Winnipeg Ice

[BKB]

Originally Posted by wags_in_the_peg

Pretty strong rumors floating around MJHL that Wpg Freeze is folding and Wpg Blues are purchased by wealthy owner of WHL Wheat Kings and WCHA (Brandon hockey academy). Blues would play out of J&H homes arena (2 yr old arena). 1st class production facility.

Great rink. Terrible sight lines.

[BlackDog204]

Total dominance.

Ice outplay the Tigers, and easily win 5-2, and go up 2 games to 0.


The Ice will travel to Medicine Hat, and hopefully finish off the series.


I hope I am not speaking too soon, but Connor Bedard lit up the #3 seed Saskatoon Blades, to help Regina take a 1-0 lead. If the Pats and Ice win, Connor Bedard and Regina will be playing Winnipeg. If I were in Winnipeg, I would log into the Ticketmaster website right away, as it will likely be sold out in 10 minutes.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by pkc90

I am moving to Winnipeg next year and am thinking about getting tickets for the Winnipeg Ice games. I know the arena is small and the team could move etc. but I am wondering if the team will be any good next year after being so strong these last two years? I know they have top-end young players who are still 18 but will they be headed to the NHL next year, or traded to rebuild? Thanks!

ICE season ticket holder here. I can't recommend it enough. Obviously this season has been extremely special and won't be repeated for many, many years if ever, but even a middle of the pack team will still be very entertaining to watch. Great atmosphere at the games and great value for money.

Originally Posted by wags_in_the_peg

i'd say middle pack team. they will be losing a few guys to NHL but some of their best talent will only be drafted this year. Hauser the goalie is there still and quite a few others. Moore plays with my kid in u18AAA and I've known him since 6 yrs old, i think he'll be a force not as much next year, but definitely the years after that. the biggest thing that will hurt them is there lack of draft high round picks for coming 3 years.

I would agree with this take. They'll be losing some of their big names but there will still be some talent left next season. This isn't an Edmonton scenario where they went 100% all in for last year with nothing left for the season after. That said, the 2024-25 season and beyond will likely be pretty miserable for the ICE.

Originally Posted by wags_in_the_peg

Pretty strong rumors floating around MJHL that Wpg Freeze is folding and Wpg Blues are purchased by wealthy owner of WHL Wheat Kings and WCHA (Brandon hockey academy). Blues would play out of J&H homes arena (2 yr old arena). 1st class production facility.

Interesting rumour. Brandon deserves a MJHL team and I think the J&H Homes guys would be the right people to run it with their new arena. But the MJHL would be foolish to leave Winnipeg altogether. It would make more sense to get 50 Below to sell the Freeze to the Brandon guys (never really understood why that was allowed to happen in the first place) and keep the Blues, a team with a long, illustrious heritage (they even won the Memorial Cup years ago), in Winnipeg.

Originally Posted by BlackDog204

Total dominance.

Ice outplay the Tigers, and easily win 5-2, and go up 2 games to 0.


The Ice will travel to Medicine Hat, and hopefully finish off the series.


I hope I am not speaking too soon, but Connor Bedard lit up the #3 seed Saskatoon Blades, to help Regina take a 1-0 lead. If the Pats and Ice win, Connor Bedard and Regina will be playing Winnipeg. If I were in Winnipeg, I would log into the Ticketmaster website right away, as it will likely be sold out in 10 minutes.

Love it. I'm happy that the ICE have been able to dominate while having their most potent offensive threat, Zach Benson, not on the ice. Let him continue to heal and rest up for the next round. Can't wait to see the ICE close out the series in Medicine Hat...fingers crossed.

[BlackDog204]

Connor Bedard is inhuman.

This guy actually elevates his game when all the chips are at stake. He had 5 points today, leading Regina to a 6-5 OT win. Bedard now has 5 goals and 3 assists in 2 games.

The Pats head home, and can finish off a very good Blades team with two home victories. I can only imagine the demand to see Bedard in Winnipeg, should they knock off Saskatoon.

[esquire]

^ If Calgary upsets Red Deer then the ICE would take on the Hitmen in round 2 assuming they can finish off the Tigers. But yeah, ICE vs. Pats is the matchup that everyone around here would be salivating over. The Pats improved dramatically over the course of the season... a few months ago it was doubtful that they'd even make the playoffs.

For what it's worth the ICE beat the Pats 19 straight times since moving here from BC, but the Pats finally won on their 20th try last month.

[BlackDog204]

Originally Posted by esquire

^ If Calgary upsets Red Deer then the ICE would take on the Hitmen in round 2 assuming they can finish off the Tigers. But yeah, ICE vs. Pats is the matchup that everyone around here would be salivating over.

