Milne scores twice for Ice, now a WHL-best 14-1

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This article was published 08/11/2021 (1479 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Mikey Milne came within a successful third period penalty shot of potting his first career WHL hat trick. But he did plenty of damage before that Sunday afternoon.

The 19-year-old left-winger, currently enjoying a career season, scored twice to spark the Winnipeg Ice to a 7-5 triumph over the Red Deer Rebels at the Wayne Fleming Arena Sunday afternoon.

Heading into Sunday’s late games, Milne was leading the league with 12 goals in 15 games and was also tied with Saskatoon Blades centre Tristen Robins for the points lead with 23.

Milne’s career highs are 13 goals and 33 points, established in 2019-20.

A goal on a penalty shot, assessed when Red Deer’s Christoffer Sedoff slashed Milne on the ankle on a breakaway, would have been an appropriate capper on the game. Goaltender Chase Coward denied Milne’s penalty shot attempt midway through the third period.

“Honestly it wasn’t too bad,” said Milne of any pain he might have been feeling after the slash. “I was more focused on getting the goal, but it didn’t happen tonight. I’m just going to continue to work hard and maybe some day.”

Zach Benson also had a pair of goals for the hosts, who led 6-2 after 40 minutes but almost squandered the advantage during a penalty-filled third period.

Jakin Smallwood, Ben Zloty and Carson Lambos, into an empty net, also scored for the Ice, which improved to an East Division-leading 14-1-0-0.

“Every team we’re gonna play is gonna get up for us,” said Ice head coach James Patrick. “Sometimes the schedule is going to favour us. We just went to Alberta and every game was 2-1 except for one game. But when we do have success, I don’t want guys playing for points. I don’t want them cheating on the on the offensive side. That’s that’s been our biggest challenge. So tonight, it was just (a lack of) discipline and I didn’t like the way we played… the third period.

Liam Keeler, Arshdeep Bains, Carter Anderson, Blake Stevenson and Mateo Fabrizi replied with goals for the Rebels, who started the third period trailing 6-1 before clawing back into the game.

Red Deer, which was 3-for-8 on the power play, is second in the Central Division with a 9-6-1-0 record. Winnipeg went 2-for-4 with a man advantage.

Gage Alexander stopped 19 shots in the Winnipeg net. Red Deer goaltenders Connor Ungar and Coward combined for 25 saves.

mike.sawatzky@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @sawa14