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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Sweet WHL Eastern Conference title sweep for Ice

Winnipeg advances to league championship series

The Ice celebrate Briley Wood’s winning goal on Wednesday.

The Winnipeg Ice withstood the hurricane they expected was coming.

On Wednesday night, the Ice were trying to capture the WHL’s Eastern Conference Championship by sweeping the host Saskatoon Blades out of the best-of-seven conference final at the SaskTel Centre. The Blades, who were down 3-0 in the series, came out on fire and gave every last bit of gas they had in playing their 18^th post-season contest in 34 days.

The host side jumped ahead 1-0 in the opening frame to excite the 5,638 spectators in attendance, but the Ice evened things at 1-1 heading into the first intermission. The Ice led 2-1 after 40 minutes only for the Blades to even the score at the 2:45 mark of the third.

Ice captain Carson Lambos, left, gets a conference title trophy.

At the 6:19 mark of the third, unlikely heroes came through for the Ice in left-winger Carson Latimer and centre Briley Wood. Latimer had the puck at the left side boards in the Saskatoon and fed a pass to the front of the net to Wood. Wood deflected the puck past Blades netminder Austin Elliott to put the visitors up 3-2.

The Ice were able to close out things defensively from there and make that 3-2 score hold up as the game’s final. With the win, the Ice sweep the Eastern Conference Championship Series 4-0.

“It is a great accomplishment,” said Ice captain Carson Lambos, whose club lost last year’s Eastern Conference final to the eventual WHL champion Edmonton Oil Kings in five games. “I think a lot of guys in our room ending last season the way we did it was pretty disappointing.

The Ice are pictured with the Eastern Conference title trophy.

“It left a sour taste for a long time. To get to where we are right now, it is a great feeling, but at the same time, we haven’t accomplished our main goal. We still have a lot of work to do.”

With the series win over the Blades, the Ice advance to the WHL Championship Series to host the winner of the best-of-seven Western Conference Championship Series between the Seattle Thunderbirds and Kamloops Blazers. The Thunderbirds lead that series 2-1 with Game 4 set for Thursday in Kamloops.

If the Blazers prevail in that series, the Ice will earn a berth in the CHL championship tournament – the Memorial Cup – as the WHL representative. The Blazers host the Memorial Cup tournament from May 26 to June 4 at the Sandman Centre in Kamloops, so the WHL’s Eastern Conference Champion would make that event, if Kamloops makes the WHL final.

Blades players digest their Eastern Conference final loss

Ultimately, the Ice would like to win the WHL title and move on to capture the Memorial Cup as their main goal. Still, Ice head coach James Patrick was pumped his team won the Eastern Conference title on Wednesday.

“Right now, I feel proud of the group,” said Patrick. “Last year, we had a good playoff run.

“We didn’t get past this round. From that point on, we talked about what we had to do to be a better playoff team to play the game the right way to be stronger. We made a commitment in the off-season and during the season.

The Ice and Blades shake hands at the conclusion of their series.

“We spent more time in the gym. It was could we get stronger as the year went on, because you know come playoff time it is 50/50 battles. It is paying the price.”

As for the Blades, they went into Game 4 with optimistic hopes. When they faced the Red Deer Rebels in a best-of-seven Eastern Conference semifinal series, the Blades fell behind 3-0 in that set. In Game 4 of that series in Red Deer, the Blades trailed 2-0 after the first period and 2-1 after the second frame. Saskatoon was 20 minutes away from having its season come to an end.

Defensive partners Tanner Molendyk and Aidan De La Gorgendiere hug.

The Blades rallied to take Game 4 by a 4-2 score and ultimately came back to claim a series deciding Game 7 by a 5-2 score again at the SaskTel Centre before 9,489 spectators. Saskatoon joined the 1996 Spokane Chiefs and the 2013 Kelowna Rockets as the only teams to lose the first three games in a best-of-seven series and rally to take the set.

Saskatoon went into Wednesday’s game having won five straight contests in the current WHL post-season where they faced elimination from the playoffs. The streak included four straight wins against the Rebels and a 4-1 victory in Game 7 of a first round series against Connor Bedard and the Regina Pats.

The Blades celebrate a goal by Aidan De La Gorgendiere (#5).

