Ice knot series with Warriors with thrilling OT victory

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This article was published 19/04/2023 (1252 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

It was a game the Winnipeg Ice needed to have, and they came through in spades.

Winnipeg’s junior club entered Wednesday night in danger of falling into a 3-1 hole in their best-of-seven Western Hockey League playoffs series. Instead, the Ice left Moose Jaw tied 2-2 after outlasting the Warriors 3-2 in overtime in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at Mosaic Place.

The series turns to a best-of-three and returns to Winnipeg for Game 5 at Wayne Fleming Arena on Saturday, 7:30 p.m. puck drop.

Zack Ostapchuk was the hero for Winnipeg at the 11:56 mark in extra time, scoring his sixth goal of the post-season off a redirection on the power play.

Vladislav Shilo and Matthew Savoie added the Ice’s two markers in regulation and goaltender Daniel Hauser staged an impressive 29-save bounce-back performance one night after being chased from his crease in the first period. Defenceman Ben Zloty led all skaters with three points (all assists) on the night.

Martin Rysavy and Jagger Firkus scored for Moose Jaw on a night they were outshot 41-31.

It was the most defensively focused game of the series to this point. None of the previous three contests had seen fewer than eight goals scored. But both teams were strong in their own ends, and the Ice hit three posts on the night.

For a second consecutive game, all eyes were on the Ice’s special teams units. The Warriors were six-for-nine on the power play in the series, but on this night were shutout on their lone opportunity.

Meanwhile, the Ice’s power play, which had been relatively quiet in the second round after firing on nearly every cylinder in the first round sweep over the Medicine Hat Tigers, picked up when the club needed it most.

jfreysam@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jfreysam