Baertschi can’t fly Portland coop yet
Flames erupt from a jet dryer truck after it was hit by Juan Pablo Montoya of Colombia in his No. 42 Chevrolet during the rain-delayed Daytona 500 on Monday. The race was suspended with 40 laps remaining.
No disrespect to the Calgary Flames, but Sven Baertschi is more focused on what’s happening in Portland, Ore., right now than the current situation at the Scotiabank Saddledome.
But, rest assured, he does think about the local National Hockey League club from time to time.
“I’m down here in Portland right now and my mindset is in Portland,” said the Flames’ No. 13 draft pick, calling before the team’s Monday morning skate in Beaverton, a suburb of Portland. “Since I left Calgary, I know what I need to do to play up there and I want to make sure I’m ready for next year.
“Calgary is always in my head, this whole season. I watch everything, I watch the news and stuff. I want to make sure I know everything that’s going on up there. But personally, hockey-wise, I want to make sure I do my best down here in Portland.”
Technically, Baertschi could get the call sooner than the 2012-13 season depending on the situation with both clubs. An early WHL post-season exit for the Winterhawks, for example, would allow for such a situation.
Despite making Flames fans drool over his stats, particularly his scoring pace — 1.95 points per game after 25 goals and 59 assists in 43 appearances — it’s more than likely his WHL club will enjoy a fairly deep playoff run.
Baertschi and the Winterhawks recently rode a nine-game win streak, beating up on the Western Conference basement dwelling Prince George Cougars, Everett Silvertips and Seattle Thunderbirds to climb to the top of the Eastern Conference standings. For the past week, Portland has also battled the Tri-city Americans and Kamloops Blazers for the top three spots. The Americans slipped ahead of the pack over the weekend with 91 points and a 44-15-1-2 record while Kamloops (4315-1-3) is at 90 points, like Portland (43-15-3-1), and are sitting in second.
After Sunday’s 2-1 overtime loss to Everett to end their hot-streak, the Winterhawks have 10 game left on their schedule — and they’re hoping to make them count. “There aren’t many games left so we want to make sure we win all of them and get the first place in our conference,” said Baertschi, who skated with the Swiss-b league for Langenthal before joining the Winterhawks in 2010. “Last year’s playoff run was such an exciting time and really special. That was probably the first time I was part of a really, really successful team.
“So, I want to make sure I can do whatever I can to do it again and maybe even win it. I look in this lockerroom and see there is a lot possible.”
This week is especially crucial, with games against all of those teams on the line.
“That’s our goal, that’s our mindset right now is getting that No. 1 spot,” said Airdrie native Ty Rattie, who sits third in league scoring. “We have a tough couple games coming up against Kamloops and TriCity.
“Any time you play either team, it’s like a playoff game. It’ll be good to play them right before playoff to get in that mindset.”