Cranbrook, BC – Moose Jaw Warriors’ Tanner Eberle scored two goals in a 3-2 win over the Kootenay ICE in WHL action on Saturday night.
In the first period the Warriors (25-12-4-1) opened the scoring by stealing the puck from behind the ICE net, Tanner Eberle passed it into the slot and Kenton Miller had a partial breakaway and scored on the rebound with a backhand shot into an empty net.
Moose Jaw had 6 odd-man rushes in the first period and Nathan Lieuwen kept it a 1 goal game after 20 minutes.
Early in the second period the ICE (23-13-1-3) tied the game 1-1 as Eric Benoit stole the puck as the Warriors blueline and went in on a partial breakaway and scored with a slap shot high on the stick side.
The Ice went 0-for-3 on 3 consecutive power-play including 2-minute 2-man advantage and with the teams back to full-strength Sam Reinhart scored on a wrist shot high on the stick side.
The Warriors tied it 1:11 later on a 2-on-2 break that turned into a breakaway and Tanner Eberle scored with a shot high on the stick side.
Early in the third period the Warriors stole the puck in the ICE zone and Tanner Eberle scored the game winner and his 2nd of the game with a wrist shot on the stick side.
The ICE outshot Moose Jaw 30-12 in the last 2 periods
The ICE will host Medicine Hat on Sunday.
ICE Scratches – Luke Paulsen, Mike Simpson, Jon Martin, Jesse Wood-Shatz.
Tanner Muth made his ICE debut wearing #4.
On finding out about the trade.
“I was excited to be coming to a team that has so much history with winning. Obviously going to the Memorial Cup last year and having a strong team this year makes it really exciting for me to make my first playoffs and hopefully have a long run.”
On his style of play
“I’m a stay-at-home defenseman, I like to rough it up, I’m pretty physical. I pride myself on making the first pass, if I need to I’ll fight, but I like to play a real hard physical game.”
On getting expecting getting lots of playing time
“Yeah definitely. As much as you can get on the ice you’re happy about it.”
On potential to playing his first WHL playoff game
“My first year when I was 16 we didn’t make the playoffs and last year with Swift Current we didn’t make the playoffs, so coming to a team that’s almost guaranteed to make the playoffs it’s really exciting.”
On his view of the ICE when playing against them
“Obviously coming into this barn we know how well Kootenay played in this rink all the time. We knew you guys had a lot of star forwards, just a real good all-around team and a real good goaltender. It was almost nervous, but at the same time you gotta just channel those nerves and just play your hardest. This is the team you had to be hard physical against and was a very hard team to play against.”
Game Summary
Moose Jaw 25-12-4-1 Kootenay 23-13-1-3
1st Period
1, Moose Jaw, Miller 14 (Eberle), 13:36.
Penalties-McKinlay Ktn (slashing), 5:46.
2nd Period
2, Kootenay, Benoit 9 0:52.
3, Kootenay, Reinhart 11 (Czerwonka, Dirk), 5:39.
4, Moose Jaw, Eberle 5 (Miller, Edmundson), 6:50.
Penalties-Beach M.j (cross checking), 1:35; Edmundson M.j (cross checking), 1:35; McIlrath M.j (10-minute misconduct), 2:16; Wyton M.j (slashing), 2:16; Benoit Ktn (boarding), 9:04; Beach M.j (instigator, major-fighting, 10-minute misconduct), 11:43; Muth Ktn (major-fighting), 11:43; Wyton M.j (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 13:10; McKinlay Ktn (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 13:10.
3rd Period
5, Moose Jaw, Eberle 6 2:32.
Penalties-Miller M.j (tripping), 12:12; served by Ktn (too many men), 15:12.
Shots on Goal-Moose Jaw 12-5-5-22. Kootenay 7-14-16-37.
Power Play Opportunities-Moose Jaw 0 / 3; Kootenay 0 / 5.
Goalies-Moose Jaw, Siemens 21-8-3-2 (37 shots-35 saves). Kootenay, Lieuwen 17-10-1-2 (22 shots-19 saves).
A-3,053
Referees-Jeff Ingram (82), Jason Nissen (91).
Linesmen-Jeremi Del Campo (44), Ian Shaver (74).