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WHL Saskatoon Blades

Blades Defend Home Ice, Double up Warriors 4-2

October 3, 2021 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Saskatoon Blades News Release


SASKATOON, SK - The Saskatoon Blades successfully defended home ice to win their 2021-22 home opener, defeating the Moose Jaw Warriors 4-2 on Saturday night at SaskTel Centre

The newest Blade, Tyler Wong opened the scoring less than 3 minutes in as he netted his first for his new team. Josh Paulhus also scored his first as a Blade with just 13 seconds to go in the opening frame.

On the Paulhus goal, Belarus product Egor Sidorov got his first career Western Hockey League point netting an assist.

Tristen Robins in his first game back from San Jose Sharks training camp got his first of the year, on a nice shorthanded breakaway in the third and Kyle Crnkovic was able to seal the deal with an empty-net goal late in the game.

Nolan Maier was named the game's 1st star as he was able to stop 32 of 34 shots in the win. The victory moves the Blades to 1-1-0-0 on this young season. In the first period, a nice move at the blueline by Rhett Rhinehart lead to Wong's tally. Rhinehart beat his man and went around the net before putting a shot on goal - Wong was there to clean up the rebound to make it 1-0 Saskatoon.

The Blades would add another at the end of the period as Paulhus was able to get his first.

Sidorov made a nice play in the Blades zone under pressure and chipped it up to Paulhus who was able to beat his man wide and sneak it five-hole to give the Blades a 2-goal lead after 20 minutes.

Maier stood tall in net in the opening period making 14 stops.

A back and forth second period saw the Blades get their first powerplay of the game as Tanner Molendyk had a good chance but was stopped.

Carrot River product Jayden Wiens got the Blades best chance of the period on a two on one but he was stopped by the Warriors netminder.

Moose Jaw would cut the Blades lead in half with under a minute left as Daemon Hunt was able to put one past Maier as the Blades held a 2-1 lead after 40.

Saskatoon opened up the third period strong but couldn't capitalize until down a man.

On the powerplay, the Warriors fumbled the puck at the blueline and Robins was able to go in on a breakaway, the initial shot hit the post was bounced off the Warriors goaltender and into the net to give the Blades a shorthanded tally and regain their 2 goal cushion.

But the Warriors would battle back at the end of a Blades powerplay as some sloppy play lead to a partial breakaway which Maier stopped but Jagger Firkus stuck with it and snuck one through Maier to cut the Blades lead down to 3-2.

Moose Jaw headed back to the powerplay with 6 minutes to go but Nolan Maier once again stood tall and kept the lead.

Crnkovic was able to add an empty-net goal to make the final 4-2 and giving Blades new head coach Brennan Sonne his first WHL win.

The win also marks new assistant coach, Dan Dasilva's first win behind a bench.

Saskatoon went 0-for-2 on the powerplay but a perfect 4-for-4 on the penalty kill including the Robins shorthanded winner.

The Blades are now off for a week before heading to Brandon on October 9th and then returning home on October 13th for the second half of the home and home with the Wheat Kings.

Check out the Saskatoon Blades Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from October 3, 2021


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