ICE vs Red Deer, 7:00 Tonight
November 4, 2021 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Winnipeg Ice News Release
After a five game road trip where the ICE sported a 4-1 record, Winnipeg returns to the ICE Cave inside Wayne Fleming Arena for a five game home stand starting tonight vs Red Deer.
The ICE will play 10 games during the month of November with only two games on the road (Nov 19 @ Swift Current and Nov 20 @ Medicine Hat).
12 of the next 14 games for the ICE are on home ice.
ICE VS REBELS
Winnipeg and Red Deer will meet four times during the WHL regular season (Last Tuesday @ RD 3-1 W /Tonight @ Wpg / Sunday @ Wpg / Feb 19 @ RD).
Last Tuesday's 3-1 win in Red Deer ended the Rebels five game winning streak on home ice vs the ICE at the Peavey Mart Centrium.
WHL HISTORY
With their 11th win of the season last Wednesday in Calgary, Winnipeg won the most consecutive games to open a WHL season since 2006 eclipsing the previous mark of 10 games set by the 2014-15 Kelowna Rockets and 2006-07 Vancouver Giants.
Friday's loss in Edmonton saw the ICE fall one game short of tying for the longest winning streak in WHL history to start a season. The 1988-89 Swift Current Broncos won their first dozen games before losing in Saskatoon October 30, 1988.
Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings - Week 5
1. Winnipeg ICE
2. London Knights
3. Edmonton Oil Kings
4. Quebec Remparts
5. Kamloops Blazers
6. Shawinigan Cataractes
7. Everett Silvertips
8. Saskatoon Blades
9. Kingston Frontenacs
10. Sherbrooke Phoenix
The Winnipeg ICE have reached the top. Following back-to-back honours as the second-best nationally ranked team, the WHL club is No. 1 in the Week 5 edition of the Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings.
After beginning the new campaign with 11 consecutive victories - one short of the WHL's all-time start-of-season record - Friday ultimately saw the ICE succumb to the third-place Edmonton Oil Kings in a hard-battled 3-1 final. Still, the squad quickly returned to the win column the following night after coming away with a resounding 7-0 road win in Lethbridge. Leading the ICE to victory was hulking pivot Connor Geekie, a projected early selection in the 2022 NHL Draft who wrapped up the night with a goal and two assists. In all, Geekie was one of eight Winnipeg skaters to register a multi-point effort in the big win.
Beyond Winnipeg, also heating up in the west is the Kamloops Blazers who hold steady at No. 5. Riding a four-game win streak, the weekend saw the Blazers score victories versus Victoria and Prince George to improve to 8-1-0-0 and hold down top spot in the B.C. Division. Elsewhere, the seventh-ranked Everett Silvertips picked up three of four points over the weekend. Securing 15 points through eight games this season, the Silvertips remain undefeated in regulation and stand atop the U.S. Division. Rounding out the WHL, the Saskatoon Blades climb to No. 8 after earning honourable mention in the previous rendition. Headlined by San Jose Sharks prospect Tristen Robins, the budding centre leads the WHL in scoring with 21 points counting seven goals and 14 assists through 10 appearances.
WHO'S HOT
Daniel Hauser is on a personal seven game winning streak.
Ben Zloty is on a two game point streak (0-3-3).
Connor McClennon is on a two game point streak (1-1-2).
LEAGUE LEADERS
Connor McClennon and Kyle Crnkovic of Saskatoon share the WHL lead with 10 goals.
Connor McClennon leads all WHL players with 29 penalty minutes.
Mikey Milne and Nolan Orzeck share the WHL lead with a plus minus rating of +16.
Chase Bertholet, Chad Nychuk of Brandon and Ben King of Red Deer share the WHL lead for game winning goals with 3.
Ben Zloty leads all WHL defensemen with 13 assists and 14 points.
Matthew Savoie leads all WHL rookies with 11 assists, 17 points, 40 shots on goal.
RECENT MILESTONES
Saturday in Lethbridge, the ICE played their 100th game since relocating from Cranbrook, B.C. (100GP: 68-30-2)
Ben Zloty registered his 50th career WHL assist Friday in Edmonton.
