The Winnipeg Ice scored three times in the first six minutes en route to a third straight post-season victory as they took a stranglehold on their first-round playoff series.
The WHL’s regular season champion Ice defeated the Medicine Hat Tigers 7-2 in Alberta for a commanding 3-0 series lead in the best-of-seven affair.
Zack Ostapchuk, Evan Friesen, and Matthew Savoie all scored goals before the Tigers even registered their first shot on net.
“Early in the game we came with a lot of energy, a lot of pressure on the forecheck and led to a goal,” said Ice head coach James Patrick. “I thought all four lines were kinda rolling off the energy we got from that.
“I thought as the game went on, we scored on our chances. Some guys came up with some big goals. (Ty) Nash’s goal was huge. I just think kinda that was a big turning point for us. Then I think as soon as Geek (Conor Geekie) scored, it was pretty tough for them to come back at that point.”
The Tigers seized the momentum and got within a pair as they actually outshot the Ice 10-8 in the opening period.
But Ty Nash scored on a breakaway midway through the second stanza to restore Winnipeg’s three-goal lead. Conor Geekie added another on a partial break less than three minutes later and the Ice took a four-goal lead into the second intermission.
Connor McClennon and Easton Armstrong scored in the third for the Ice to round out the scoring.
“We kinda got away from our game in the second half of that first period,” said Nash. “But when we came out for the second period, we really found it again and we kinda just took over the game.
Brendan Lee and Gavin McKenna replied in the loss for the Tigers.
Ice goalie Daniel Hauser stopped 23 of 25 shots for his third straight playoff win.
The Ice can wrap up the series with another win in game 4 on Wednesday. A game 5, if necessary, would be played back in Winnipeg on Saturday afternoon at the Wayne Fleming Arena.