WHL Saskatoon Blades

Blades Come Back in Kootenay

Published on October 24, 2015 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Saskatoon Blades News Release


CRANBROOK, B.C. - A third period comeback set the stage for an overtime winner by Cameron Hebig at 3:02 of the overtime marker. It was the second overtime game of this road trip, and second win to boot. As expected, Kootenay came out much harder than they did the last time the Blades faced them.

"Kootenay's a different team than what we saw at home," said Head Coach and General Manager Bob Woods. "They played hard tonight and they were a handful. I loved the effort tonight."

As Woods mentioned, Kootenay played hard and out worked the Blades in the opening frame and they were rewarded as the Blades took four penalties in the first alone. The Ice capitalized early in the game when former Raider, Dylan Stewart hopped on a loose puck to the right of Blades' goaltender Brock Hamm and fired it into the empty net just 1:52 into the game.

The Blades would respond with a powerplay goal of their own near the end of the 1st period. After being denied on a cross ice one timer, Brycen Martin regathered the puck before circling back to the top of the circle and wresting one top corner on Declin Hobbs. The period would end at one with Kootenay carrying the lead in shots 11-7.

The second period would see a much better performance from the Blades as they would control the majority of play throughout the period. They would break the tie with less than four minutes left in the period when Libor Hajek threw a puck on net which Cam Hausinger deflected past Hobbs for his second goal of the year.

"I've been preaching to him to shoot the puck," said Woods on Hajek, who ended up with three points on the evening. "Those are things that have to happen on the back end. A lot of teams seem to be giving us those opportunities, so when our forward are throwing it back there, we have to shoot the puck."

Kootenay would answer right back however, just over a monte later. Zak Zborosky came down the left wing and centred the puck which deflected off the defending Wheaton and past Hamm, a tough end to a strong period for the Blades. They would enter the third period tied in the game for the first time all season.

Kootenay would take another lead just under five minutes into the final frame when Ice captain Luke Philp finished off a perfect 3 on 2 and out waited Hamm to score his sixth of the season. The Blades seemed unfazed by the late goal. With 2:06 remaining in the game, 2015 CHL Import Draft 2nd overall selection, Libor Hajek scored his first career WHL goal to send the game to overtime.

"Hausinger passed in front of (the) net, I don't know who he missed, but (the) puck came my way and I go one-timer and shoot and maybe a little bit lucky goal, but it's fun." said Hajek, the native of Brno, Czech Republic.

Three days after beating the Edmonton Oil Kings in overtime, the Blades headed for yet another. A fast paced, intense period of 3 on 3 hockey occurred with glorious chances at both ends. After Ryan Graham missed on the breakaway, Cameron Hebig broke away and capitalized on his chance, beating Hobbs low glove to send the Blades off happy.

"We knew it was our game and we knew we had to win this one so it's nice to get the win." added Hebig on tonight's win.

The Blades now travel through the night to visit the brand new Medicine Hat arena and the Tigers for the last game of their four game road trip. Puck drop is at 7:00PM, follow on twitter @bladeshockey and listen live to Les Lazaruk on 92.9 the Bull.

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Western Hockey League Stories from October 24, 2015


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