The Winnipeg ICE had goals from five different players to help pace them past the Lethbridge Hurricanes 5-2 and earn a weekend split.
Just like Friday night, the ICE struck first and they did it early. Just 3:01 into the game Michael Milne created a turnover and finished it off by going upstairs on Hurricanes goalie Bryan Tompson. The goal was unassisted.
The push back from Lethbridge came almost immediately after falling behind. The Hurricanes thought they had tied the game after a close call in the ICE crease, Alex Thacker poked at the puck but it was ruled to have not crossed the line.
Lethbridge carried that momentum and continued to press, finally, they were rewarded. Ty Nash unloaded a laser for his fifth goal of the season that tied this game at 1-1.
The intensity picked up throughout this game as a playoff atmosphere set in.
Winnipeg regained the lead on the powerplay just past the midway mark of the period. Isaac Johnson’s beautiful shot beat Thomson for his 22nd of the season. Helpers on the play were awarded to Peyton Krebs and Dawson Barteaux.
Lethbridge did find an answer late in the period as Dylan Cozens found Thacker backdoor and he made no mistake for his fourth of the season and he sent the game into the break 2-2.
The second period is where the ICE took control and a bit a controversy hit.
First, the intensity of the game would show when Logan Barlage was chasing a puck behind the net and took out ICE goalie Liam Hughes. Both players were called for a minor on the play. Barlage for interference and Hughes for embellishment.
The visitors then regained the lead 4:30 into the frame, Owen Pederson in the slot, managed to get his stick on a Nolan Orzeck blast. That marker was Pederson’s 22nd of the season.
This was where the controversy hit, just moments after falling behind, the Hurricanes had some sustained pressure that seemed to end with the puck being poked through the five-hole of Hughes but it was waved off by the official behind the net. After review, the call stood.
“He said he thought it was under his pad and that’s what he said and that’s the way it goes,” said Hurricanes head coach Brent Kisio following the night’s action.
That moment seemed to derail the Hurricanes who then fell behind by two goals when Jakin Smallwood found the back of the net, his 13th of the year. That goal ended Thomson’s night in the Lethbridge goal as Carl Tetachuk would take over.
Holding onto a two-goal lead headed into the final frame, the ICE looked to steer it home and that they did. Adding an early goal again in the third period to make it 5-2 and seemly put this one way. The Hurricanes had a couple of chances over the period but were unable to solve Hughes in the Winnipeg net. Hughes finished the night with 37 saves.
The final shots were 39-27 for the home team.
An obviously frustrated Kisio added, “Well, I thought it was a hard-fought game and they came hard, It’s one of those games that we have to respond better and do a better job of fighting our way back in.”
Hurricanes captain Ty Prefontaine echoed his coach’s statement, “We knew what we had to do going into the third and I think we got away from it, we know what we have to do to be successful and we have to be more consistent.”
Shooting the breeze: Hurricanes despite the loss still took the season series with a 2-1-1 record against the ICE.
Winnipeg scored the only powerplay goal on the night going 1-for-4, Lethbridge was unsuccessful on their single man advantage. The Hurricanes did hold the faceoff edge winning 34 of the 63 draws.
The Hurricanes home point streak of ten games was ended in the loss they were 8-0-2-0 in those ten games. With the win, the ICE has now won 4 of their last 5.
Next up for both teams are Monday matinees; Winnipeg will travel to Medicine Hat to play the Tigers while Lethbridge heads north to the Provincial capital to play the division-leading Edmonton Oil Kings.
