Ice dominate in series-clinching victory over Warriors

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This article was published 24/04/2023 (957 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

The Winnipeg Ice were at their collective best when the stakes were highest.

The top-seeded Ice trounced the fourth-seed Moose Jaw Warriors 8-2 in a pivotal Game 6 of the Eastern Conference semifinals at Mosaic Place in Moose Jaw, Sask., on Monday. The victory sealed the best-of-seven series 4-2 and, for a consecutive season, punched the club’s ticket to the Eastern Conference finals, where they will face the Saskatoon Blades or Red Deer Rebels.

Winnipeg’s junior club was dominant from the outset on the road, tallying eight goals and outshooting the Warriors 31-17 in the first 40 minutes of play. Connor McClennon and Conor Geekie, who has scored five times in the last two contests, led the Ice’s offensive onslaught with two goals apiece on a night six different skaters found the back of the net.

Goaltender Daniel Hauser staged yet another rock-solid performance on the back of 24 saves. Since being chased from the crease after allowing three goals on eight shots in the first period of Game 3, Hauser has allowed just six goals and stopped 80 of the 86 shots he’s faced in the last three outings.

The Warriors had been dominant at home during the playoffs, having lost just once entering Monday night’s affair (Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semi-final against Winnipeg).

Zack Ostapchuk continued his stellar playoffs by drawing first blood for the Ice halfway into the first period after skating untouched into the high slot and wiring a quick wrister past Warriors goaltender Connor Ungar. Ostapchuk, the club’s biggest acquisition at the trade deadline, has seven goals and has opened the game’s scoring four times this post-season.

Vladislav Shilo doubled the lead 51 seconds later with a superb solo effort in front of the net, following up on a pair of his own rebounds before firing the puck into the back of the net.

McClennon started a six-goal second frame with a pair of goals in the first 140 seconds before defenceman Graham Sward, Evan Friesen and Geekie put the game well out of reach entering the final period.

The lone dull spot on the team’s outing came on special teams, as the Warriors went a perfect two-for-two on the power play. The Ice have allowed 12 goals on 27 opportunities this postseason (55.55 per cent).

The Ice return to the Eastern Conference finals, where their season ended a year ago in a 4-1 series loss to the eventual champion Edmonton Oil Kings. The club won’t have to wait long to find out their next opponent, as the Blades and Rebels will square off in a winner-take-all Game 7 in Red Deer Tuesday. The winner will travel to the Manitoba capital for Games 1 and 2.

jfreysam@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @jfreysam