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WHL Saskatoon Blades

Blades Thump Oil Kings 6-1

February 4, 2022 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Saskatoon Blades News Release


SASKATOON, SK - The Saskatoon Blades kicked off their five-game homestand with a statement win on Friday night, taking down the conference-leading Edmonton Oil Kings 6-1 at SaskTel Centre.

The win comes 48 hours after defeating the Regina Pats 5-4 on the road and ends the Oil Kings three-game win streak. Saskatoon has now won six of its last seven, which also includes a 7-2 victory over the East Division-leading Winnipeg ICE 7-2 on January 22nd.

This is the second time the Blades have dethroned the Oil Kings at SaskTel Centre this season, following up on an overtime victory on November 9th.

Multiple players had multi-point performances in a game which featured six separate Blades lighting the lamp.

Captain Aidan De La Gorgendiere, along with alternate captain's Rhett Rhinehart and Kyle Crnkovic found the back of the net. Forwards Kyren Gronick, Jayden Wiens and Tyler Parr each had markers in the contest as well.

San Jose Sharks prospect Tristen Robins led the assists category, getting three apples. Crnkovic and De La Gorgondiere each had two helpers while Brandon Lisowsky, Wiens, Vaughn Watterodt, and Charlie Wright each had one.

Blades netminder Nolan Maier was stellar between the pipes, stopping 38 shots and helping Saskatoon improve to 23-15-1-1. The win is Maier's 110th in the WHL, putting him one win back of current UNB goalie Griffen Outhouse, who's eighth on the all-time wins list.

Oil Kings goaltender Sebastian Cossa stopped 10 of 15 shots before being pulled after the second period, where Kolby Hay didn't stop the only shot he faced. Edmonton falls to 30-11-2-1.

Saskatoon opened the scoring just over 10 minutes in. Crnkovic caught Wright with a lead pass, creating a rare two on one featuring a pair of defenders. Wright send a cross-ice pass to alternate captain Rhett Rhinehart on the right-wing who made no mistake cashing in his fifth of the campaign.

The Blades added another first-period marker on the power play at the 18:19 mark of the opening frame. Robins made a no-look pass to Wiens on the right-wing, who caught Crnkovic for a give-and-go play near the side of the net.

The Carrot River product banged home his 15th of the season and sixth in his last five.

Edmonton got on the board in the second with Oil Kings captain Jake Neighbours snapping a shot upstairs on Maier, cutting the Blades lead in half.

In the dying minutes of the middle frame, the Blades all but sealed the victory.

The Blue & Gold struck three times in the span of 2:55 to give the home team a commanding 5-1 lead heading into the third. Two of the three markers came on the power play.

Crnkovic began the scoring parade, one-timing a bobbling puck over the glove of Cossa to collect his team-leading 26th of the season.

Gronick and De La Gorgondiere picked up markers soon after, sending Oil King netminder Sebastian Cossa to the bench following 40 minutes of play. Saskatoon continued the scoring parade in the third with Tyler Parr getting the lone third marker.

Saskatoon will continue its five-game home stand on Saturday, welcoming the Red Deer Rebels to SaskTel Centre for a 7:00 pm puck-drop.

Check out the Saskatoon Blades Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from February 4, 2022


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