That streak came to an end on Wednesday, but Blades head coach Brennan Sonne loved how his team went down fighting.

“Every ounce of gas that those guys had in the tank they used,” said Sonne. “That tank is completely dry.

“There is no hanging heads in shame at all. (It is) the opposite. (I am) completely and absolutely utterly proud of this team.”

In Wednesday’s encounter, the Blades open the game’s scoring with 4:52 remaining in the first when captain and offensive-defenceman Aidan De La Gorgendiere fired home a point shot on a delayed penalty call on the Ice. The 1-0 lead marked the first time in the series the Blades were ahead on the scoreboard in the series.

Aidan De La Gorgendiere played his final game for the Blades.

The advantage lasted for three minutes and 32 seconds.

The Ice pulled even at 1-1 scoring on a power play with 1:20 remaining in the first period. Ice star centre Matthew Savoie wired a shot off the crossbar and the rebound was collected by Ice star right-winger Connor McClennon. McClennon tucked the puck into the left side of the Saskatoon net for the equalizer.

Winnipeg exited the opening frame holding an 11-8 edge in shots on goal. The Ice jacked up the pressure in the second holding a 16-4 advantage in shots on goal in the frame, but the visitors only exited the stanza with a 2-1 edge.

Connor McClennon scored twice for the Ice on Wednesday.

The Ice go-ahead goal came when some fatigue was coming over the Blades skaters. Ice standout defenceman Graham Sward had the puck at the right point in the Saskatoon zone, and he fed a pass to McClennon who was somehow alone in front of the Saskatoon net.

McClennon’s initial shot from point blank range was stopped by Elliott, but the Winnipeg winger banged home the rebound from his own shot to give his squad a 2-1 advantage. Patrick was pleased to see how well his squad responded after falling behind on the scoreboard and was impressed by the battle that the opposition presented.

“I felt that this was the best game that they (the Blades) had played,” said Patrick. “I give the Blades all the credit in the world for the resiliency, the no quit and what they had to do to get to this coming back from the deficits they did.

Trevor Wong got a positive bounce third period goal.

“I felt at the start of the series they looked tired. They had some beat up bodies, and they had some injures. I felt this was the toughest game.

“This was what it was like playing them all year long.”

Even after falling behind going into the third period, the Blades didn’t pack it in and kept fighting. At the 2:45 mark of the third, utility player Spencer Shugrue fired a shot from the point that deflected off Blades star centre Trevor Wong at the right side of the Winnipeg goal and found its way into the visitor’s net to tie things up at 2-2.

That set the stage for Latimer’s and Wood’s heroics just under four minutes later. Patrick was pleased to see Latimer and Wood deliver in the clutch.

Graham Sward had an assist for the Ice on Wednesday.

“I think the depth that has been a big part of our success,” said Patrick. “When you have a guy like Carson Latimer who can play anywhere in the lineup, we kind of had him playing with (Conor) Geekie and moved him down to (Briley) Wood.

“The two of them made the big play at the right time.”

Elliott stopped 33 shots to take the setback in goal for the Blades. Hauser turned away 16 shots to pick up the win in net for the Ice.

“We did come out hard,” said De La Gorgendiere, who graduated from the junior ranks with the Blades loss on Wednesday. “I feel like we were pretty desperate tonight.

“Aussie (Austin Elliott) was awesome for us. He made some huge saves to keep us in that game. Obviously, we find a way to get a power play or two there.

Austin Elliott made 33 saves in goal for the Blades on Wednesday.

“Everything is still pretty fresh to me right now. I thought our work was there and our desperation. That is all you can really ask for.”

The Blades were without solid defensive-defencemen Blake Gustafson and Ben Saunderson once again as they were both injured in the team’s Eastern Conference semifinal series win over the Rebels. Saskatoon was also without star import right-winger Egor Sidorov with an undisclosed injury suffered in the club’s Game 2 loss to the Ice.

Had fatigue and injuries not been a factor for the Saskatoon side, it was expected the series between the Blades and Ice would be a competitive one on paper.

Zach Benson distributes the puck for the Ice.

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 Blades finished fourth in the overall WHL regular season standings with a 48-15-4-1 record and were rated 10^th in the final CHL Top 10 Rankings.

Saskatoon appeared in the Eastern Conference final for the first time since 1994. 

