ICE vs Saskatoon, 5:00 at the ICE Cave Inside Wayne Fleming Arena
December 31, 2022 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Winnipeg Ice News Release
ICE CHIPS
The Winnipeg ICE host the Saskatoon Blades in a 5:00 face off at the ICE Cave inside Wayne Fleming Arena to close out 2022.
The ICE are coming off a 2-0 victory last night over the Blades. Evan Friesen's fifth and Ty Nash's 13th were the goals Winnipeg needed to end Saskatoon's 10 game winning streak. Daniel Hauser made 23 saves for his second shutout of the season.
Winnipeg leads the Blades by four points for first place in the WHL's East Division standings.
From October 12th to November 19th, the ICE set a new franchise record with a 15 game winning streak eclipsing the previous mark of 14 games held by the 2009-10 Kootenay ICE.
From October 15th to 22nd, Winnipeg became the first Eastern Conference based team to go a perfect 5-0 on the road versus the B.C. Division since the 2011-12 Kootenay ICE.
Carson Lambos was named the 24th Captain in ICE franchise history on October 6th.
The 19 year old returned from Minnesota Wild Training Camp where he appeared in three NHL preseason games. Connor McClennon, Owen Pederson and Ben Zloty were named alternate captains for 2022-23.
ICE VS BLADES
The ICE and Blades will play six times during the regular season (Nov 25 @ Sktn 6-3 W / Nov 26 @ Sktn 5-2 L / last night @ Wpg 2-0 W / today @ Wpg / Feb 1 @ Wpg / Feb 4 @ Sktn).
Winnipeg had a 6-2 record versus Saskatoon during the 2021-22 regular season led by forwards Matthew Savoie and Jakin Smallwood who each registered 11 points (5 goals and 6 assists). Mikey Milne led the ICE with seven assists. Goaltenders Daniel Hauser and Gage Alexander each had a 3-1 record.
WHO'S HOT
Zach Benson is on a seven game point streak (6-7-13)
Matthew Savoie is on a three game point streak (1-3-4)
Connor McClennon has 32 points (12-20-32) in his last 20 games
Conor Geekie has 27 points (12-15-27) in his last 22 games
Matthew Savoie has 23 points (8-15-23) in his last 18 games
Owen Pederson has 22 points (10-12-22) in his last 15 games
Ben Zloty has 20 points (3-17-20) in his last 15 games
Zach Benson has 25 points (12-13-25) in his last 13 games
Daniel Hauser has a personal record of 20-2 this season
UPCOMING MILESTONES
Matthew Savoie is two goals shy of 100 career WHL goals
Owen Pederson is three assists shy of 100 career WHL assists
ICE All Time Points ICE All Time Goals Sam Reinhart 319 Nigel Dawes 159 Jarret Stoll 286 Jarret Stoll 124 Nigel Dawes 272 Sam Reinhart 120 Jaedon Descheneau 272 Jaedon Descheneau 111 Dustin Sylvester 252 Dustin Sylvester 111 Steve DaSilva 235 Connor McClennon 109 Luke Philp 235 Steve DaSilva 103 Max Reinhart 235 Ryan Russell 98 Connor McClennon 234 Andrew Bailey 96 Dale Mahovsky 2342 Luke Philp, Kevin King 95
WHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK
October 3 - Daniel Hauser 2GP 2-0, 1.00, .964, 1so
WHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK
Nov 21 - Zach Benson 2GP 4-3-7
BIG NIGHT ON ICE
Hat Tricks - Zach Benson (Dec 9 vs Spok), Matthew Savoie (Nov 17 vs Reg), Conor Geekie (Oct 1 @ MH)
Four Point Game - Zach Benson 3-1-4 (Dec 9 vs Spok), Zach Benson 2-2-4 (Nov 19 vs Reg), Owen Pederson 2-2-4 (Nov 17 vs Reg), Connor McClennon 1-3-4 (Nov 17 vs Reg), Carson Lambos 0-4-4 (Nov 12 vs Bran), Connor McClennon 2-2-4 (Nov 9 vs RD), Connor McClennon 2-2-4 (Nov 1 vs EVT), Carson Lambos 1-3-4 (Oct 21 @ Kam), Owen Pederson 1-3-4 (Oct 21 @ Kam), Zach Benson 2-2-4 (Sept 30 @ SC)
Five Point Game - Owen Pederson 2-3-5 (Nov 9 vs RD)
Six Point Game - Matthew Savoie 3-3-6 (Nov 17 vs Reg)
NATION WEST INSURANCE THREE STARS
The Winnipeg ICE are proud to team up with Nation West Insurance for this season's Three Star Award program. For each game an ICE player is recognized as one of the Three Stars, they will be awarded points (1st star = 5 points, 2nd star = 3 points, 3rd star = 1 point).
46 - Zach Benson
24 - Matthew Savoie
23 - Conor Geekie
22 - Connor McClennon
18 - Carson Lambos
17 - Daniel Hauser
16 - Owen Pederson
12 - Ty Nash
9 - Skyler Bruce
5 - Karter Prosofsky, Vladislav Shilo, Ben Zloty
4 - Mason Beaupit
2 - Evan Friesen
1 - Connor Dale, Josh Medernach
ROSTER
The ICE roster features 13 forwards, eight defencemen and two goaltenders.
