The Blades return to action and close out their three-game homestand Tuesday night against the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers (12-9-0-0), who are currently tied for fourth in the Eastern Conference with 24 point
The Saskatoon Blades are back at home and back atop the Western Hockey League’s Eastern Conference standings.
The Blades picked up a pair of wins on home ice over the weekend against the Edmonton Oil Kings and the Tri City Americans to improve their record to 13-5-1-1. With 28 points, Saskatoon moved ahead of the Lethbridge Hurricanes (12-6-1-) and Swift Current Broncos (13-6-0-0), but both of those teams enjoy a game in hand.
The Blades return to action and close out their three-game homestand Tuesday night against the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers (12-9-0-0), who are currently tied for fourth in the Eastern Conference with 24 points. The Tigers feature WHL leading scorer Gavin McKenna, who has 41 points, including 28 assists.
Game-time is 7 p.m. at SaskTel Centre.
On Saturday, the Blades edged the Tri-City Americans 2-1 on goals from Cooper Williams in the first period and William James in the third period.
Blades’ netminder Evan Gardner made 33 saves on 34 shots in the win, while across the ice, Lukas Matecha stopped 30 of 32 shots.
On Friday, Ben Riche scored twice in the first period to give the Blades a 2-0 lead, but Edmonton fought back to pick up a pair of their own goals in the second period to tie the game 2-2 heading into the final 20 minutes.
Saskatoon’s Tyler Parr scored what proved to be the game-winner six minutes and 45 seconds into the third period, giving the Blades a 3-2 win.
Gardner stopped 28 of 30 shots, while Edmonton’s Alex Worthington made 27 saves on 30 shots.
“I just thought, from start to finish, it was a really solid team effort,” said Gardner. “I just felt like the guys were feeling real desperate in front of me. There was the off breakdown, but I was there to back them up. I felt it was just a really good game.”
Gardner has a 9-4-1 record, 2.53 goals-against average and .919 save-percentage this season since rejoining the Blades from the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets.
“Definitely a lot more taking care of myself off the ice and learning to kind of be a pro from the stuff I learned from when I was in Columbus, even — lots of stuff like that — but even still knowing that I’m going to probably play the majority of games (this season with the Blades), having that killer instinct, that I want that net and I want it to be mine. That’s kind of the mindset I have, coming to the rink every day, to keep my spot.”
Riche, who was acquired during the off-season, leads the Blades with 14 goals and 17 assists for 31 points in 20 games.
Brandon Lisowsky is next, joined by two teammates, with nine goals and 10 assists for 19 points in only 14 games since re-joining the Blades from the Toronton Maple Leafs’ American Hockey League affiliate.
Rowan Calvert (9-10-19 in 20 games) and Parr (8-11-19 in 18 games) are tied with Lisowsky among Blades’ point-getters.
The rookie Williams now has eight goals and 10 assists for 18 points in 20 games.
The Blades round out the week with games Thursday in Moose Jaw against the Warriors and Saturday in Medicine Hat against the Tigers.
BLADE BITS: The Blades have signed 2009-born forward Mason Moreland to a WHL scholarship and development agreement. Moreland, who hails from Irvine, Calif., was selected by the Blades in the first round (22nd overall) of the 2024 U.S. Priority Draft.
“He had a very impressive showing at our training camp in the fall as one of the goal scoring leaders of the weekend,” said Blades director of scouting Dan Tencer … Moreland, 15, got off to a solid start this fall with the Anaheim Jr. Ducks 15U AAA squad with seven goals and six assists for 13 points in 23 games. He enjoyed a point-per-game pace at U.S. U14 nationals with two goals and three points in three games last year.
“We couldn’t be happier to have Mason on board,” added Tencer, “He’s a young man with tremendous character and an elite drive to improve himself on and off the ice every day. He already personifies much of our team culture and habits.”
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