The Ice won their first conference title since 2011, when the franchise was still the Kootenay Ice located in Cranbrook, B.C. The Ice franchise also claimed the WHL title in 2011.

The Ice celebrate their win on Wednesday.

While the Blades overcame a lot of adversity to get to this point and tried hard to get past the adversity they faced in the series with the Ice, De La Gorgendiere still had difficulty digesting the season came to an end.

“I’m pretty emotional right now,” said De La Gorgendiere. “It is pretty fresh.

“Our team battled every single night. We go to war with each other every single night, and we love doing it. I was just upstairs, and I was telling (Blades play-by-play voice) Les (Lazaruk) how much I love these guys in our room.

“I’ve been here for five years now, and it is tightest team I’ve played for. It was pretty special what we did coming back from down 3-0 there in the Red Deer series. It is tough right now it really is tough.”

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. 

The Blades salute their fans at the SaskTel Centre on Wednesday.

While the Ice had a lot less adversity in the injury and fatigue department to overcome than the Blades, Lambos said having a tough battle with Saskatoon to close out the Eastern Conference final will help the Ice in the rest of their post-season push.

“This is what it is going to look like moving forward,” said Lambos. “(There are going to be) tight games and there is not going to be a lot of scoring especially five-on-five.

“Special teams are huge. That is what it was tonight. To have a tough game was really good for us I think.

“Even our second round, a lot of games with Moose Jaw were tight. We had our backs against the wall there at times. It is definitely helpful to go through some adversity, because it is not going to be smooth sailing here.”

Blades’ Sonne named WHL coach of the year

Blades HC Brennan Sonne is the WHL coach of the year.

Saskatoon Blades head coach Brennan Sonne was feted with an honour a bench boss with the team hasn’t claimed in 29 years.

On Wednesday, the WHL announced Sonne was winner of the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy as the WHL coach of the year. The last Blades bench boss to pick up that honour was Lorne Molleken back in the 1993-94 campaign when the club advanced to the WHL Championship Series falling in seven games to the eventual Memorial Cup champion Kamloops Blazers.

The 36-year-old Sonne is in his second season as the Blades head coach. Under Sonne’s guidance, the Blades finished fourth overall in the WHL’s regular season standings with a 48-15-4-1 record, and they were rated 10^th in the final CHL Top 10 Rankings. The Blades collected 101 standings points marking the fifth time since the club was formed in 1964 they’ve recorded 100-or-more standings points in team history.

“I am very honoured to receive the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy,” said Sonne in a release. “It is truly an organizational award starting with the players.

“This season we’ve had a group of dedicated teammates, fantastic leadership and a work ethic you wouldn’t believe. To management who does everything they can to help these players and us as a staff, a pleasure to work with every day; to my wife, my parents, brothers and in-laws, such a great group of people beside me.

“I would like to thank Mitch Love, Jay Varady and Kevin Constantine for teaching me how to be a coach.”

Blades HC Brennan Sonne tracks the play on the ice.

In one of his previous coaching stops, Sonne was an assistant coach with the Everett Silvertips from 2014 to 2017, and he worked with Constantine and Love. As a left-winger with the Silvertips from 2005 to 2007, Sonne was coached by Constantine and Varady.

Unfortunately for Sonne and his Blades, their season came to an end on Wednesday night a number of hours after the coach of the year announcement. The Blades fell 3-2 at the SaskTel Centre in Game 4 of the WHL Eastern Conference Championship Series to the Winnipeg Ice. The Ice swept the best-of-seven set 4-0.

After that loss, Sonne said sadness over the result in Game 4 against the Ice was the prevailing emotion.

“Hockey is all about the team in my opinion, so I’d feel this way whether it was me or anyone else on this group that got an individual award,” said Sonne. “While it is awesome, but hockey is a team sport, and that is why I love it so much.

“That is why I am not a golfer or a tennis player or have any interest in individual sports. That is why I love team sports so much. It is actually a very sad moment that this group is done, because this team has been such a pleasure to coach.

“I’m really proud and my head will not hang or anything, (but) it is a very sad moment. That is how I kind of feel. It is nothing to do with me at all it is sad that this team is over.”

Also on Wednesday, the WHL announced Bil La Forge, who is the general manager of the Seattle Thunderbirds, was named the winner of the Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy as WHL executive of the year.

