OT: Winnipeg ICE 2021-2022 [ICE @ Brandon Fri Dec 17]

[jetsmooseice]

Also, winning the Memorial Cup would go a long way to helping get a new building built and increasing their fan base.

Yeah, being deprived of playoffs two straight years is a brutally unfortunate set of circumstances for a club like the ICE that is still working hard to establish a fanbase in the local market. You know that two lengthy playoff runs would have created a lot of new ICE fans. Fingers crossed that this is the year it finally happens!

 

[jetsmooseice]

Ho hum. Another week, another number one CHL ranking for the ICE.

So let's talk about WJHC rosters... which ICE players have a shot of making Team Canada? I'm assuming Savoie has to be in the mix for sure with Geekie right behind. Lambos must be in the conversation. Are there any outside chances? Maybe Gage Alexander?

 

[wpgfishfan]

Ho hum. Another week, another number one CHL ranking for the ICE.

So let's talk about WJHC rosters... which ICE players have a shot of making Team Canada? I'm assuming Savoie has to be in the mix for sure with Geekie right behind. Lambos must be in the conversation. Are there any outside chances? Maybe Gage Alexander?

Very hard to make it pre NHL draft

Does Lambos not have a crack?

 

[Guardian17]

Highlights: ICE (4) at Broncos (3) – WHL Network

 

[jetsmooseice]

Crazy dramatic win for the ICE on a goal by Savoie in the final two minutes. Swift Current is definitely on the upswing again, they are looking much better than the punching bag they were in 2019-20 and Isaac Poulter is good enough in net to cover up most Bronco mistakes.

Not sure if the ICE got a little lazy or what but the Broncos were able to get into the slot for quite a few chances, more so than most teams get vs Winnipeg. Lucky for the ICE that Gage Alexander was up to the task with some spectacular saves. Not sure what happened to Carson Lambos as he was out for the later parts of the game, that didn't help in terms of dealing with the Bronco barrage.

In any event, nice to see the ICE come out of Swift Current with another two points. Now it's on to Medicine Hat for a game tonight.

 

[Guardian17]

Highlights: ICE (4) at Tigers (2) – WHL Network

 

[jetsmooseice]

Good game last night, ICE played well even though the defence is compromised without Lambos in the lineup. This is an issue for the team though and it will have to be addressed... I kind of wonder why they got rid of Anson McMaster given that he would have at least allowed the team to ice 6 decent defencemen. On that note, whatever happened to Martin Bohm?

Daniel Hauser was off the hook with some amazing saves yesterday, he let in a couple of late goals but that was more on the team in front of him that was letting the desperate Tigers dictate the game and get in front of the net.

Savoie is really setting himself apart with his speed and puck control. At the other end I don't know what the hell is going on but Orzeck and Zloty looked like they were having trouble hanging on to the puck at the point. Lots of fumbling and sloppiness there. Not bad but relative to what we've been seeing, not their best outing. I did like Streule's game defensively, he is surprisingly physical.

Medicine Hat played the ICE pretty tough, they didn't really look like a last place team to me. Speaks to the quality of the central division teams.

Back home again for another matchup against the rough and ready Broncos, can't wait.

 

[jetsmooseice]

Mike Sawatzky reporting in this morning's Free Press that Carson Lambos is out week-to-week, and will definitely not be playing in Wednesday or this weekend's games:

DEFENCEMAN Carson Lambos was in the midst of an all-star calibre season when he was injured during a WHL game in Swift Current Friday night.

His return to the Winnipeg Ice lineup remains uncertain and he won’t be available for home games Wednesday (Swift Current), Saturday (Medicine Hat) and Sunday (Prince Albert) at Wayne Fleming Arena.

The 18-year-old suffered an upper-body injury Friday and missed the third period of Winnipeg’s 4-3 win over the Broncos and he subsequently missed all of the road matchup against the Medicine Hat Tigers on Saturday.

There was a brief rundown of the other injuries. Looks like Bohm is out for a while, with him and Lambos out, the defence is going to be stretched pretty tight.

Four other Winnipeg players are currently sidelined due to injury, including: forward Brayden Edwards (lower body, week-to-week), left-winger Owen Pederson (upper body, week-to-week); forward Evan Friesen (upper body, week-to-week); and defenceman Martin Bohm (upper body, indefinite).

Source: Ice D-man Lambos on shelf - Winnipeg Free Press

 

[jetsmooseice]

Just an aside here, but I had to get some extra tickets for tonight's game. When I bought them yesterday, my section was nearly empty on the seating map. Yet inevitably tonight's game, a midweek encounter on the same night as a Jets game, will be announced as a sellout even though there will be hundreds of empty seats visible in the stands. What is the purpose of pretending the games are sold out when they clearly aren't?

