With four games this weekend, the Ice had a strong showing, winning three of the four and tying the other. The first game of the weekend came against the Thunder Bay Queens, a physical and hard working team. The Ice were quick on their feet from the start, taking away time and space, allowing for many offensive chances. The Queens pushed back in the first, giving the Ice a taste of their own medicine to even out the offensive chances in the first period. The Ice didn't let up and came back hard in the second period. In the last two periods, Maia Ehmann and Julianna Duma found the back of the net for the first time as members of the Winnipeg Ice, with Duma adding a second goal in the third. With a strong effort for the full sixty minutes, the Ice came up with a 3-1 win over Thunder Bay. Player of the game was awarded to Maia Ehmann for seemingly never ending energy on the forecheck and scoring her first goal. 

The next morning the Ice faced off against the Interlake Lightning. They used the momentum from the day before to score 7 goals throughout the game, with goals coming from five different players! Tatum Nicholson, Julianna Duma, Lexi Woodward, Martina Barclay and Julia Bird each tallied a goal while Maia Ehmann also earned two assists. Rylyn Loepky had a strong performance in net only allowing one goal the entire game. Player of the game was awarded to Lexi Woodward for her hard work and many offensive chances. 

Saturday night called for a tight matchup against the Rink Hockey Academy, a very quick and skilled hockey team.  The Ice had a strong couple of opening shifts but both teams had limited offensive chances in a very back and forth first period that ended at 0-0. In the second period each team added a goal, the Ice's Lexi Woodward scored off of a nice feed from Kate Stewart to give the Ice a short lead. After a fast paced and hard fought period with no penalties, neither team would score in the third and the game would result in a tie, 1-1. Morgan Baker was awarded player of the game for her 25 saves on 26 shots. 

In the final game of the showcase, the Ice played the Pembina Valley Hawks, a physical team with a hard forecheck. Both teams were quick out of the gate, with the first goal of the game coming from Julianna Duma off of a give and go. The goal was scored on the powerplay and assisted by Julia Bird. The opening period was a tight one with chances at both ends, and ended at 1-0 for the Winnipeg Ice. The Ice exploded in the second period, scoring 6 goals and allowing no goals against. Martina Barclay scored the third with a nice deflection off of Sandrene Garofalo's well placed shot from the point. Kate Stewart expertly deflected another after a great heads up play from Julia Bird while  Lexi Woodward added a goal to continue her goal streak to 3 games. Julianna Duma would also add her fourth goal of the tournament. The Pembina Valley Hawks continued to limit time and play agressive in the third period, not getting down on themselves for one minute. Adding two goals in the third, goalie Rylyn Loepky was scored on with only 7 seconds to go in the game, on the penalty kill. She showed a strong performance all weekend, allowing only 2 goals against total in her two games played. The Ice would skate away with a 9-1 win against the Pembina Valley Hawks. Julianna Duma was awarded player of the game for her hard work, passing, and two goals. 

The Ice are next in action on Saturday, September 28th at 7:00 pm in what will be the season opener AND home opener at the Bell MTS Iceplex against the Yellowhead Chiefs. 

#GOICEGO