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Ice big line bashes Blades again

Saskatoon faces playoff elimination for sixth time

The Ice celebrate a goal from Zach Benson, centre.

The big line of the Winnipeg Ice floats like butterflies and stings like bees.

They have the Saskatoon Blades on the ropes in the WHL’s Eastern Conference Championship Series. Now the question is can the Ice put the Blades down for the count?

The two teams that played the Blades in the WHL Playoffs before the Ice weren’t so lucky.

On Tuesday playing before 6,058 spectators at the SaskTel Centre, the Ice froze the Blades out of their home rink 5-1 holding a 34-18 edge in shots on goal. With the win, the Ice lead the best-of-seven Eastern Conference final 3-0. They can close things out in Game 4 on Wednesday set for 7 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre.

Ice C Matthew Savoie (#93) shields the puck from Blades C Trevor Wong.

Winnipeg benefited once again from a strong performance from its top line consisting of centre Matthew Savoie, left-winger Zach Benson and right-winger Connor McClennon. They combined for three goals and four assists in the win. The line of Savoie, Benson and McClennon accounted for three of the first four goals scored by Winnipeg.

“I played with them a little bit last year and quite a bit this year,” said Savoie, who had a goal and two assists on Tuesday. “We’ve built a tonne of chemistry off the ice, and I think it just translates to on the ice.

Zach Benson had a goal and an assist for the Ice on Tuesday.

“We’re all so close. I think we just feed off the energy we bring. It is a lot of fun playing with those two for sure.”

Benson and McClennon each had a goal and an assist in Tuesday’s win.

The trio followed up on an impressive performance in Game 2 of the series this past Saturday in Winnipeg at the Wayne Fleming Arena, which the Ice claimed 6-2. In that contest, Savoie, Benson and McClennon combined for five goals and five assists in that victory.

With the loss, Saskatoon will face elimination from the WHL Playoffs for a sixth time. The current roster of the Blades has shown that it can be gutsy winning their five previous elimination games.

Connor McClennon had a goal and an assist for the Ice on Tuesday.

“We’ve had a lot of biggest games of the year this year,” said Blades gritty right-winger Justin Lies. “The mindset is just go out and work hard and fight to keep this together, just fight for another day and another road trip with the boys.

“No one is quitting in there, so we’re just going to go work our hardest. We’ll be ready to go tomorrow.”

The Blades went to a series deciding Game 7 against Connor Bedard and the Regina Pats in the first round of the WHL Playoffs. Saskatoon took that contest by a 4-1 score at the SaskTel Centre before a sellout crowd of 14,768.

Justin Lies scored the Blades lone goal on Tuesday.

The Blades found themselves in a tougher spot in their Eastern Conference semifinal series with the Red Deer Rebels. The Blades trailed that series 3-0, and in Game 4 in Red Deer, they trailed 2-0 after the first period and 2-1 after the second frame. Saskatoon was 20 minutes away from having its season come to an end.

The Blades rallied to take Game 4 by a 4-2 score and ultimately came back to claim a series deciding Game 7 by a 5-2 score again at the SaskTel Centre this time before 9,489 spectators. Saskatoon joined the 1996 Spokane Chiefs and the 2013 Kelowna Rockets as the only teams to lose the first three games in a best-of-seven series and rally to take the set.

Ben Zloty had three assists for the Ice on Tuesday.

“For us, we still get to come to the rink tomorrow,” said Blades head coach Brennan Sonne. “We’re still together.

“The strength of our team is heart and no quit and how close they are. When you get in these situations, that becomes tested immensely. We’ve passed that test a few times.

“I don’t think it is any different tomorrow, because as long as you’re breathing, you are fighting. We’re still breathing, so we are going to keep fighting.”

As for Tuesday’s clash between Saskatoon and Winnipeg, the Ice got rocking early scoring on the power play at the 2:46 mark of the opening frame to account for the first goal of the contest. McClennon had the puck at the left side boards in the Saskatoon zone and took a shot that deflected off Blades offensive-defenceman Tanner Molendyk right to Savoie in front of the goal. Savoie fired the puck home for his 11^th tally of the post-season to give the visitors a 1-0 edge.

