Losing streaks of a few games happen, and the Winnipeg ICE have experienced that for the first time.
Beginning a two-game road trip against a Medicine Hat team that’s off to a great start, Winnipeg never led as they got down early in a 5-2 loss inside of the Canalta Centre.
The loss pushes their skid to three games after consecutive losses last weekend.
There was a lot of optimism before the game as Jesse Makaj made his return between the pipes for Winnipeg. However, his return was less than pleasant.
It took Medicine Hat just 1:28 to score when Elijah Brown beat Makaj shorthanded to give the Tigers a 1-0 lead. Cole Clayton and Bryan Lockner notched the assists.
Not long after, Medicine Hat doubled up their lead.
Tyler Preziuso scored his third goal of the young season to give the Tigers a 2-0 lead on home ice. James Hamblin and Baxter Anderson set the marker up.
Holding that lead into the middle 20, Medicine Hat got right back onto the offensive.
Baxter Anderson got his second assist on the night when he set up Ryan Chyzowski who beat Jesse Makaj 7:29 into the period. Brett Kemp also had an assist.
Cue the comeback. After about an 11-hour trip to play the game, Winnipeg wasn’t going down without a fight. Jakin Smallwood scored his first goal of the season with Connor McClennon and Reece Harsch getting the assists at the 12:03 mark.
Still down 3-1 going into the third, Winnipeg needed a huge final frame, and they started things off right.
On the power play, just 1:10 into the third, Connor McClennon scored his second goal of the season. Carson Lambos and Michal Teply had the assists on the goal that trimmed the deficit to 3-2.
In the end, that’s as close as Winnipeg got. Cole Sillinger scored his fifth goal of the season with 13:54 left to double the lead once again.
With 1:06 left, Tyler Preziuso scored into the empty net to make the lead 5-2, and that’s where the game would end.
Winnipeg ends their weekend with a game in Swift Current on Saturday. Medicine Hat, meanwhile, welcomes Red Deer to town.
ICE CHIPS:
- Medicine Hat has won three of their last four games, scoring 18 goals in the process. They’re 6-2-1 overall.
- Winnipeg has scored just twice in their three-game skid.
- Jesse Makaj finished the game with 29 saves.
- Garin Bjorklund continued his fantastic start. He’s 3-0 now with a 1.66 GAA and a .943 save percentage.
