Ice hold off Thunderbirds 3-2 in Game 1 of WHL final

Latimer ultimately gets winner for Winnipeg

Carson Latimer, right, celebrates his winning goal for the Ice.

WINNIPEG, Man. - Carson Latimer is hot when it comes to pitching in on winning goals for the Winnipeg Ice.

In the opening game of the best-of-seven WHL Championship Series played on Friday at the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, Latimer scored at the 7:02 mark of the second period to give the Ice 3-0 lead to the delight of the 5,531 spectators in attendance. After a power play had just expired, Ice star left-winger Owen Pederson had the puck behind the Seattle net and centred a pass to Latimer, who was just off to the right of the Thunderbirds net.

Latimer wired home his second tally of the post-season to give the Ice their 3-0 advantage. That tally proved to be a critical goal as the Thunderbirds mounted a furious rally in the third period, but the Ice ultimately held on for a 3-2 victory.

The Ice celebrate a second period goal from Carson Latimer (#22).

“It always feels good to contribute and help the team out,” said Latimer, whose Ice host Game 2 of the series on Saturday at 6 p.m. local time at the Canada Life Centre. “I’m happy that I was able to do that.

“At the same time, I think what a great play by Pete (Pederson) behind the net. It is everyone out there that makes it happen.”

Latimer was acquired by the Ice in a trade with the Prince Albert Raiders on December 31, 2022 in order to bolster the depth of the Winnipeg side. With the Ice, Latimer doesn’t play in a top-six forward role like he did with the Raiders, but he is contributing for Winnipeg at key times in an unsung hero role in the post-season.

Reid Schaefer scored 28 seconds into the third for Seattle.

When the Ice swept the Saskatoon Blades in the WHL Eastern Conference Championship Series, Latimer assisted on Briley Wood’s series winning goal in the Ice’s 3-2 victory in Game 4 of that set on May 3 at the SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon.

“We have a deep group,” said Latimer, who had 14 goals and 26 assists in 53 combined regular season games with the Raiders and Ice in 2022-23. “There are a lot of talented hockey players (on the Ice).

“When I’m out there, I’m just trying to do the best I can and just support everyone when I am not. Being able to contribute feels good. It is something I want to continue to do.”

Connor McClennon had the first Ice goal on Friday.

While the Ice looked like they were going to cruise to victory after Latimer scored, things looked like they were going to come unraveled for the host side in the third period. Just 28 seconds into the third, Thunderbirds star right-winger Dylan Guenther fired a shot from the right side boards in the Winnipeg zone that was deflected home by standout left-winger Reid Schaefer to cut the Ice lead to 3-1.

“Obviously, it was not the start we wanted in the first and second,” said Schaefer. “We really keyed on to a big start in the third.

“Getting that goal, I think it was a real team booster. It gave us a little bit of life. We just continued to play hard, and we knew it wasn’t over.”

Kevin Korchinski scored for the Thunderbirds on Friday.

The Thunderbirds pulled star netminder Thomas Milic for an extra attacker with about 2:40 remaining in the third. With 1:42 left in the third, Thunderbirds star left-winger Kyle Crnkovic had the puck down low by the right post of the Winnipeg goal. He passed the puck across the face of the net that was tapped home by Thunderbirds star offensive-defenceman Kevin Korchinski to cut the Ice advantage to 3-2.

Just seconds after Korchinski’s goal after pulling Milic once again, Thunderbirds star 20-year-old centre Jared Davidson wired a shot off the crossbar of the Winnipeg goal. A short time after that chance, Thunderbirds star right-winger Dylan Guenther drove hard to the Winnipeg goal pushing Ice star netminder Daniel Hauser and the puck into the Winnipeg cage with 51.2 seconds remaining in the third. The officials immediately waved off the tally.

Evan Friesen scored for the second Ice goal on Friday.

The Thunderbirds had about three other near misses during scrambles around the Winnipeg net in the final 51.2 seconds of the third but were unable to find the equalizer.

For the most part, Ice head coach James Patrick, whose club had eight days off after eliminating the Blades, was satisfied with Friday’s outing.

“I like the way we started,” said Patrick. “Coming off the eight days off, you always wonder about it.