Owen Pederson had a goal and an assist for the Ice on Tuesday.

Just over seven minutes later, the Ice’s top line struck again thanks to a positive bounce. Savoie was trying to pass the puck to the front of the Saskatoon net from the right corner of the Saskatoon zone.

Savoie’s pass deflected off Molendyk’s stick high in the air and landed perfectly for Benson to attempt a midrange shot from the front of the Saskatoon net. Benson drove home a shot between the legs of Blades netminder Ethan Chadwick to give the visitors a 2-0 advantage.

Just 45 seconds later, the Ice pushed their edge out to 3-0 with a goal from one of their other standout lines. Ice centre Zack Ostapchuk had the puck at the left side of the Saskatoon net and made a spinning backhand pass to centre the puck to linemate Evan Friesen.

Vladislav Shilo (#15) weaves his way past two Blades players.

Friesen wired home a midrange shot through a maze of bodies to give the visitors their three-goal edge. Winnipeg exited the opening frame with that 3-0 advantage holding a 12-5 edge in shots on goal.

“It was a bit of a different game,” said Ice head coach James Patrick. “I thought we had an outstanding first period and we just rode that to the win.

“Obviously, our power play is really clicking. I just thought we had a couple of really good shifts down low. The Ostapchuk line has been pretty effective.

“They’ve been our most effective line in the offensive zone.”

Just 73 seconds into the second period, the Ice’s top line scored for the second time on the power play. Savoie had the puck for a potential midrange shot from the front of the Saskatoon net.

Evan Friesen had a goal for the Ice on Tuesday.

He passed the puck to Benson on the right wing. Benson fed a pass across the face of the Saskatoon net to McClennon at the left side of the goal, and McClennon promptly buried his 11^th of the playoffs. Patrick was pleased with what his top line was able to do with the man advantage.

“Obviously on the power play, I thought they were outstanding,” said Patrick. “Zach Benson missed some time for us, and I think it has taken him awhile to get up to speed.

“He is our best player this year, and he creates more scoring chances than any other player on our team. He is getting back to that form. The three of them, they all bring something different.

Blades RW Mikhail Volotovskii (#17) looks to get by an Ice defender.

“McClennon is a top end goal scorer. Savoie is as explosive a player there is. They have good chemistry.”

At the 5:40 mark of the second, the Blades showed some push back. Lies got a pass in the centre ice zone from star left-winger Brandon Lisowsky, drove into the Winnipeg zone and fired home a midrange shot to the top left corner of the Winnipeg net using star Ice defenceman Carson Lambos as a partial screen for star Ice netminder Daniel Hauser. Lies tally cut the Ice advantage to 4-1.

Blades G Ethan Chadwick (#33) reached to cover a loose puck.

“There were shifts in the second where we spent offensive zone time, got heavy, drew some penalties and got some momentum just going back to the no quit of our team,” said Sonne. “I’m encouraged that there is no quit.”

With 7:51 remaining in the second, Ice import left-winger Vladislav Shilo thought he put home a shot for the visitors, but the officials ruled no goal on the play. The officials went to a video review and ruled the puck did not cross the goal-line when it was under Chadwick.

During the second, it appeared Chadwick might have injured his right wrist at some point in the frame. He was pulled after the second period concluded having stopped 20-of-24 shots sent his way to take the setback in goal. Austin Elliott turned away 9-of-10 sent his way playing the third period in relief.

With 2:31 remaining in the third, the Blades pulled Elliott for an extra attacker. Unfortunately for the host side, hardworking centre Jayden Wiens took a roughing minor with 2:06 remaining in the frame, which meant the Blades had to put Elliott back in goal for the rest of the period.

Blades C Jayden Wiens (#9) skates the puck out of traffic.

The Ice rounded out the game’s 5-1 final as standout left-winger Owen Pederson, who turned 21-years-old in late March, scored on the power play with 33.5 seconds remaining in the frame. Pederson fired a shot on goal from the front of the Saskatoon net that Elliott got a piece of before the puck flipped through the air into the goal. Pederson had an assist earlier in the contest to finish with a two-point night.

Hauser turned stopped 17 shots to pick of the win in goal for the Ice, who have won six straight post-season games. Star offensive-defenceman Ben Zloty had three assists for the Ice.

