Winnipeg Ice - Page 30

BlackDog204 · #**581** Posted **May 7, 2023, 8:12 AM**

The Ice are resting, while the Seattle vs Kamloops series continues.

Kamloops stayed alive by defeating Seattle 4-2, extending the series to game 6 in Kamloops. Hopefully the Blazers can pull off an upset.

esquire · #**582** Posted **May 9, 2023, 2:17 AM**

The ICE are moving it downtown for the WHL championship series, they'll be playing their games in the finals at Canada Life Centre.

Seems logical for everyone involved, the ICE can sell a few more tickets (although hard to say how many more given that game 1 is only 4 days away), TNSE gets to make a few bucks renting out its rink, and the WHL/TSN both get the big time backdrop they want.

BlackDog204 · #**583** Posted **May 9, 2023, 4:25 AM**

Seattle just scored an empty net goal, to end the series 4 games to 2.

Winnipeg will host Seattle starting Friday at the Canada Life Centre.

At least we get to see Jets prospect Brad Lambert.

BlackDog204 · #**584** Posted **May 13, 2023, 7:16 AM**

The Ice held on for a narrow 3-2 win last night in front of over 5,000 fans at the Canada Life Centre. Hopefully we can take Game 2 of the homestand, and be in control of the series.

esquire · #**585** Posted **May 13, 2023, 1:39 PM**

The ICE got off to a great start, but the (actual) ice tilted sharply in the third with the home team barely withstanding an all out Seattle onslaught. Nice to see a good crowd at the game last night.

BlackDog204 · #**586** Posted **May 14, 2023, 12:08 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

The ICE got off to a great start, but the (actual) ice tilted sharply in the third with the home team barely withstanding an all out Seattle onslaught. Nice to see a good crowd at the game last night.

Well the series is tied now 1-1. Looks like the Ice were just outplayed by a arguably superior Seattle team. It should be noted that Jets prospect Brad Lambert has been a key player from Seattle.

esquire · #**587** Posted **May 14, 2023, 5:19 PM**

The ICE can still beat Seattle, they will just have to play damn near perfect, mistake-free hockey. Seattle is really good at pouncing on anything you give them.

Regarding last night's loss, I take solace in the fact that win or lose, the ICE have played Seattle close in every game they've had this season. It's not like the season before when it was clear they weren't in the same tier as Edmonton.

Another good crowd at the game last night despite fairly pricy for junior hockey tickets ($35-$65 at the gate once you factor in the Ticketmaster fees which come into play at CLC), it seems to me that there is an appetite for WHL hockey in this town.

esquire · #**588** Posted **May 17, 2023, 2:12 PM**

So the ICE got pounded in Seattle last night. 6-3 was the final score which doesn't sound too bad, but they gave up 3 goals over a 45 second span in the first period to go down 4-1. That was as shell shocking a sequence as I've ever seen in a hockey game. In spite of that, they can still tie the series with a win tonight.

In related news, the Free Press has a column about the recent ICE games at Canada Life Centre. Personally I wonder if the columnist is reading too much into things, I bet TNSE just sees the ICE as a prospective event date that allows them to get paid, and nothing more. No different from any random children's entertainer, made for TV curling event or classic rock act. The ICE probably wouldn't be playing at CLC if the Jets or Moose were still in the playoffs.

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/op...-work-together

Quote:

The fact Game 1 and 2 were played at Canada Life Centre last weekend, and not the usual “Ice Cave” at Wayne Fleming Arena, is a real eyebrow-raiser. One that could have lasting ramifications around these parts.

For starters, it meant that more than 11,000 local fans, instead of fewer than 4,000, watched a pair of highly-entertaining games between a pair of powerhouse clubs. More eyes on the product, especially one as solid as this, is never a bad thing.

The bigger takeaway is that True North, the owner of the Winnipeg Jets and Manitoba Moose, was open to doing business with 50 Below, the owner of the Ice. That’s no small thing, considering the two entities are fierce competitors, the way Coke and Pepsi are in the soft-drink industry.

wags_in_the_peg · #**589** Posted **May 17, 2023, 4:44 PM**

when 50 North first came onto the scene by buying the ICE then the MJ Blues (and eventually expansion Freeze) there were lots ruffled feathers I've heard. Matt Cockell was a former exec w True North and left to buy (w others) the ICE. The largest rink at "Hockey for All Centre" holds 1300, perhaps dump $ into that and make it a 3000+ rink?

esquire · #**590** Posted **May 17, 2023, 5:26 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by wags_in_the_peg

when 50 North first came onto the scene by buying the ICE then the MJ Blues (and eventually expansion Freeze) there were lots ruffled feathers I've heard. Matt Cockell was a former exec w True North and left to buy (w others) the ICE. The largest rink at "Hockey for All Centre" holds 1300, perhaps dump $ into that and make it a 3000+ rink?

There is so little to the big rink at H4A that you would basically be starting from scratch if you tried to bring it up to WHL spec. Realistically the only existing arena in town that could accommodate the WHL without a massively expensive expansion project that rivals the cost of a new building is CLC. And while I'm sure TNSE is happy to have the ICE fill some quiet dates following the usual early playoff exits of the TNSE teams, I doubt they'd be interested in making their arena available all season long and sacrificing bigger event dates, especially for those regular season games when there might be all of 1,000 people in there to watch the ICE play Swift Current.

