best team in the league from start to finish.
Elite offense.
Reliable goaltending.
Depth everywhere.
Big-game players delivering in big moments.
The FWHL season is over.
And the Portland Winterhawks are standing alone at the top.
