Wyatt Hoflin turned aside all 51 shots he faced as the Kootenay ICE blanked the Edmonton Oil Kings 2-0 at Western Financial Place Tuesday.
Tanner Lishchynsky and Matt Alfaro scored third-period goals, while Hoflin earned his sixth career shutout as the ICE collected their second consecutive win.
The two sides skated through a relatively even first period, with Kootenay coming closest to opening the scoring on a short-handed rush by leading scorer Zak Zborosky, as he forced his way into the Edmonton zone before having his shot parried away by Cranbrook native Payton Lee.
The Oil Kings held a 22-7 shot advantage in period two, however, as Hoflin thwarted the visitors at every opportunity including a point-blank chance from Edmonton captai Brandon Baddock from just outside the crease.
The ICE struck first on an early third-period power-play. From the left corner, Zborosky set up Lishchynsky in the low slot, and after initally bobbling a shot attempt the Kootenay captain laced the puck over Lee’s left arm for his eighth goal of the season.
Alfaro added insurance just past the midpoint of the period, re-directing a hard centring pass from linemate Zborosky from just outside the crease. The goal cemented Alfaro’s first career 20-goal campaign, as the veteran winger appeared in his 200th career WHL game Tuesday after missing the last five outings with an injury.
Hoflin was again stellar in the third period, including a lunging save off the Oil Kings’ leading goal-scorer Lane Bauer on a two-on-one rush late. The 21 year-old netminder has turned aside 107 of the 110 shots sent his way in the last two games.
Lee, at the other end, stopped 24 of 26 shots.
The ICE finished 1-3 on the power play, while Edmonton was 0-2.
HADDAD FINANCIAL SERVICES 3 STARS:
1. Wyatt Hoflin, Kootenay
2. Matt Alfaro, Kootenay
3. Tanner Lishchynsky, Kootenay
UP NEXT: the ICE play their final home game of 2015-16 Friday versus the Calgary Hitmen. Game time is 7:00 pm. The team will hold their annual awards ceremony prior to the opening faceoff.
