The Saskatoon Blades host the Swift Current Broncos tonight in search of a season-high seventh straight victory. Puck drop at Credit Union Centre is 7:05 pm.Head-to-Head
The Blades and Broncos have met twice this season, both times in Swift Current. On October 23rd the Broncos came away with a 6-2 victory, while this past Sunday the Blades beat the Broncos 3-1. Gaelan Patterson (Saskatoon, SK), Charles Inglis (Saskatoon, SK), Jeremy Boyer (Saskatoon, SK), and Walker Wintoneak (Flin Flon, MB) all have two points against the Broncos to lead the Blades. Cody Eakin has three goals through the two games to lead the Broncos.
Saskatoon Blades
The Blades (14-3-0-2, 1st in East Division, 1st in Eastern Conference) were 2-1 victors over to the Moose Jaw Warriors last evening, the team's sixth consecutive win and the 12th victory in the last 13 contests. Burke Gallimore (Edmonton, AB) and Wintoneak scored in the Blades' victory while Adam Morrison (White Rock, BC) turned aside 33 of 34 shots between the pipes.
The Bridge City Bunch are led in scoring by captain Derek Hulak (Saskatoon, SK), who has 9 goals and 19 assists for 28 points and is fifth in scoring in the Western Hockey League. Wintoneak is second on the Blades and eighth in the WHL with 11 goals and 14 assists for 25 points. Patterson has 8 goals and 11 assists for 19 points to put him third on the team. Stefan Elliott (North Vancouver, BC) has 8 goals and 10 assists for 18 points, good enough for fourth amongst Western Hockey League defensemen.
Wintoneak's 10 goals on the season are tops on the team.
The Blades have two players atop the WHL penalty minutes list. Randy McNaught (Nanaimo, BC) has 70 penalty minutes this season while Darian Dziurzynski (Lloydminster, AB) is second with 67 penalty minutes.
In goal, Morrison has made 14 appearances, compiling a 9-3-0-2 record to go along with a 2.39 goals against average (5th in the WHL), and a.918 save percentage (6th in the WHL). Steven Stanford (Calgary, AB) is 5-2-0-0 on the season with a 2.17 goals against average (2nd in the WHL) and a.912 save percentage in 7 games played.
The Blades come into tonight with the 21st-ranked power play in the WHL, working at a 12.6% clip this season. While shorthanded, the Blades are 2nd in the WHL with a penalty kill working at an 88.3% rate this year.
Swift Current Broncos
The Broncos (9-8-0-1, 4th in East Division, 6th in Eastern Conference) last played on Sunday against the Blades, falling 3-1.
The Broncos are led in scoring by Cody Eakin, who has 17 goals and 5 assists for 22 points. Justin Dowling is second with 6 goals and 13 assists for 19 points.
Eakin is second in the WHL and first on the Broncos with his 17 markers this season.
Michael Stickland has 29 penalty minutes to lead the team in that category.
Morgan Clark has seen action in 13 games this season, putting together a 7-4-0-1 record to go along with a 3.31 goals against average and a.894 save percentage. Rookie Alexandre Sirard has a 2-4-0-0 record in 7 appearances this season with a 3.37 goals against average and a.869 save percentage.
The Broncos' power play is ranked 16th in the WHL, converting at a 15.4% rate on the season. The penalty kill unit is ranked 8th in the WHL, killing off 80.7% of shorthanded situations.
Tickets for tonight's game are available online at ticketmaster.ca, by calling 938-7800, or by visiting any Ticketmaster location.
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