WHL Saskatoon Blades

Blades Host Rockets On GlobalTV Toque Toss & $5 Ticket Night

Published on December 16, 2009 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Saskatoon Blades News Release


The GlobalTV Toque Toss & $5 Ticket Night is tonight as the Saskatoon Blades host the Kelowna Rockets at Credit Union Centre. Game time is 7:05 pm.

Fans are encouraged to bring toques, scarves, mitts, and any other warm winter clothing to the game to be thrown on the ice following the Blades' first goal of the night. The collected clothing will be donated to a host of charities around Saskatoon by MD Ambulance.

In appreciation of the support of the community, the Blades are pleased to offer a $5 ticket rate for tonight's contest.

Head-to-Head This is the first and only meeting of the season between the Blades and Rockets. Last season the two clubs met on December 3rd with the Blades coming away with a 4-2 victory over the host Rockets in a spirited affair that saw the two teams combine for 126 minutes in penalties.

Saskatoon Blades The Blades (22-6-1-3, 48 points, T-1st in East Division, T-2nd in Eastern Conference) have three games remaining before the Christmas break. The hometown Blades were last in action on Saturday evening, earning a 4-3 win in a shootout over the Red Deer Rebels at home. Charles Inglis (Saskatoon, SK), Gaelan Patterson (Saskatoon, SK), and Stefan Elliott (North Vancouver, BC) scored during the game before Derek Hulak (Saskatoon, SK) sealed the victory in the shootout. Adam Morrison (White Rock, BC) got the call between the pipes and made 20 saves during the game and all 4 chances in the shootout to earn the win.

Hulak sits atop the Blades' scoring list with 13 goals and 26 assists for 39 points so far this season. Walker Wintoneak (Flin Flon, MB) is second on the team with 16 goals and 20 assists for 36 points. Elliott, a defenseman, is third with 11 goals and 19 assists for 30 points, good enough for a tie for 8th amongst WHL defensemen.

With 16 goals on the season, Wintoneak leads the Blades so far this year in that category.

Randy McNaught (Nanaimo, BC) leads the team and is second overall in the WHL with 103 penalty minutes on the season. Darian Dziurzynski (Lloydminster, AB) is second on the team and fourth overall in the league with 94 penalty minutes.

Four Blades are in the top 10 in the league for plus/minus. Elliott (T-4th - +22), Sam Klassen (Watrous, SK) (T-8th - +20), Wintoneak (T-8th - +20), and Patterson (T-8th - +20) all are amongst the league leaders in the category.

In goal, Morrison has made 19 appearances this season and has an 11-5-0-3 record with a 2.79 goals against average (8th in the WHL), and a.908 save percentage (T-9th in the WHL). Steven Stanford (Calgary, AB), meanwhile, has made 16 appearances and is 11-3-1-0 on the season to go along with a 2.38 goals against average (2nd in the WHL) and a.911 save percentage (T-6th in the WHL).

The Blades are 17th in the WHL in power play efficiency, having converted on 17.3% of opportunities with the man power advantage. While shorthanded this season the team is ranked 5th in the WHL, having killed off 83.5% of shorthanded chances.

Kelowna Rockets The Rockets (18-17-1-0, 37 points, 2nd in B.C. Division, T-5th in Western Conference) finish off a six-game road trip through the East Division tonight that has the seen the team go 3-2-0-0 on the first five games of the trip. Last night in Prince Albert, the Rockets were shutout 3-0 by the Raiders.

Shane McColgan, a 16-year-old rookie sensation, leads the Rockets in scoring this season with 15 goals and 21 assists for 36 points. Rearguard Tyson Barrie is second on the team with 6 goals and 29 assists for 35 points. Veteran Brandon McMillan, currently attending the training camp for Team Canada for the World Junior Hockey Championship, is third in team scoring with 9 goals and 21 assists for 30 points.

McColgan and recent acquisition Geordie Wudrick share the team lead in goal scoring with 15 markers each this season.

Defenseman Curt Gogol leads the Rockets with 110 penalty minutes, tops in the Western Hockey League.

Mitchell Callahan has a +5 rating to lead the team in the plus/minus category.

In between the pipes, Adam Brown has made 33 appearances to lead the Rockets and has compiled a 17-14-1-0 record on the season with a 2.97 goals against average and a.901 save percentage. Overage goaltender Mark Guggenberger, who recently returned to the Rockets' lineup from injury, has played in 2 games this season and has a 1-1-0-0 record to go along with a 3.91 goals against average and a.850 save percentage. Chad Ketting, the third goaltender in the Rockets' mix, has a 0-2-0-0 record with a 3.90 goals against average and a.864 save percentage in 3 games played.

The Rockets are converting on the power play at a rate of 25.3% this season, ranking them 5th in the WHL. The team's penalty kill unit is working at an 80.8% clip this year, putting them 8th in the league.

Blades vs Rockets To purchase tonight's special $5 ticket rate stop by the Credit Union Centre box office.

Fans can still purchase season tickets for the remainder of the season beginning at $229 for adults and $90 for youth. Stop by the Blades' sales booth located behind Section A at Credit Union Centre for more information.

Check out the Saskatoon Blades Statistics

Share: Facebook | Twitter/X | LinkedIn | Reddit | Email



Western Hockey League Stories from December 16, 2009


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.

OurSports Central