Ice RW Connor McClennon (#94) puts a shot through the crease.

The Blades were without solid defensive-defencemen Blake Gustafson and Ben Saunderson once again as they were both injured in the team’s Eastern Conference semifinal series win over the Rebels. Saskatoon was also without star import right-winger Egor Sidorov with an undisclosed injury suffered in the club’s Game 2 loss to the Ice.

Due to the injury absences and the fact the Blades have played 17 post-season games in 33 days, fatigue is showing on the Saskatoon side. If everyone was healthy, this was expected to a competitive series on paper.

Zach Ostapchuk had a beauty assist for the Ice on Tuesday.

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 Blades finished fourth in the overall WHL regular season standings with a 48-15-4-1 record and were rated 10^th in the final CHL Top 10 Rankings. Saskatoon is appearing in the Eastern Conference final for the first time since 1994.

At the moment, the Blades have been outscored 14-3 in their three losses to open their series with 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.

With all that noted, Patrick said his Ice are taking the approach that the Blades are down but not out. The Ice bench boss said you have to respect the battle that comes from the Saskatoon side.

Daniel Hauser, left, and Easton Armstrong celebrate the Ice win.

“What they’ve done the last two series I think the whole league has taken notice,” said Patrick. “We certainly have.

“We respect the hell out of them for what they accomplished being down 3-0 and the way they played coming back. They were a real resilient bunch, so I give them credit for that. I continually remind my team of that.”

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Ice top guns freeze out Blades

Winnipeg takes 2-0 lead in Eastern Conference final

Connor McClennon had a hat trick and an assist on Saturday.

The Winnipeg Ice top line felt the need for speed and the need for goals.

The forward unit of right-winger Connor McClennon, centre Matthew Savoie and left-winger Zach Benson delivered an abundance of both in Game 2 of the WHL Eastern Conference Championship Series on Saturday afternoon against visiting the Saskatoon Blades. The Ice trio combined for five goals and five assists to power their host squad to a 6-2 victory before an appreciative gathering of 1,720 spectators at the Wayne Fleming Arena.

McClennon had a hat trick and an assist, while both Savoie and Benson each had a goal and two assists.

With the win, the Ice take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven set. Games 3 and 4 are set for Tuesday and Wednesday respectively at 7 p.m. both nights at the SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon.

Before the Ice stars took flight, the Blades came with a good initial push at the start of the first period. The visitor’s early momentum was assisted by the face Ice standout centre Conor Geekie was given a minor penalty for tripping at the 4:07 mark of the opening frame.

On the ensuing power play, Ice star netminder Daniel Hauser turned away two dangerous chances coming from a midrange shot from the left slot by Blades star left-winger Brandon Lisowsky and a point blank shot from the front of the Winnipeg net by centre Jayden Wiens.

Matthew Savoie had a goal and two assists on Saturday.

Right as the power play expired, the Ice turned the game’s momentum around. First, Ice defenceman Karter Prosofsky dumped Blades star import right-winger Egor Sidorov with a big hit.

A short time after that hit, Ice star offensive-defenceman Carson Lambos had the puck in his own zone and hit McClennon with a stretch pass at centre ice. McClennon jetted into the Saskatoon zone down the right wing and snapped home a shot just above the right faceoff dot to give the hosts a 1-0 edge. The goal came on Winnipeg’s first shot of the contest.

After the Ice went ahead on the scoreboard, the Blades had a chance to pull even off a good rush by Lisowsky. On a rush down the left wing into the Winnipeg zone, Lisowsky made a toe drag move around an Ice defenceman and snipped a shot on goal that was turned away by Hauser.

With 2:29 remaining in the first, McClennon scored his second of the contest to put the Ice up 2-0 with the Winnipeg side working on the power play. Ice star offensive-defenceman Ben Zloty had the puck above the right faceoff circle and fed a pass down to McClennon, who was left all alone by the left post of the Saskatoon net. McClennon made no mistake potting his second of the contest into an open cage to give his squad a two-goal edge.

The Ice power-play goal ended a run for the Blades where they had killed 12 straight power-play chances by their opposition.

Zach Benson (#9) had a goal and two assists for the Ice.

When the opening 20 minutes came to a close, the Blades held a 10-9 edge in shots on goal, but the Ice held a 2-0 advantage on the scoreboard.