- 16 players skated in at least one regular season game for the ICE last season (Benson, Bruce, Cumby, Fraser, Friesen, Geekie, Harmacy, Hauser, Lambos, McClennon, Oiring, Pederson, Prosofsky, Savoie, Woo, Zloty).
- The ICE have added six players with WHL experience to this year's roster (Beaupit, Medernach, Nash, Shilo, Sward, Wilson).
- 16 players were selected by the ICE in the WHL Prospects Draft (Benson, Bruce, Cumby, Dale, Fraser, Geekie, Harmacy, Hauser, Lambos, McClennon, Oiring, Pederson, Prosofsky, Savoie, Woo, Zloty).
- 6 players are from Manitoba (Bruce, Friesen, Geekie, Harmacy, Lambos, Woo).
TRANSACTIONS
DECEMBER 2022
4 - acquired defenceman Wyatt Wilson from the Victoria Royals in exchange for a conditional fourth round pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft and a conditional fourth round pick in the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft.
1 - signed forward Turner McIntyre
NOVEMBER 2022
24 - placed defenceman Maximilian Streule on waivers, was claimed by Armada de Blainville-Boisbriand (QMJHL)
24 - signed defenceman Landon Young
10 - acquired goaltender Mason Beaupit and an eighth round pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft from the Spokane Chiefs in exchange for goaltender Dawson Cowan, a fourth round pick in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft as well as a third round pick and sixth round pick both in the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft.
OCTOBER 2022
30 - reassigned forward Briley Wood to the Neepawa Titans (MJHL)
29 - acquired defenceman Graham Sward from the Spokane Chiefs in exchange for defenceman Jaren Brinson, a first round pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft, a third round pick in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft as well as a second round pick and fifth round pick both in the 2026 WHL Prospects Draft.
27 - reassigned goaltender Keegan Maddocks & defenceman Josh Mettimano
3 - reassigned forward Steven Arp to the Swan Valley Stampeders (MJHL)
SEPTEMBER 2022
29 - acquired forward Vladislav Shilo from the Prince Albert Raiders in exchange for defenceman Owen Boucher and forward Alessandro Segafredo
27 - acquired forward Ty Nash from the Lethbridge Hurricanes in exchange for a third round pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft
21 - reassigned forwards Miles Cooper & Oscar Lovsin
20 - acquired forward Steven Arp from the Medicine Hat Tigers in exchange for a ninth round pick in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft
20 - reassigned defenceman Chase Bambrick & forward Hayden Moore
14 - reassigned defenceman Kyle Marsden & goaltender Noah Stenvig
10 - reassigned forwards Ashton Brown & Daniel Morosov
7 - signed defenceman Chase Bambrick, forward Daniel Morozov & goaltender Keegan Maddocks
AUGUST 2022
9 - acquired forward Briley Wood from the Lethbridge Hurricanes in exchange for a sixth round pick in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft
JULY 2022
29 - acquired a third round pick in the 2025 WHL Prospects Draft in exchange for goaltender Gage Alexander
26 - acquired defenseman Jaren Brinson from the Prince George Cougars in exchange for a fourth round pick in the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft
20 - acquired forward Josh Medernach and a third round pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft from the Red Deer Rebels in exchange for defenceman Tanner Brown and a seventh round pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft
11 - signed Assistant Coach Taras McEwen
JUNE 2022
10 - acquired a fourth round pick in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft from the Prince George Cougars in exchange for forward Chase Wheatcroft
1 - signed forward Ashton Brown
LOOKING BACK AT 2021-22
Six members of the Winnipeg ICE were named by the Western Hockey League as All Stars and East Division nominees for the league's annual awards.