Yes, I had erroneously thought that Red Deer was up 2-0 (they were up in game 2, so I had assumed they won). I still think the Rebels will win that series, but only time will tell.

[BlackDog204]

Well the Ice won easily, and are now up 3-0. Winnipeg can wrap things up in Medicine Hat tonight if the beat the Tigers.

In other news, Connor Bedard has been unbelievable, with 11 points in 3 games. However, even that performance did not prevent the Blades from winning in OT. Now the series is 2-1 Pats. Bedard can't do everything himself. It's time for the rest of the Regina team to step it up a notch. This game was very controversial, as Bedard should have had a 2nd goal, but the goalie bumped the net off it's bearings. so Regina was pretty much screwed out of a win.

#2 Red Deer plays #7 Calgary. A Rebel win in Calgary can put Red Deer up 3-1, and return home looking to ice the series.



On a positive note, if Bedard and Regina get knocked out in the first two rounds, that would mean that Bedard will likely compete in the 2023 World Ice Hockey Championships in Finland.

[esquire]

^ The ICE have dominated Medicine Hat this series, more or less as expected. There were a few minutes in the back half of the first period where it looked like the Tigers might put up a fight but that was it. Medicine Hat is in good shape with some good young players, they will be a force in a year or two but now is not their time.

I hope the ICE can pull off a series sweep tonight for the first time since moving to Winnipeg.

[wags_in_the_peg]

Bedard goal splitting the Def was unreal! Kid is truly amazing!

[esquire]

Originally Posted by wags_in_the_peg

Bedard goal splitting the Def was unreal! Kid is truly amazing!

Not to diminish how impressive it is each time it happens, but it feels like we've seen that dozens of times from him this season. Just walking through a pair of D-men like they aren't even there. No one can stop it. That kid is something.

[wags_in_the_peg]

Gavin McKenna is 2 yrs younger (2007) and joined Medicine Hat for their end of season and playoff run. 18pts in 16 gp and playoffs 1g in 3 gp. Was 1st overall pick last year WHL draft. from Yukon. and.... he's Bedard cousin!

[esquire]

^ Yeah, he has been Medicine Hat's star player in this series. Really impressive.

wags, any further word on the potential of the MJHL coming to Brandon?

[BlackDog204]

Originally Posted by wags_in_the_peg

Gavin McKenna is 2 yrs younger (2007) and joined Medicine Hat for their end of season and playoff run. 18pts in 16 gp and playoffs 1g in 3 gp. Was 1st overall pick last year WHL draft. from Yukon. and.... he's Bedard cousin!

https://twitter.com/TheWHL/status/1642980416742105088

Jesus...Mckenna just turned 15 in December.

That Bedard move last night reminded me of Super Mario cutting through two Boston Bruin defenders, in the 1993 NHL playoffs.

[BlackDog204]

The Winnipeg Ice have advanced to round 2, eliminating the Medicine Hat Tigers in 4 straight games.


Meanwhile, Saskatoon and Regina are in OT. Bedard has 2 goals, for a total of 8 goals, 5 assists in just 4 games.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by BlackDog204

The Winnipeg Ice have advanced to round 2, eliminating the Medicine Hat Tigers in 4 straight games.

Meanwhile, Saskatoon and Regina are in OT. Bedard has 2 goals, for a total of 8 goals, 5 assists in just 4 games.

Blades won and the series is 2-2. I realize this could come back to haunt me, but I hope that the Pats pull off the upset. Partly because of the marquee matchup that it would create in the second round for the ICE, but partly because I think the ICE have a much better chance against Regina than they do against Moose Jaw who they would be most likely taking on otherwise.

Solid performance by the ICE last night even though Zach Ostapchuk got a game misconduct a minute in. Although I guess that was offset by Oasiz Wiesblatt being out of the game as a result of Ostapchuk's misdeeds. I thought the ICE would win big but the Tigers came to play, a spirited performance by Dru Krebs in particular helped keep it a one goal game right to the end.

On to round two...

[BlackDog204]

Blades defeated the Pats, and win the series 4 games to 3.

Ice will play Moose Jaw in the second round.

Bedard had 11 goals 9 assists, for 20 points in the series.

[BlackDog204]

The Ice defeated Moose Jaw 5-3 to take a 1-0 series lead. Tonight they have a rematch. Unfortunately I don't live in Winnipeg right now, so hopefully some fellow members will be lucky enough to catch the action.

[bomberjet]

Moose Jaw. Series tied at 1.

[trueviking]

Went to the game on Friday. Was fun. A shame they couldn’t make it work.

[esquire]

They're not dead yet, vike!!!!