“I liked a lot of things we did. There are still some areas we have to clean up. Probably the last three-and-a-half minutes there, that was a bit of a concern, but outside of that, there was a lot of good tonight.”

Owen Pederson had a pair of assists for the Ice on Friday.

The Ice broke through on the scoreboard working on the power play at the 9:13 mark of the first period when star 20-year-old right-winger Connor McClennon wired home a shot from the right faceoff dot to give the host side a 1-0 lead. The tally was McClennon’s 14^th goal of the post-season to go with the 46 markers he had in the regular season.

“Anytime you get the first goal it is huge,” said McClennon. “We kind of I guess fed off that.”

McClennon’s tally got the crowd engaged in the contest, and the Wainwright, Alta., product said his side could feel that energy on the ice. In the WHL final, the Ice were able to move their home games to the Canada Life Centre that is the home of the NHL’s Winnipeg  Jets and can seat over 16,000 after playing their home dates previous to the WHL title series at the Wayne Fleming Arena that seats over 1,700 on the University of Manitoba campus.

Kyle Crnkovic set up a late third period goal for Seattle.

“It was super exciting to get to play in this building,” said McClennon. “I think we kind of fed off the crowd early.

“It was huge to get that first goal and get the 3-0 lead. They kind of helped us all night long.”

With 4:38 remaining in the opening frame, the Ice pushed their edge out to 2-0. Pederson fired a shot on goal that was stopped by Milic but the rebound came out to the left side of the net to left-winger Evan Friesen. Friesen potted the puck into an empty cage to give the hosts their two-goal edge.

That set the stage for Latimer to score in the second and for Schaefer and Korchinski to reply in the third.

Daniel Hauser made 27 saves to pick up the win in goal for the Ice.

Hauser stopped 27 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Ice. Milic turned away 25 shots to take the setback in net for the Thunderbirds.

“It wasn’t our best game,” said Thunderbirds head coach Matt O’Dette. “We were slow out of the gates.

“We probably got better as the game went on. I thought they executed well and cashed in on their chances in the first part of the game. That was the difference.

“We got going as the game went on, and it wasn’t enough in the end.”

A part of the 5,531 fans that came out to support the Ice on Friday.

The WHL final between the Ice and Thunderbirds is expected to be a heavyweight tilt.

Winnipeg topped the WHL regular season standings with a 57-10-1 mark and was rated third in the final CHL Top 10 Rankings. The 57 wins and 115 standings points are new franchise records for the Ice.

The Thunderbirds topped the Western Conference and finished second overall in the WHL’s regular season standings with a 54-11-1-2 record. The U.S. Division champions were rated fourth in the final CHL Top 10 Rankings. Seattle’s 54 wins and standings points total of 111 points are new regular season club records.

The Seattle coaches direct their players during a timeout.

Seattle’s roster contains 10 players who have been drafted by NHL teams and seven players who participated in the last world juniors. Winnipeg’s roster contained eight players who have been drafted by NHL teams and one player who participated in the last world juniors.

Each side started the WHL final with one notable absence each due to injury.

The Thunderbirds were without standout centre Jordan Gustafson. During the Thunderbirds six-game Western Conference Championship Series win over the Kamloops Blazers, it is suspected Gustafson was injured as part of the celebration for Jeremy Hanzel’s overtime winner in Game 2 of that set claimed by the Thunderbirds 4-3.

Zach Benson jets up ice for the Ice.

The Ice were without 19-year-old defenceman Wyatt Wilson, who was injured in Game 5 of the team’s Eastern Conference semifinal series win over the Moose Jaw Warriors.

While the Ice took the first round in their league championship battle with the Thunderbirds, Lucas Ciona, who is the captain of the Seattle side, said his squad is looking forward to being reset for Game 2 on Saturday.

“We’re still confident,” said Ciona. “It is disappointing not getting the first one right off the start.

“We had a solid third period, and we just build off of that and create life for us. The first goal Reido (Reid Schaefer) and you get Kevin’s (Korchinski’s) goal you just create more life. Coming in tomorrow, we know we can play like that and continue that.

The Ice celebrate their win on Friday.

“We are adjusting really well right now. It is just coming in tomorrow fired up and ready to go.”

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