WHL East Division First All-Star Team
Goaltender - Daniel Hauser (Chestermere, Alta.) - Winnipeg ICE
Defenceman - Carson Lambos (Winnipeg, Man.) - Winnipeg ICE
Forward - Matthew Savoie (St. Albert, Alta.) - Winnipeg ICE
Nominee for the Del Wilson Memorial Trophy presented by Real Canadian Superstore, awarded annually to the WHL Goaltender of the Year:
East Division - Daniel Hauser (Chestermere, Alta.) - Winnipeg ICE
Nominee for the Doug Wickenheiser Memorial Trophy presented by Westland Insurance, awarded annually to the WHL Humanitarian of the Year:
East Division - Conor Geekie (Strathclair, Man.) - Winnipeg ICE
Nominee and winner of the Dunc McCallum Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the WHL's Coach of the Year:
East Division - James Patrick - Winnipeg ICE
Nominee and winner of the Lloyd Saunders Memorial Trophy, awarded annually to the WHL's Executive of the Year:
East Division - Matt Cockell - Winnipeg ICE
Individually, the ICE had numerous players finish in the WHL regular season's Top 10:
Daniel Hauser - 1st in shutouts with 8, 1st in goal against average at 2.00, tied for 1st in wins with 34, 3rd in save percentage at .914
Gage Alexander - 5th in goals against average at 2.40, tied for 8th in save percentage at .911
Ben Zloty - tied for 6th in assists with 56, 3rd in assists by a defenceman with 56, tied for 5th in points by a defenceman with 64, 6th in plus/minus by a defenceman at +38, tied for 7th in power play assists by a defenceman with 27, tied for 3rd in first goals scored by a defenceman with 3, 4th in points per game by a defenceman with 1.03
Carson Lambos - 5th in plus/minus by a defenceman at +42
Nolan Orzeck - 1st in plus/minus at +62
Zach Benson - tied for 3rd in first goals scored with 8, 6th in rookie points with 63, 9th in rookie goals with 25, tied for 10th in rookie game winning goals with 4, 1st in rookie first goals scored with 8, 8th in rookie assists with 38, 3rd in rookie plus/minus at +40, tied for 10th in rookie game winning goals with 4, 5th in rookie points per game at 1.09
Skyler Bruce - appeared in all 68 games
Cole Muir - appeared in all 68 games
Maximilian Streule - 10th in rookie plus/minus at +27
Jakin Smallwood - appeared in all 68 games
Mikey Milne - appeared in all 68 games, 10th in goals with 38, 2nd in plus/minus at +56
Conor Geekie - tied for 5th in plus/minus at +46
Matthew Savoie - 9th in WHL points with 90, tied for 8th in assists with 55, 1st in plus/minus at +54, 1st in rookie points with 90, 2nd in rookie goals with 35, 2nd in rookie power play goals with 12, tied for 10th in rookie game winning goals with 4, 2nd in rookie assists with 55, 3rd in rookie power play assists with 22, 1st in rookie plus/minus at +54, 1st in rookie points per game at 1.38
Connor McClennon - tied for 6th in goals with 43, tied for 7th in power play goals with 13, tied for 3rd in first goals scored with 8
Daniel Hauser, Gage Alexander and Dawson Cowan combined for 12 shutouts. The WHL record for most shutouts in a season belongs to the 2003-04 Kelowna Rockets when Kelly Guard and Derek Yeomans combined for 14.
ICE ON AIR
The Winnipeg ICE have teamed up with Bell Media (103.1 FM Virgin Radio, CFRW 1290 AM, 99.9 Bounce FM and CTV) to share the excitement this WHL season.
All regular season and playoff games can be heard on CFRW 1290 AM and viewed online at www.winnipegICE.ca, WHL Live on CHL TV with Brian Munz and Kevin Olzsewski.
Western Hockey League Stories from December 31, 2022
- T-Birds Defuse Rockets - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Rockets Fall to Thunderbirds - Kelowna Rockets
- Filmon's Overtime Winner Lifts Broncos Over Tigers - Swift Current Broncos
- Chiefs Drop New Year's Eve Game 7-6 to Americans in OT - Spokane Chiefs
- Five-Goal First Carries Hawks Past Tips on New Year's Eve - Portland Winterhawks
- Tigers Fall in New Year's Eve Thriller to Broncos - Medicine Hat Tigers
- ICE Defeat Saskatoon in Overtime - Winnipeg Ice
- Blades Come Home with Point in 2-1 Loss to ICE - Saskatoon Blades
- Warriors Get Their Revenge on New Year's Eve - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Fromm-Delorme, Litke Star in Hawks' 7-2 Romp - Portland Winterhawks
- WORLD JUNIORS: Bedard Ties Lindros Points Record, Svozil & Czechia Finish First - Regina Pats
- Warriors Bounce Back with Big Win in Brandon - Moose Jaw Warriors
- 32nd Annual New Year's Eve Game Between Ams and Chiefs - Tri-City Americans
- Chiefs to Ring in New Year in Kennewick as they Face Americans Saturday - Spokane Chiefs
- Raiders Acquire Skilled Rookie Center from ICE - Prince Albert Raiders
- ICE Acquire Latimer from Prince Albert - Winnipeg Ice
- Game Day Preview December 31 at Swift Current - Medicine Hat Tigers
- ICE vs Saskatoon, 5:00 at the ICE Cave Inside Wayne Fleming Arena - Winnipeg Ice
- T-Birds Rocket Past Kelowna - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Hawks' Win Streak Hits Seven in Everett - Portland Winterhawks
- Despite Late Goal, Royals Fall to Giants 4-3 in Shootout - Victoria Royals
- Cougars Fall 4-2 in Kamloops to Start Second Half - Prince George Cougars
- Thunderbirds Hold Off Rockets - Kelowna Rockets
- Chiefs Pull Off Gritty 2-1 Win Over Americans in Last Home Game of 2022 - Spokane Chiefs
- Stefan, Cagnoni Help Hawks Stretch Win Streak to Seven - Portland Winterhawks
- Giants End 2022 on a High Note, Win 4-3 in Vic - Vancouver Giants
- GAME HUB: Wheat Kings & Warriors Clash on New Years Eve - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Tips Welcome 7,963 Fans, Fall to Winterhawks - Everett Silvertips
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
