Blades Topped by Oil Kings, Refocus for Hitmen Tomorrow
February 20, 2022 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Saskatoon Blades News Release
EDMONTON, AB - The Saskatoon Blades couldn't contain Dylan Guenther and the rest of the Edmonton Oil Kings on Saturday night.
The ninth overall NHL draft pick scored four goals, including a lacrosse-style wonder to complete his hat-trick, helping push the Eastern Conference's best team past the Saskatoon Blades 9-1 at Rogers Place.
Saskatoon will look to rebound Sunday afternoon in Calgary, finishing a difficult three-in-three weekend through Alberta.
Trevor Wong notched the lone marker for Saskatoon, who slip to 26-18-1-1 on the year. The goal, which at the time cut Edmonton's lead to 2-1, came unassisted on the powerplay.
Nolan Maier started the game allowing six goals on 28 shots, before Ethan Chadwick took over for the final 25 minutes. Cossa made 14 saves to earn his 24th victory of the season. This comes just over two weeks after the Blades handed the Oil Kings a similar pill, winning 6-1 at SaskTel Centre on Feb. 4.
Edmonton struck four times in the opening period, including twice shorthanded. Jaxsen Wiebe capitalized on a shorthanded breakaway to open the scoring 6:09 in, and Arizona Coyotes prospect Dylan Guenther added to the lead five minutes later.
Trevor Wong cut the lead in half less than two minutes later, fooling Cossa with a tough-angle shot on the left-wing boards, but the Oil Kings bit back.
Logan Dowhaniuk regained the Oil Kings' two-goal lead with the team's second shorthanded marker of the period. Then with less than three minutes to go, Guenther snuck a hard shot under the blocker of Maier to give Edmonton a 4-1 lead after 20.
Less than three minutes into the second period, Guenther completed the hat-trick with a move fit for a budding star in the NHL.
The Oil Kings alternate captain put a spin on the famed 'Michigan' goal, flipping the puck onto his stick behind the net and tucking it above the shoulder of Maier on the fly.
Eight minutes into the frame, the gloves came off.
Dowhaniuk caught Tyler Parr with a high hit through the neutral zone, and Rhett Rhinehart came to his defense. The alternate captain hurled several shots towards the face of Dowhaniuk before the linesmen moved in. Rhinehart was given an extra two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct.
Jake Neighbours added to the Oil Kings lead with five minutes to go in the second.
Tyler Horstmann and Ethan Peters joined the scoring parade in the third period, while Guenther added his fourth of the night to round out the scoring. The Oil Kings improve to 35-11-2-1 on the year.
The loss follows up a 5-3 setback in Red Deer on Friday to snap the team's three-game winning streak. With the Brandon Wheat Kings beating Swift Current on Saturday, the Blades third-place position in the East Division is down to one point.
Sunday's matinee at Scotiabank Saddledome in Calgary begins at 5:00pm Saskatchewan time, and can be heard live on 600 CJWW Radio featuring Les Lazaruk's play-by-play call.
Western Hockey League Stories from February 20, 2022
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- Chiefs Close out Road Trip against Portland Sunday - Spokane Chiefs
- Game #47 Preview: Blades at Hitmen - Saskatoon Blades
- Americans Down Chiefs in Overtime - Tri-City Americans
- T-Birds Fly Past Winterhawks - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Thrilling Third-Period Rally Lifts Rebels over Top-Ranked Ice - Red Deer Rebels
- Guenther's Four Pushes Oil Kings Streak to Five - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Game Day Hub: February 20 vs Spokane - Portland Winterhawks
- Another 3-2 Setback Sends Cougars to Weekend Skid - Prince George Cougars
- Tigers Host Hurricanes - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Sweeping Our Way out of Swift Current - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Rockets Sneak past Cougars Again - Kelowna Rockets
- Giants Bounce Back with a Thrilling Overtime Victory in Kamloops - Vancouver Giants
- Red Deer Rallies past ICE 3-2 - Winnipeg Ice
- Portland Loses to Seattle for First Time in Three Months - Portland Winterhawks
- Silvertips Clinch Playoff Berth with 3-1 Home Win over Victoria - Everett Silvertips
- Chiefs Force Overtime, But Fall 4-3 to Rival Tri-City Americans - Spokane Chiefs
- Silvertips Defeat Royals 3-1 in Tight Saturday Night Contest - Victoria Royals
- Blades Topped by Oil Kings, Refocus for Hitmen Tomorrow - Saskatoon Blades
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