With a berth in the 2023 Memorial Cup on the line, Brad Lambert and the Seattle Thunderbirds pulled out a massive 4-2 victory over the Winnipeg Ice in Game 2 from Canada Life Centre on Saturday.
The Winnipeg ICE have been the very best team in the Canadian Hockey League for the entirety of the past two seasons. Posting the best record of the 60 member clubs in each of the past two years, Winnipeg has its sights set on the Memorial Cup.
Although the team would never say it is a 'cup or bust' sort of season, it truly is. With the ICE possibly having already played their final regular season game in Winnipeg - thanks to incompetent ownership and the failure to come through on promises related to a new, state-of-the-art WHL venue within the province's capital - the desire to go out on top is certainly prevalent.
The ICE actually got off to a good start in the WHL Championship on Friday night. Hanging on for a 3-2 win in Game 1 from Canada Life Centre, Winnipeg received goals from Connor McClennon, Evan Friesen and Carson Latimer, while goaltender Daniel Hauser turned aside 27 of the 29 shots he faced, besting the WHL's Goaltender of the Year Thomas Milic, who stood opposite him for Thunderbirds.
“I liked the way we started,” ICE head coach James Patrick said. “Coming off nine days off, you always wonder about it. I liked a lot of things we did. There are still some areas we have to clean up – probably the last 3.5 minutes… that was a bit of a concern, but outside that, there was a lot of good in the game."
With a quick turnaround, the teams squared off once again from the big rink in downtown Winnipeg the following night, but this time it was the league's second-best club that prevailed.
Brad Lambert - a 2022 first round pick of the Winnipeg Jets - put on a show for Seattle, scoring twice in the third period, sealing the win for the Thunderbirds and sending the series back to Washington tied at ones.
"I got a good bounce," Lambert said of his second goal. "Gunner flipped a high puck for the breakaway and got a good bounce and got around the D. Their D made a turnover there for me on the first goal, and I just buried it."
Despite hearing hometown fans 'boo' him at first due to suiting up against the local club, the Jets draft pick likely won them over with his strong net drive and finish, as he gave them a glimpse into the future.
“It’s obviously special to just be playing for the WHL Championship, it’s unbelievable,” Lambert added. “Not many guys get that opportunity, so just trying to make the most of it. And for it to be in Winnipeg, it adds a little more to it.”
Winnipeg's Zach Benson - who is projected to go well before selection No. 10 at this year's NHL Draft - also scored twice in the game, despite the losing effort. Arizona draft pick Dylan Guenther picked up three assists for the Thunderbirds, while Milic earned his first win of the series.
In dodging the 2-0 hole, Lambert's Thunderbirds return to Seattle for three-straight games at the ShoWare Center. With the WHL using a 2-3-2 postseason format, there is a possibility that the year will end in Seattle. But if neither team can win all three games in the United States, the best-of-seven will shift back to Winnipeg for Game 6 and 7.
Game 3 will go on Tuesday, Game 4 is set for Thursday, while Game 5 will be played on Friday - all from Seattle. Should the series need six or seven games, they will be played at Canada Life Centre on Sunday and Monday, respectively.
Each of the final five games will be aired live on TSN, with Games 3-5 being played at 9:00 PM central time, Game 6 at 7:00 PM and Game 7 at 5:00 PM also central time.