The only way that I could see TNSE make CLC available to the ICE on a regular basis is if they owned the team. Which, I suppose could happen. But if Cockell and Fettes continue to own the team I don't see any alternatives for them to Wayne Fleming... if there were, it would have happened by now. The question is whether in the league's eyes, the benefit of having a team in Winnipeg outweighs whatever negatives are associated with playing out of Wayne Fleming Arena. If Cockell and Fettes are OK with it, then I don't see what the huge deal is for the league, but they seem to have a big problem with it.

BlackDog204 · #**591** Posted **May 17, 2023, 10:36 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by esquire

So the ICE got pounded in Seattle last night. 6-3 was the final score which doesn't sound too bad, but they gave up 3 goals over a 45 second span in the first period to go down 4-1. That was as shell shocking a sequence as I've ever seen in a hockey game. In spite of that, they can still tie the series with a win tonight.

In related news, the Free Press has a column about the recent ICE games at Canada Life Centre. Personally I wonder if the columnist is reading too much into things, I bet TNSE just sees the ICE as a prospective event date that allows them to get paid, and nothing more. No different from any random children's entertainer, made for TV curling event or classic rock act. The ICE probably wouldn't be playing at CLC if the Jets or Moose were still in the playoffs.

https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/op...-work-together

There was zero chance the ICE were going to draw 11,000 fans. A more realistic number would be 5,000.

BlackDog204 · #**592** Posted **May 17, 2023, 10:41 PM**

ICE are getting spanked. This could be a short series.

The silver lining is that Brad Lambert is the Jets 1st round pick in 2022, and he has been the star player for Seattle.

esquire · #**593** Posted **May 17, 2023, 11:52 PM**

^ You were ready to fold up the tent the last time the ICE fell behind 2-1 in a series

Quote:

Originally Posted by BlackDog204

Looks like the Ice are going to choke. They lose 8-4 in Moose jaw.

They are in BIG trouble. I think the Warriors may win the series. The Ice are clearly paper tigers, and if they don't lose this series, they will get knocked out by Red Deer, who is 7-0 in the playoffs. Seattle is also 7-0.

BlackDog204 · #**594** Posted **May 18, 2023, 1:44 PM**

The ICE are melting. Seattle can wrap up the series on Friday.

esquire · #**595** Posted **May 18, 2023, 2:00 PM**

^ It ain't over, they're just setting up for the maximum dramatic come from behind finish

Now we can add sketchy refs with their bogus disallowed goal calls to the other hurdles the ICE have had to overcome so far this series.

trueviking · #**596** Posted **May 18, 2023, 4:38 PM**

I can't imagine true north letting the Ice use the arena on a regular basis. They are direct competitors. Why would they? It's different if the Moose are out of the playoffs and the Ice are in the finals, but I can't see that being a full time thing as long as the Mosse are around. They are chasing the same fan and true north's advantage is their venue. Why would they give that up to someone trying to steal their business?

The games have been entertaining, but I keep forgetting that I'm cheering for the Ice and not brad lambert....

blueandgoldguy · #**597** Posted **May 20, 2023, 4:39 AM**

ICE easily defeated in 5 games. After the second period of game 1 it was obvious who the better team was.

Just like last year, ICE management were out-gunned at the trade deadline by the best WHL team who did more to improve their team and ultimately win the WHL championship. Big missed opportunities by 24-7.

wags_in_the_peg · #**598** Posted **May 20, 2023, 12:43 PM**

Ice had all the pieces I thought. Seattle gave up almost all their picks for some top NHL players.

On another note, non WHL related, going to be some teams shuffling out in BCHL as they've gone rogue and partnered with NAHL.

esquire · #**599** Posted **May 20, 2023, 4:31 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by blueandgoldguy

ICE easily defeated in 5 games. After the second period of game 1 it was obvious who the better team was.

Just like last year, ICE management were out-gunned at the trade deadline by the best WHL team who did more to improve their team and ultimately win the WHL championship. Big missed opportunities by 24-7.

Yeah, the ICE were stifled at both ends. Even when they could enter the TBirds zone, they could not break through the Seattle defense to generate scoring opportunities, most of their shots were from a considerable distance with very few rebounds. And in their end, they had a hard time slowing down Seattle's offense.

This was arguably less close of a series than the conference final last season that the ICE lost against Edmonton.

Kind of heartbreaking to see those players whose junior careers are ending... there were more than a few tears shed on the ice after the game.

I have to hand it to Seattle's fans though, that rink was full and it was absolutely rocking for this series. There was nowhere near that level of noise in Winnipeg. I respect fanbases in cities like Seattle where they bring the passion for everything, even less glamorous sports like junior hockey.

BlackDog204 · #**600** Posted **May 20, 2023, 7:20 PM**

And that's all she wrote. Winnipegs best players are going to turn pro next year, and the ICE will most likely revert to being a mediocre team, before moving back to BC in 2024.