At the 3:25 mark of the second, the Ice’s topped line lived out the cliché that you have to be good to be lucky and lucky to be good. McClennon put the puck into the right corner of the Saskatoon zone on what seemed like a harmless dump in.

Blades netminder Austin Elliott started to skate behind his net in anticipation of playing the puck. The puck took a wicked curl off the boards and shot out across the face of the Saskatoon goal straight to a forechecking Benson. Benson dumped the puck into an empty Blades net to push the hosts lead out to 3-0.

With 7:31 remaining in the second, the Ice received a goal from outside their top forward line. Geekie had the puck just inside his own blue-line and hit standout centre Owen Pederson, who turned 21-years-old in late March, with a stretch pass just before the Saskatoon blue-line.

The Blades were caught on a line change, which allowed Pederson to streak into the Saskatoon zone on a breakaway. Pederson snuck a nifty backhand shot between the legs of Elliott for his third goal of the post-season to give the Ice a 4-0 lead.

Justin Lies scored for the Blades.

Just 68 seconds into the third, McClennon completed his hat trick to put the Ice ahead 5-0 on a play that almost resembled his power-play goal earlier in the contest. Ice defenceman Graham Sward had the puck at the right point and he fed a smart pass down to McClennon, who was again alone at the left post of the Saskatoon goal.

McClennon calmly potted his hat trick goal into an empty cage to give the hosts a five-goal edge. The tally was also the 10^th of the post-season for McClennon.

The Blades broke through for the first time in the series on the scoreboard shortly after the midway point of the third period where gritty left-winger Justin Lies seemingly turned into Blades all-time great Bernie Federko for a rush. Lies got the puck in the centre ice zone, jetting down the right wing, deked out and zipped around Lambos to get in alone on the Winnipeg net and slipped home a shot between the legs of Hauser to cut the Ice lead to 5-1.

With 5:21 remaining in the third, the Blades struck on the power play to trim the Ice advantage to 5-2. Wiens knocked home a puck about a foot in the air off the ice surface at the right side of the Winnipeg net to pull the Blades to within three. The opportunity Wiens cashed in on came from a rebound off a shot taken by Blades star centre Trevor Wong.

The officials checked out the tally on a video review and confirmed the goal was a good one.

The Blades were hoping to build on the two-goal surge and pulled Elliott for an extra attacker with 4:38 remaining in the third.

Jayden Wiens scored for the Blades on Saturday.

The Ice sealed the final outcome with 3:33 remaining in the third with an empty-net goal from Savoie that rounded out the 6-2 final.

Hauser made 27 saves to pick up the win in goal for the Ice, who have won five straight post-season games. Elliott turned away 27-of-32 shots to take the setback in net for the Blades.

The Blades were without 20-year-old defenceman Blake Gustafson and 18-year-old rearguard Ben Saunderson on Saturday as they were both injured in the team’s second game Eastern Conference semifinal series win over the Red Deer Rebels. They have yet to suit up for the Blades in their series with the Ice.

Black ace Morgan Tastad, who turned 17-years-old in January, dressed for his second career WHL post-season contest on Saturday and second straight game to allow the Blades to have six defencemen.

Tastad played most of the 2022-23 campaign with the Saskatoon Contacts under-18 AAA team. In 41 regular season appearances with the Contacts, Tastad had three goals and 24 assists.

Saskatoon elected to dress left-winger Mikhail Volotovskii in place of centre Jordan Keller with the hopes of getting a spark offensively.

Trevor Wong had an assist for the Blades on Saturday.

The Ice’s biggest scratch was 19-year-old defenceman Wyatt Wilson. Winnipeg elected to dress 17-year-old rookie rearguard Ashton Cumby for his third career post-season contest.

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

The Blades finished fourth in the overall WHL regular season standings with a 48-15-4-1 record and were rated 10^th in the final CHL Top 10 Rankings.

The Blades overcame a 2-0 deficit in a first round series against Connor Bedard and the Regina Pats and a 3-0 deficit in an Eastern Conference semifinal against the Rebels to win those sets in respective Game 7s.

The Ice are pleased to have a 2-0 series lead.

Looking ahead, the Blades can’t be counted out, but the Ice’s skill and depth in skill will be tough to overcome.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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