WHL Saskatoon Blades

Blades and Raiders Collide for First Time this Season

March 19, 2021 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Saskatoon Blades News Release


Saskatoon Blades (2-0-1-0) @ Prince Albert Raiders (2-0-0-1)

Date | Time Friday, March 19th | 8:00pm MT

Place Brandt Centre, Regina, SK

Video Stream WHL Live

Radio 98 COOL FM | Pre-Game Show w/ Les Lazaruk @ 7:30pm CT

Mobile App Apple | Android

What's Next Sunday, March 21st @ Moose Jaw Warriors (8:00pm)

Social Media @BladesHockey| Facebook | Instagram

SaskTel Game Day Preview

Arguably the most heated rivalry in the WHL takes the ice for the first time this season as the Saskatoon Blades and Prince Albert Raiders duke it out at the Brandt Centre in Regina.

This is the first of four meetings between the two foes, with both teams sitting tied for second in the divisional standings with five points.

The Blades head into Friday night coming off their first setback of the season, falling 2-1 to the Winnipeg ICE in overtime, but have secured five of a possible six points to open the campaign.

Prince Albert is fresh off two days of rest, looking to build off a 5-3 victory over the Brandon Wheat Kings. Last season, the Saskatoon Blades beat the Raiders in 6 out of 8 games, two of which finishing in overtime.

Who to watch...

Former Tri-City American Blake Stevenson is off to a roaring start in his career as a Blade. The 19-year-old leads the team in scoring with 4 points (2G-2A), all of which coming in a 6-3 victory over the Regina Pats last Sunday.

Colton Dach and Kyle Crnkovic's chemistry is turning heads in the early parts of the season - setting each other up for their first goals of the campaign. Crnkovic set up Dach for the lone goal in Saskatoon's overtime loss to Winnipeg on Wednesday.

Goaltender Koen MacInnes earned the game's second star on Wednesday, stopping 25 of 27 shots in his first start of the campaign.

Captain's Quarters...

Blades captain Chase Wouters is off to a great start in his final year in the WHL.

The career-Blade notched two assists in a 4-2 victory over the Swift Current Broncos in the season opener, and followed up with his first goal of the campaign against Regina the next night. Wouters is the first three-year captain in the Blades 57-year history, and is looking to end his WHL career with an exclamation point this season.

The Next Generation...

2020 first-round draft pick Tanner Molendyk joined forwards Carter Streek and Hayden Smith in the first games of their careers on Wednesday. All three are still on the hunt for their first career points.Molendyk, the former captain for Yale Hockey Academy, was drafted fifth overall by Saskatoon last spring, and is often referred to as a franchise defenceman in terms of his potential in the WHL.

NHL Radar...

Draft Eligible forward Colton Dach is taking a similar path as his older brother and former Blade, Kirby Dach, cracking the latest ranking put together by NHL Central Scouting.

The Fort Saskatchewan, AB product has been ranked with a 'C' rating by NHL Central Scouting in the latest 'Players to Watch' list, indicating either a fouth-, fifth-, or sixth-round draft pick in 2021.

Ecologik Game Day 50/50...

There's a little more than just a jackpot at stake in today's Ecologic Game Day 50/50 draw.

The Blades and Raiders are going head-to-head on which team can raise more money, and we're hoping Blade City helps us out! The team with the least amount raised will have to give their logo a 'makeover', and we can assure you it's not a look any blue and gold supporter wants to see.

Purchase your tickets online beginning 1 hour prior to puck drop for every Blades game during the 2021 season. Participants must be of legal age to purchase and live in the Saskatoon area to purchase. Tickets are:

1 for $10

10 for $20

30 for $30

You know the drill: winner takes half the pot and the other half goes towards the Saskatoon Blades Player Education Fund.

Need to know...

Looking for a place to join your friends and watch the Blades this season? The following establishments will be showing all Blades games for the 2021 season. Be sure to ask about their Original 16 Beer specials, the official beer of the Saskatoon Blades.

Shoeless Joe's Sports Grill

Wendel Clark's Classic Grill & Bar

All five Boston Pizza locations in Saskatoon

Both Canadian Brewhouse locations

Birmingham's Vodka & Ale House

Brown's Social House Lawson Heights

Hudson's

Check out the Saskatoon Blades Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from March 19, 2021


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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