WHL Championship: Game 2 Player to Watch – Lucas Ciona
For the first time ever, the Winnipeg ICE and Seattle Thunderbirds meet in the WHL Championship Series. The ICE lead the best-of-seven series 1-0 following a 3-2 win in Game 1 Friday night. Game 2 is set for Saturday, May 13 (6 p.m. CT) at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg. The best-of-seven series will follow a 2-3-2 format with the winner of the Ed Chynoweth Cup advancing to the 2023 Memorial Cup in Kamloops, B.C.
Visit Ticketmaster for tickets or catch the action from home exclusively on WHL Live.
Lucas Ciona
Edmonton, Alta.
Calgary Flames, 6-173 (2021)
Left Wing
#47
6-foot-3, 222 pounds
2023 WHL Playoffs
15GP – 5G-2A–7 points
The Seattle Thunderbirds didn’t get out to the start they had hoped for Friday during Game 1 of the 2023 WHL Championship presented by Nutrien, but captain Lucas Ciona is optimistic there is plenty to build on heading into Game 2.
“We’re still confident,” Ciona said following Game 1. “Disappointing not getting the first win [Friday], not the start we wanted to have. But we had a solid third period and you just build of that. You create life with the first goal [Reid Schaefer] scored and then you get Kevin’s goal [Korchinski], you just create more life. Coming into [Game 2], we know we can play like that and continue that.
“We’re adjusting really well now and it’s just coming in [Saturday] fired up, ready to go.”
For the first time in 2023 WHL Playoffs, the Thunderbirds are staring down a series deficit. Aiming to build off a strong finish to the third period of Game 1, Seattle will look to Ciona to walk the walk and lead his team in Game 2.
The 6-foot-3, 222-pound prospect of the Calgary Flames is no stranger to scoring big goals.
In the WHL Western Conference Championship against the Kamloops Blazers, the native of Edmonton, Alta., found the back of the net 7:33 into the second period of Game 2. That marker cut a Kamloops lead to 2-1 and sparked the Thunderbirds to 4-3 overtime victory. It also pushed Seattle ahead 2-0 in the series, and though the Blazers battled, the Thunderbirds maintained control from there on out.
With an enviable blend of size and skill, Ciona is a veteran of 195 WHL regular season contests and another 39 WHL Playoff games. He was a critical piece to the Thunderbirds run to Game 6 of the 2022 WHL Championship, recording 14 points (9G-5A) in 24 contests.
During Game 5 of the 2022 WHL Championship Series with Seattle trailing 3-1 in the best-of-seven series, the power forward found the back of the net to give his team a 3-1 lead. The goal stood as the game-winning marker, Ciona was named the first star of the game in his hometown of Edmonton, and the Thunderbirds lived to fight another day, pushing the Oil Kings to Game 6.
There’s no doubt, Ciona has a feel for the moment.
“It’s important to play like we did during the third period,” Ciona said. “If we come out like that [Saturday], I think we’ll be happy with the outcome. We just keep building and [Saturday] will be a solid game for us. We’re excited for the opportunity.”
Game 2 of the 2023 WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien goes Saturday, May 13 at Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg (6 p.m. CT, WHL Live).
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