WHL Saskatoon Blades

Blades Beat Pats 5-4 in Lazarak's 2000th Career Broadcast

February 3, 2022 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Saskatoon Blades News Release


REGINA, SK - Longtime Saskatoon Blades broadcaster Les Lazarak wasn't robbed of any action in his 2000th career call.

The Blue and Gold improved to 22-15-1-1 on the season, defeating the Regina Pats 5-4 at The Brandt Centre.

Alternate captain Kyle Crnkovic regained his position at the top for the league lead in points, scoring two powerplay goals and an assist. The 5-foot-7 forward leads the team in goals with 25, and has 60 points this season. NHL Draft eligible forward also collected a trio of points, scoring a goal and two helpers.

January's player of the month Jayden Wiens tapped home a bobbling puck near the front of the net to give Saskatoon an early 1-0 lead. Blueliner Rhett Rhinehart threw the initial shot on net from the point, assisting on the Carrot River, SK forward's 13th goal of the season.

Blades netminder Nolan Maier was sharp early on, making several point-blank stops to keep Regina off the scoresheet throughout most of the first.

Near the end of the period, Regina began putting on the pressure.

With just over three minutes remaining in the first, Pats rookie Connor Bedard gloved the puck down onto his stick and just squeaked it by Nolan Maier, giving him his 21st on the campaign.

Only 12 seconds later, Pats forward Cole Dubinsky gave Regina their first lead of the game with a nifty backhand over Maier.

With about a minute-and-a-half left in period one, Regina defenceman Parker Berge committed a double-minor high-sticking penalty, giving the Blades a man-advantage heading into the second.

All but 22 seconds into the middle frame, Wiens was on the prowl to collect his second goal of the evening. A juicy rebound off the rush from captain Aiden De La Gorgendiere came perfectly to the 5-foot-9 center, tying the game up for the Blue and Gold.

On the same double-minor, Saskatoon regained the lead with a beautiful tic-tac-toe play. Crnkovic fed a pass down on the goal line for Wiens, who centered it for a Lisowsky one-timer past Pats goalie Drew Sim. This gives the Port Coquitlam, BC native 22 goals this season, good for second on the team.

A little over two minutes later, Dubinsky batted in a flailing puck near Maier to even things up for the Pats.

Goals kept coming in quick succession, as Bedard wired his second goal of the contest on the powerplay about two minutes later. Pats blueliners Stanislav Svozil and Ryker Evans each recorded their second assist of the night, making it 4-3 Regina.

The Blades were stagnant from then on throughout the second, until Trevor Wong drew a interference penalty with a minute left in the frame.

Saskatoon didn't waste anytime with the final 60 seconds they had.

Lisowsky corralled a pass from the captain, before teeing up Crnkovic for a rocket one-timer to make it 4-4. The Chestermere, AB product had an eight-game point streak snapped against the Brandon Wheat Kings on Sunday, but put up two critical points before the final frame.

Already three-for-four on the powerplay, Tristen Robins drew a minor penalty on a partial breakaway giving his team the man-advantage with under three minutes in the battle.

Crnkovic registered his second goal of the game, moving him up to 25 on the season, which would stand to be the game-winner. San Jose Sharks prospect Robins contributed an assist on the play, and De La Gorgendiere racked his assist total on the night to three.

It was a photo finish as the Blades had a nail-biting 6-on-4 kill for the last 55 seconds, with Maier coming up huge in the 5-4 win.

The Blades return to action at SaskTel Centre on Friday when they welcome the Edmonton Oil Kings.

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER

Lazarak was honoured prior to the game in Regina, featuring a touching video tribute with cameos from the likes of iconic Medicine Hat Tigers announcer Bob Ridley, and former Blades head coach Mitch Love.

The veteran broadcaster called his first game with the team in 1994, coincidentally in the same building he's calling his 2000th. Saskatoon would go on to win that game 8-3.

Over two-and-a-half decades later, the team made him proud once again.

Check out the Saskatoon Blades Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from February 3, 2022


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