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WHL Saskatoon Blades

Blades Finish Pre-Season

September 24, 2010 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Saskatoon Blades News Release


The Saskatoon Blades ended the 2010 pre-season with a record of 4-1-0-1. The Blades scored two victories over the Prince Albert Raiders (3-2 on Sept 1st and 5-0 on Sept 3rd) and two vs. the Regina Pats (4-3 on Sept 15th and 5-0 on Sept 18th). Rookie forward Lukas Sutter led the Blades in pre-season scoring, collecting 6 points (2G 4A). 2009 first round bantam pick Ryan Olsen and 19 year old forwards Darian Dziurzynski each collected 4 points (all assists) in the exhibition season. Blades goaltender Steven Stanford posted an impressive 0.75 GAA and an equally impressive 96.0% save percentage in 2 pre-season games that he appeared in. The Blades power-play went 3 for 38 (13.2% efficiency) in the 6 exhibition games played, while their PK killed 93.1% (27 of 29) short handed situations they faced.

SASKATOON BLADES - 2010-11 Home Opener

Welcome to the 47th season of Saskatoon Blades Hockey. The Blades have a franchise record of 20 wins, 24, losses, and 2 ties in the first game of the season, but do sport a more impressive 28-15-1 record on home openers. Tonight will mark the 18th time in franchise history the Saskatoon Blades will open the season versus the Prince Albert Raiders. In 17 previous season opening match-ups between these two clubs, the Raiders hold a slight edge over the Blades with a 9-8 record. The last time these two teams met to open a season was on Sept 19, 2008; a game the Raiders dismantled the Blades by a score of 8-2.

The Saskatoon Blades start the 2010-11 season with 17 returnees from last year's roster. Included in that 17 players are Gaelan Patterson, Stefan Elliott, and Marek Viedensky; who each scored 20 or more goals last season. The Blades roster also features 9 players who have NHL affiliations including 3 players who have signed NHL entry level contracts.

BLADES NEWS & NOTES

- The Saskatoon Blades are pleased to announce that 20 year old defenseman Teigan Zahn has been named Team Captain for the 2010-11 season. Zahn, who rejoined the Saskatoon Blades earlier this week from the Tampa Bay Lightning, is entering his 5th WHL season with the Blades; a career which has seen him appear in 215 regular season games, picking up 9 goals and 32 assists to go along with 418 penalty minutes. Zahn has appeared in an additional 17 career WHL playoff games for the Blades, picking up 1 goal, 4 assists, and 20 penalty minutes. The Saskatoon Blades also named 3 Assistant Captains in 20 year old Slovakian forward Marek Viedensky, 19 year old forward Curtis Hamilton, and 17 year old defenseman Duncan Siemens.

- The Saskatoon Blades, along with Ackland's Grainger and the Children's Wish Foundation, are proud to announce that this season's point man is 19 year old Assistant Captain Curtis Hamilton. For every point that Hamilton collects this season, Ackland's Grainger will donate $50 to the Children's Wish Foundation. Hamilton takes over the Point Man duties from graduated Saskatoon Blades Derek Hulak. In his 2 plus years as the Point Man, Hulak helped raise over $10,000 for the Children's Wish Foundation

- Gone Camping - The Saskatoon Blades had 10 players participating in NHL Training Camps this fall. To start the season, the Blades will be without the services of goaltender Adam Morrison (Philadelphia Flyers), defenseman Stefan Elliott (Colorado Avalanche), and 20 year old forwards Gaelan Patterson (Calgary Flames) and Randy McNaught (New York Rangers). Forward Josh Nicholls was returned to the Blades by the Toronto Maple Leafs yesterday and will be back in the Blades line-up in time for tonight's game.

By The Numbers

- With his next point, Marek Viedensky will hit the century mark for points in his WHL Career. Viedensky, who joined the Blades midway through last season from the Prince George Cougars, has collected 36 goals and 63 assists in 120 career WHL games.

- What's in a Number? - 5 returning players from the 2010 Saskatoon Blades playoff roster will be sporting new numbers this season. Curtis Hamilton will shed the #9 jersey he has worn for 3 years in favour of #13; Curt Gogol will switch from #16 to #33, Lukas Sutter will wear #23 (same number his dad wore in the NHL) instead of #14, and Tyler Kizuik makes the move from #23 to #2.

Year by Year Breakdown by Player:

(90) 20 - 7: Patterson, Zahn, Stanford, Boyer, McNaught, Acolatse, Viedensky

(91) 19 - 5: Dziurzynski, Hamilton, Elliott, Morrison, Gogol

(92) 18 - 5: Nicholls, Kizuik, Johnson, Vandane, Williamson

(93) 17 - 9: Siemens, Benson, Thrower, Dietz, Sutter, Stransky, Daae, Iwan, A. Elliott

(94) 16 - 4: Bews, Olsen, Stovin, Stipancik

Check out the Saskatoon Blades Statistics

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