Photo Courtesy: Matthew Wolfe, Portland Winterhawks
Goats return to PG

Taylor Gauthier relishing opportunity to face former team in first taste of WHL Playoffs

Apr 26, 2022 | 6:26 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – When Taylor Gauthier was traded to the Portland Winterhawks, he was sent off to one of the better teams in the Western Conference.

It would be a month before he would face his former team in the Prince George Cougars, and the Winterhawks went on to have a perfect season series record against PG.

Gauthier finished the season earning U.S. Division Goalie of the Year honours. Playing 14 games with Prince George during the 2021-22 season prior to being traded, he was posting a 2.75 goals against average and a .923 save percentage, and a 7-5 record between the pipes.

Since joining Portland, however, those numbers improved, posting a 2.16 GAA and a .931 save percentage, while boosting the Winterhawks in the standings with a 24-4 record and four shutouts.

But now getting his first tast of playoff hockey in the Western Hockey League, Gauthier believes the script has come full-circle as he takes on his former team, with the series shifting back to the arena he spent much of his junior career in.

Game 3 gets underway on Tuesday at 7:00 p.m. with Game 4 coming on Wednesday. Portland is ahead in the series 2-0.