For the second consecutive spring, the Winnipeg ICE and Moose Jaw Warriors will meet in the Second Round of the WHL Playoffs.
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The series was confirmed Monday after the First Round of competition in the Eastern Conference concluded with the Saskatoon Blades series win over the Regina Pats. Winnipeg, the 2022-23 Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy winners as Regular Season Champions, will hold home-ice advantage versus Moose Jaw, with Game 1 of the Second Round affair set for Friday, April 14.
The two sides met in the Second Round of the 2022 WHL Playoffs, a series the ICE won in five games. Overall, the two sides have faced each other in three post-season series, with the ICE winning each of the three previous meetings.
Both sides enter the Second Round of the 2023 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien on the heels of first-round sweeps. Winnipeg dispatched the Medicine Hat Tigers in four games. Buffalo Sabres prospect Matthew Savoie led the ICE in scoring in round one, finishing the series against the Tigers with nine points on the strength of three goals and six assists.
Moose Jaw eliminated the Lethbridge Hurricanes in a four-game sweep that saw Seattle Kraken prospect Jagger Firkus lead the way with four goals and 10 points; the first of those four tallies was a double-overtime game-winning goal on March 31.
The two sides met six times over the course of the 2022-23 WHL Regular Season, with each team winning three times. The Warriors claimed the first two matchups on home ice on October 8 and December 28 as well as the most recent fixture, a 6-4 decision on March 22 in Winnipeg. The ICE swept a two-game home series in January before a 7-1 victory at the Moose Jaw Events Centre on February 17.
Ottawa Senators prospect Zack Ostapchuk finished the regular season with the most points by any Winnipeg skater against Moose Jaw with eight (4G-4A), though he factored in a goal and an assist versus the Warriors while a member of the Vancouver Giants. Savoie led Winnipeg with five goals in the season series.
New York Rangers prospect Ryder Korczak finished the season series with a team-best eight points (4G-4A) for Moose Jaw, while 2023 NHL Draft prospect Brayden Yager collected five goals from the six games.
In goal, Daniel Hauser earned two of the three wins for the ICE, posting a 1.63 goals-against average and .934 save percentage from his three starts.
Connor Ungar appeared in four games for the Warriors versus Winnipeg, winning twice and collecting a .925 save percentage over his 218 minutes of action.
Game 1 of the second-round series between the Winnipeg ICE and Moose Jaw Warriors is scheduled for Friday, April 14 at 7:05 p.m. CT in Winnipeg (Wayne Fleming Arena). The series will shift to Moose Jaw for Game 3 on Tuesday, April 10 at 7:00 p.m. MT (Moose Jaw Events Centre).
2023 WHL PLAYOFFS PRESENTED BY NUTRIEN – SERIES I SCHEDULE
Game Date Away Home Time
1 April 14, 2023, Moose Jaw Winnipeg 7:05 p.m. CT
2 April 15, 2023, Moose Jaw Winnipeg 6:05 p.m. CT
3 April 18, 2023, Winnipeg Moose Jaw 7:00 p.m. MT
4 April 19, 2023, Winnipeg Moose Jaw 7:00 p.m. MT
5 April 22, 2023, Moose Jaw Winnipeg 7:30 p.m. CT*
6 April 24, 2023, Winnipeg Moose Jaw 7:00 p.m. MT*
7 April 26, 2023, Moose Jaw Winnipeg 7:05 p.m. CT*
* – if necessary