Ice goalie from Okotoks stops the shots

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This article was published 02/04/2021 (2008 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

THE sample size is small and the season is short but Gage Alexander has the look of the most improved player on the Winnipeg Ice roster.

He was at it again Friday night.

The 6-7, 205-pounder from Okotoks, Alta., stopped all 31 shots for his first career shutout to lead the Ice to 3-0 triumph over the Prince Albert Raiders in the WHL East Division hub at Regina’s Brandt Centre.

Alexander didn’t have a significant impact as a rookie but his sophomore season has been a revelation.

The 18-year-old improved to 3-2-1-0 with a .926 save percentage and 2.01 goals-against average in the hub. Friday’s stellar effort came with Winnipeg reduced to five defenceman with veterans Carson Lambos, Nolan Orzeck and Mike Ladyman all out due to injury.

The Ice killed off five Prince Albert power plays while connecting twice on three chances. Ozzy Wiesblatt thought he had given the Raiders a 1-0 first-period lead but the whistle was blown before the puck went into the net and the goal disallowed.

Alexander has reworked his game to become an imposing presence in the net.

“It does feel somewhat that way but I also really feel that he’s really feeling good about himself, he’s got a lot more confidence and he’s a lot more comfortable,” said Ice head coach James Patrick. “I think he had a lot to learn about making himself big, because he’s a big guy.”

A scoreless game took a big turn in the second period when P.A.’s Dallyn Peekeekoot was handed a charging major and game misconduct for his open-ice hit on Winnipeg’s Jakin Smallwood.

Cole Muir sniped his fourth and Owen Pederson potted his sixth during the ensuing power play, although the teams played 4-on-4 for two minutes during the major when Winnipeg’s Conor Geekie went to the box for high-sticking.

Smallwood, who leads the Ice with eight goals in 11 games, was able to return.

Centre Michael Milne, sidelined since the start of the hub while rehabbing from an off-season shoulder surgery, had an action-filled debut.

Milne had a number of first-period scoring chances and finally hit paydirt early in the third, finishing Skyler Bruce’s setup. The fourth line of Milne, Bruce and rookie Chase Bertholet was outstanding.

“It was just good to really balance out the four units and he allowed me to play for lines and with his speed and what he brings I thought they had a number of real good shifts, hemmed the other team in thier zone and put some pressure on them and got some looks. It was great for him to get that first game under his belt. But I wasn’t expecting anything remotely as good as how well he played.”

The win improved Winnipeg’s record to 7-4-0-0, good for third in the East. The Raiders, who got a 15-save effort from Max Paddock and losers of three straight, are sixth at 3-6-1-1.

The Ice wraps up busy week with a Saturday matchup with the Regina Pats. Game time is 5 p.m.

BLUE-LINES: Ice defenceman Carson Lambos (unspecified ailment) is out for the duration of the hub while blue-liner Nolan Orzeck (lower body) is out week-to-week and defender Mike Ladyman (upper body) is likely out until next week. Centre James Form (upper body) is skating and could return within a week while left-winger Rhys Raeside (lower body) is out longer term… P.A. was missing all-star defenceman Kaiden Guhle (upper body), who is out indefinitely and forward Evan Herman (upper body), who is day-to-day… Three stars: 1. Gage Alexander, Winnipeg (31 saves); 2. Owen Pederson, Winnipeg (one goal); 3. Michael Milne, Winnipeg (one goal, four shots)… Ice captain Peyton Krebs collected an assist on Muir’s goal, extending his point-scoring streak to 10 games. He now has six goals and 19 points.

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14