For 50 minutes, the Saskatoon Blades were in very good position to win their 30th game of the 2021-22 W-H-L regular-season, only to have the explosive Winnipeg ICE rally for a 4-3 overtime triumph Friday at SaskTel Centre.
Jakin Smallwood banged home the rebound of Nolan Orzeck’s shot with seven-tenths of a second remaining in the fourth period as Winnipeg rallied from a 3-1 deficit to win their 36th game of the season and clinch the season-series with the Bridge City Bunch in front of 3,140 fans. Up until the mid-point of the third period, the Blue and Gold did a great job of shutting down the ICE…who were minus three of their top six forwards in Connor McClennon, Connor Geekie and Owen Pederson due to injury. In fact, Nolan Maier was winning a goaltender’s duel with Winnipeg’s Gage Alexander, with the help of some goal posts and cross-bars, before the dam burst. Trevor Wong extended his consecutive-game points streak to 11 with two goals while Noah Boyko returned from a 10-game injury absence to notch the other goal for the 29-18-4 Blades. The result leaves Saskatoon three points back of fourth place Moose Jaw in the Eastern Conference standings and three points ahead of sixth place Brandon. The Blades return to action Saturday when they entertain the Red Deer Rebels at 7 o’clock with CJWW’s broadcast starting at 6:30. Following is the official game summary courtesy the W-H-L and Les Lazaruk’s Post-Game Show interviews with head coach Brennan Sonne and versatile performer Spencer Shugrue…..
Winnipeg ICE 4 (OT) at Saskatoon Blades 3 – Status: Final OT
Friday, March 4, 2022 – SaskTel Centre – Saskatoon, SK
Winnipeg 0 0 3 1 – 4
Saskatoon 0 1 2 0 – 3
1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Wheatcroft Wpg (interference), 13:45; De La Gorgendiere Sas (holding), 18:36; Finley Wpg (tripping), 19:02.
2nd Period-1, Saskatoon, Wong 14 (Gronick, Parr), 6:47. Penalties-Benson Wpg (cross checking), 9:13.
3rd Period-2, Winnipeg, Savoie 24 (Zloty), 3:34. 3, Saskatoon, Boyko 14 (Rhinehart, Wiens), 5:43. 4, Saskatoon, Wong 15 (Lisowsky, Shugrue), 8:48. 5, Winnipeg, Savoie 25 (Lambos), 10:48. 6, Winnipeg, Finley 17 (Zloty), 17:15 (PP). Penalties-served by Lisowsky Sas (coach’s challenge bench minor), 10:48; Pillar Sas (hooking), 16:08.
OT Period-7, Winnipeg, Smallwood 20 (Orzeck, Milne), 4:59. Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-Winnipeg 4-8-14-5-31. Saskatoon 10-10-8-3-31.
Power Play Opportunities-Winnipeg 1 / 3; Saskatoon 0 / 3.
Goalies-Winnipeg, Alexander 18-7-1-2 (31 shots-28 saves). Saskatoon, Maier 24-15-3-1 (31 shots-27 saves).
A-3,140
Referees-Brayden Arcand (71), Aydon Brown (85).
Linesmen-Tanner McGregor (55), Aiden Penner (109).