 

[RetroWinnipeg]

Just an aside here, but I had to get some extra tickets for tonight's game. When I bought them yesterday, my section was nearly empty on the seating map. Yet inevitably tonight's game, a midweek encounter on the same night as a Jets game, will be announced as a sellout even though there will be hundreds of empty seats visible in the stands. What is the purpose of pretending the games are sold out when they clearly aren't?

Rule of thumb: just buy a General Admission ticket and sit wherever it looks empty. Plus, don't forget about those 25% off codes in their emails.

 

[Guardian17]

WATCH: Highlights ICE 7 Broncos 0 – Winnipeg Ice

 

[jetsmooseice]

Tour de force last night as the ICE dominated a clearly spent Broncos team. This was a far cry from last Friday's much closer matchup in Swift Current. SC's backup goaltender Reid Dyck played a decent game considering the circumstances, and prevented it from getting much worse.

McClennon and Bertholet each had a pair but I had to feel a bit for Milne and Geekie who managed to get a few nice opportunities to score but just couldn't get it in.

A little more on the crowd thing, word must be getting out about the ICE because last night was probably one of the best attended weeknight games that I've seen, it was actually quite close to full.

 

[Guardian17]

WATCH: Highlights – ICE 7 Tigers 2 – Winnipeg Ice

 

[Guardian17]

WATCH: Highlights – ICE 3 Raiders 4 – Winnipeg Ice

 

[blueandgoldguy]

What we lost!!! How dare they lose a game!

 

[kanadalainen]

What? A loss???

 

[snowkiddin]

What we lost!!! How dare they lose a game!

What? A loss???

Fire the coach!

 

[RetroWinnipeg]

 

[Guardian17]

Second loss of the season.

Time to start the ICE tank thread!

 

[jetsmooseice]

I was there the last time the ICE lost a home game, in February 2020. I was starting to wonder if it would ever happen again.

Even though the ICE lost they still skated away with a point. Although I'm sure they must have been sheepish about letting this one get away on them. ICE jumped out to a 3-0 lead and then switched to cruise control. Which was a mistake given that PA was a driven team, they were fast and physical. Kaiden Guhle seemingly willed his team to win, he was doing everything out there at both ends of the ice. Amazing game by that guy, he is going to be a beast for the Habs before too long. They had other weapons to rely on too, Wiesblatt was also doing a great job making plays and dishing out some hits to slow the ICE down. Reece Vitelli impressed with his blazing speed, that guy is something else. PA started their backup goalie who impressed me way more than Carter Serhiyenko ever has. The Raiders did not play like a last place team, that's for sure. There are still several players on that team that were there when PA won the WHL championship in 2019 (that's right, they're still the defending champs) and you can see why they made it that far.

As much as it sucks to lose this was maybe not the worst thing to happen to the ICE. It's a good reminder that the other teams are for real and you can't switch it off when you jump out to a lead. Now that said, I thought they were doing a lot of the right things to get the puck into the opponent's end but just couldn't execute. For some reason there was more sloppy hockey than normal with a lot of turnovers, missed passes, way-wide shots, etc. Then of course they got caught on a couple of line changes to result in the first couple PA goals that got them back in the game. Oof.

If Lambos was in the lineup I'm convinced the ICE would have taken the win but here we are. I think this team could use one more solid d man because if Orzeck or Zloty got injured before Lambos comes back they could be in trouble defensively, kind of like what happened in the bubble last season. Last season it was Krebs pitching in on the back end, last night it was Jakin Smallwood. Maybe it's time to exchange some of the depth up front for another defenceman?

 

[surixon]

How the heck did Savoie not get named to the selection camp roster for team Canada.

 

[jetsmooseice]

How the heck did Savoie not get named to the selection camp roster for team Canada.

Bit of a surprise, but then again he is still 17 so his time will come.

surixon, I hope you are able to make an ICE/Pats game on Jan. 15 and 16 because I'd love to read your take on how Zach Benson stacks up with Connor Bedard in the 23 draft class!

 

[surixon]

Bit of a surprise, but then again he is still 17 so his time will come.

surixon, I hope you are able to make an ICE/Pats game on Jan. 15 and 16 because I'd love to read your take on how Zach Benson stacks up with Connor Bedard in the 23 draft class!

I'll try to keep that in mind.

 

[snowkiddin]

Bit of a surprise, but then again he is still 17 so his time will come.

surixon, I hope you are able to make an ICE/Pats game on Jan. 15 and 16 because I'd love to read your take on how Zach Benson stacks up with Connor Bedard in the 23 draft class!

Is Benson back yet? He’s been hurt the last little while AFAIK

 

[jetsmooseice]

Is Benson back yet? He’s been hurt the last little while AFAIK

Benson is out of the ICE lineup because he's absolutely tearing it up for Team Canada Black at the Capital Cities Challenge in Ottawa. He had a 7 point game on Monday night