UPCOMING MILESTONES
Ben Zloty is six games shy of 100 career WHL games played
Jakin Smallwood is one point shy of 90 career WHL points
Connor McClennon is one assist shy of 70 career WHL assists
Connor McClennon is one goal shy of 60 career WHL goals
Carson Lambos is five points shy of 50 career WHL points
ROSTER
The ICE roster includes 14 forwards, 7 defenseman and 2 goaltenders.
- 7 players are from Manitoba (Bertholet, Bruce, Friesen, Geekie, Lambos, Muir, Swan).
- There are currently three 20-year-old players (Muir, Orzeck, Smallwood).
- 17 players who skated for the ICE return from last season (Alexander, Benson, Bertholet, Boucher, Bruce, Form, Geekie, Hauser, Lambos, McClennon, Milne, Muir, Orzeck, Pederson, Prosofsky, Smallwood, Zloty).
- 16 players are selections by the ICE in the WHL Bantam Draft (Alexander, Benson, Boucher, Bruce, Edwards, Form, Geekie, Hauser, Lambos, McClennon, Milne, Orzeck, Pederson, Prosofsky, Savoie, Zloty).
- 2 players were selected in the 2021 CHL Import Draft (Bohm, Streule).
- 15 players are eligible for the 2022 NHL Draft led by Matt Savoie and Conor Geekie, who were selected first and second overall respectively by the ICE in the 2019 WHL Bantam Draft (Bertholet, Bohm, Boucher, Bruce, Form, Friesen, Geekie, Hauser, Milne, Pederson, Prosofsky, Savoie, Streule, Swan, Zloty).
TRANSACTIONS
Oct 23 - acquired a conditional 7th round pick in the 2023 Bantam Draft from the Victoria Royals in exchange for defenseman Anson McMaster
Oct 19 - assigned defenseman Brandt Young to Portage Terriers (MJHL)
Oct 7 - assigned goaltender Dawson Cowan to Winnipeg Blues (MJHL)
Oct 1 - acquired an 8th round pick in 2022 Bantam Draft from the Lethbridge Hurricanes in exchange for forward Rhys Raeside
Sept 27 - acquired a conditional 9th round pick in 2021 Bantam Draft from the Prince Albert Raiders in exchange for forward Hayden Pakkala
Sept 23 - released defenseman Mike Ladyman
ICE ON AIR
The Winnipeg ICE are teaming up with Bell Media (99.9 Bounce FM, CFRW 1290 AM, CTV and Virgin Radio 103.1 FM) to share the excitement this season. All regular season and playoff games, presented by Royal LePage Dynamic Real Estate, will be heard on CFRW 1290 AM. Click here to listen live. Veteran broadcasters Brian Munz and Kevin Olszewski will bring you all the action starting with a 30 minute pregame show featuring players, coaches and the latest from around the WHL.
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Western Hockey League Stories from November 4, 2021
- Raiders Launch Community Cares Fundraising Program - Prince Albert Raiders
- Rowan Named Pats Academic Player of the Month - Regina Pats
- Rockets Host Pair of Weekend Games - Kelowna Rockets
- Chiefs Add Forward Braden Plaschewsky as Affiliate Player - Spokane Chiefs
- Blades Welcome Hundreds for Health Care Worker Appreciation Week - Saskatoon Blades
- Single-Game Tickets for All November and December Games on Sale Now - Portland Winterhawks
- Broncos Pick up Point in Shootout Loss to Blades - Swift Current Broncos
- ICE vs Red Deer, 7:00 Tonight - Winnipeg Ice
- Pats Edge Warriors - Regina Pats
- Winterhawks Start Canadian Trip in Kamloops - Portland Winterhawks
- Rockets Comeback In Overtime - Kelowna Rockets
- Late Comeback Earns Blades Shootout Victory over Broncos - Saskatoon Blades
- Giants Snag a Single Point in a 7-6 Overtime Loss in Kelowna - Vancouver Giants
- Warriors Suffer Narrow Loss in Regina on Wednesday - Moose Jaw Warriors
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