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Ice move one win from conference finals – Toronto Sun

The Winnipeg Ice celebrate their 5-3 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors in Moose Jaw on Wednesday, May 11, 2022. Supplied photo.
The Winnipeg Ice celebrate their 5-3 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors in Moose Jaw on Wednesday, May 11, 2022. Supplied photo.

The Winnipeg Ice are on the verge of booking their place in the Western Hockey League’s conference finals.

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The Ice downed the Moose Jaw Warriors 5-3 on Wednesday night at Mosaic Place in Moose Jaw to give themselves a commanding 3-1 series lead in the Eastern Conference semifinals.

Matthew Savoie’s fourth of the playoffs put Winnipeg ahead 4-2 in the second period and proved to be the game-winner for the Ice, who will advance to conference finals if they can take Game 5 back at the Ice Cave at Wayne Fleming Arena on Friday night.

Mikey Milne’s goal at 16:28 of the first to put Winnipeg up 1-0 was cancelled out by Warriors forward Jagger Firkus with three seconds left in the opening frame, tying the game 1-1.

The Ice opened up a two-goal advantage after scoring goals 35 seconds apart to open up the second period.

Jack Finley’s sixth of the postseason was followed up by Owen Pederson’s fifth at 6:45 and 7:20, respectively, to make it 3-1.

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Firkus, who paced both teams with eight shots on goal, would respond with his second of the evening in an eventual three-point game, clawing Moose Jaw back to 3-2 before Savoie’s tally at 13:38 regained the two-goal cushion.

Both teams would trade goals in the third, as Cole Muir potted the insurance marker at 3:55, and Majid Kaddoura netted the Warriors’ third at 11:22 to keep it a two-goal game.

Ice starter Daniel Hauser was solid, stopping 30 of 33, while Jackson Unger allowed five on 31 shots on goal for the losing Warriors.

After a string of five unsuccessful power plays to close out Tuesday’s 3-2 for the Ice, they were 1-for-4 on Wednesday.

The Warriors cashed in on their only power play of the game when Firkus potted his second of the night.

sbilleck@postmedia.com

Twitter: @scottbilleck

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