TIGERS DROP GAME 3 TO ICE
Medicine Hat, AB – The Winnipeg ICE got a three goal lead on route to a 7-2 victory in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarter Final over the Medicine Hat Tigers Tuesday Night at Co-op Place.
The ICE got busy early in the first period thanks to three goals in the first 6:58 as Zach Ostapchuk scored his third of the season just 1:00 into the game from Karter Prosofsky amd Ty Nash, which was followed up by Evan Friesen at 5:45 after the conclusion of a Winnipeg power play for his second of the playoffs from Ben Zloty & Prosofsky with his second point of the night, followed by a Matthew Savoie goal 13 seconds later at 5:58 to give the visitors the early advantage. Following the first media timeout the Tigers would build serious momentum leading to Brenden Lee’s (Seattle, WA) first goal of the playoffs on a one-time feed from Tyler MacKenzie (Red Deer, AB) at 8:21 to cut the Winnipeg lead to 3-1. The Tigers would continue to push but ICE goaltender Daniel Hauser would slam the door making 9/10 saves in the period to keep the Winnipeg lead at 3-1.
In the second stanza both teams would trade early chances in the second by halfway through the first the ICE would counter on goals 3:40 apart as Ty Nash would get his first of the series beating Beckett Langkow (Vegreville, AB) at 11:48 then on another breakaway Conor Geekie would get his first of the post season from Zloty at 14:28 to increase the ICE lead to 5-1. The Tigers would get a couple chances after in the 2nd but twice, Tomas Mrsic (Surrey, BC) would hit the post and the Winnipeg 5-1 lead would carry over into the 3rd period.
The ICE would get on the board on an early 5 on 3 power play as Connor McClennon would one-time home his 3rd of the series from Zloty again just 49 seconds into the third as the second power play goal of the period would come from Easton Armstrong for his 1st of the playoffs from Ty Fraser at 8:17 pushing the lead to 7-1 Winnipeg. But on a Tigers man advantage of their own Gavin McKenna (Whitehorse, YT) would score his 1st career WHL Playoff goal at 12:29 from Mrsic & Cayden Lindstrom (Chetwynd, BC) would get the Tigers their third straight game with a power play goal but would end up on the wrong side of Game 3, falling 7-2.
Winnipeg takes a 3-0 series lead in the Best of 7 Eastern Conference Quarter Final heading into tomorrow’s win or go home match-up for Game 4 in Medicine Hat Wednesday. The Tigers were out shot 21-20 in the game while going 1/4 on the power play and 5/7 on the penalty kill.
Get your tickets now for Game 4 HERE. Tonight’s attendance, 3420.
