Zloty on the money as Ice take 3-0 series lead over Tigers

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 04/04/2023 (1277 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Ice hit cruise control early on Tuesday night.

After a couple of gritty efforts at home in Games 1 and 2, the Ice waltzed into Medicine Hat, Alta. and trounced the Tigers 7-2 in Game 3 of their first-round duel in the WHL playoffs. The Ice hold a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series entering Wednesday’s potential series-clinching Game 4. Puck drop is at 8 p.m. (CT).

The Ice were outshot for the third game in a row (25-24), yet produced a third-straight multi-goal victory. Zack Ostapchuk and Easton Armstrong bookended an offensive onslaught that saw seven different skaters score for Winnipeg on a night goaltender Daniel Hauser stood tall in a 23-save effort.

Brandon Lee and Gavin McKenna scored for the Tigers while netminder Beckett Langkow was shelled in a 17-save defeat.

Ben Zloty, the league’s highest-scoring blue liner this year (81 points), led all skaters with three points on the night, extending a nine-game point streak that dates back to the regular season.

A four-goal first period was the main serving in this one.

It was déja vú from the series opener when Ostapchuk opened the scoring 1:50 into the game. On this night, the power forward would need just 60 seconds to find the back of the net after jumping on a loose puck in front and slapping in his third goal of the series.

Ostapchuk, the coveted trade-deadline acquisition and former captain of the Vancouver Giants, proved to be a force during the Giants’ post-season run in 2022, leading the team with 23 points in 12 games. He’s continued to perform when it matters most, imposing his 6-3 198-pound frame in each game of the opening round, so far.

Four minutes later, Zloty circled the Tigers’ net before sliding a slick backhand feed to Evan Friesen to double the lead. The blistering start continued seven seconds later when Matthew Savoie added his name to the score sheet for the third-straight game. Savoie, a top prospect of the Buffalo Sabres, has five goals and eight points in the series.

The Ice added two more power play markers on Tuesday, courtesy of Armstrong and Connor McClennon, both in the third period. The Ice’s power play unit was the difference in the first two games and stayed hot on the road, now 7-for-18 (38.8 per cent ) in the series.

Winnipeg will reach the second round of the WHL playoffs for a consecutive season with a win on Wednesday.

jfreysam@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jfreysam