WHL Saskatoon Blades

Chippy Game Hands Blades a Loss

Published on February 3, 2016 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Saskatoon Blades News Release


SASKATOON, SK - When you play a team that has the most penalty minutes in the league, you expect things to get ugly, real fast. The Cougars were too big, too strong and too physical for the Blades.

"For forty minutes I thought we played well. The score didn't indicate the game but I thought we had a lot of chances but we just didn't score and every time we made a mistake it ended up in our net," says Bob Woods on the overall outcome of the game.

Prince George showed early on why they lead league in penalty minutes. Recording twenty one penalty minutes in the opening frame.

Ryan Graham lowered the boom on Joseph Carvalho and Shane Collins came to his side and dropped the gloves with Graham just 1:52 into the game. Collins received the extra penalties for instigating and game misconduct.

Aside from leading the league in penalties, the Cougars are also a big bodied team that physically dominated the first period.

Aaron Boydo on the rush had his pass went off of Jantzen Leslie's skate and right back to Boyd who tapped it in the open net to open the scoring for Prince George 4:27 into the first giving the Cougars a 1-0 lead.

Chase Witala received a major for checking to the head that gave the Blades a 5 minute power play, but failed to get a goal on that man advantage but generated a lot of chances and good shots on net making Nick McBride work to keep the Cougars in the game.

Cougars get a chance on the power play on a Zajac slashing call. Brad Morrison faked the shot and found a wide open Brogan O'Brien on a tap in to an open net to make it 2-0 Cougars at the 11:27 mark.

Frustration boiled over for the Blades and just 28 seconds after the Cougars made it a two goal game, Lukus MacKenzie and Kody McDonald dropped the gloves for the games second fight and the first for MacKenzie in the WHL.

Some misplay of the puck by Waltz at the Cougars blue line ended on the tape of Jared Bethune and bursted down the middle on the breakaway and got one past Smith to give the Cougars some insurance with a 3-0 lead.

A early power play for the Blades in the third,The Blades turned it over on the power-play at the blue line that went right to Jesse Gabrielle who bursted out on the breakaway shorthanded and went backhand on Smith to make a it a 4-0 game for Prince George.

Nolan Reid got hit from behind, no call was made on the play and Wyatt Sloboshan answered the call for the games third fight as he got in a tilt with Colby McAuley who hit Reid earlier.

Jesse Gabrielle and Ryan Graham dropped the gloves also with the fourth fight of the game.

Winnipeg draft pick Jansen Harkins added to the impressive Cougars power play on a pass from Brogan O'Brien and Harkins's shot just squeaked through Smith for a score of 5-0 for the Cougars.

Bison left alone on a feed from McAuley that made it 6-0 for the Cougars off a Blades turnover in the corner with just over four minutes left to play in the third.

A Cougars 4 on 3 power-play, which resulted in another power play goal for the Cougars as Aaron Boyd got on the loose puck to make it into a 7-0 contest and that's all that would be needed for Prince George.

"You come into every game ready to play. We knew they were big and scrappy team and that's what it turned into. Some guys stepped up and took exception and respond to those big hits. When the opportunity comes to step up you got to do it. The start of the game with that big hit it usually happens and then the second one was just frustration towards the end," added Ryan Graham who finished the game with two fights.

The game ended with a total of 101 penalty minutes between the two teams. It turned into a real chippy game real fast. Mainly in the third period where things got very intense. "When you have the most penalty minutes in the league you expect to see some fireworks going and I give our guys credit. (Wyatt) Sloboshan sticking up for (Nolan) Reid, Lukus (MacKenzie) getting his first fight in this league and (Ryan) Graham played the way he needs to play," added Woods on the chippiness in this game.

On a positive note in this game, Chase Wouters looked very solid in his first WHL game. Laying the body and blocking shots. Showing why the Blades drafted him in the first round last year. Bob Woods praised Wouters play throughout the game. " I thought he was great. Blocking shots, he didn't look intimidated at all, makes very good decisions. There's things out there that you expect to teach guys but he just figures it out on his own."

"It was really exciting, coming into today it was all I could think about and it's good to get the first one out of the way. The first period was all nerves but as the game went on it just felt normal," says Wouters on his first WHL game.

Saturday night is when the Blades are back in action agains the Broncos who now passed them in the standings as the race for a playoff spot continues.

Check out the Saskatoon Blades Statistics

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



Western Hockey League Stories from February 3, 2016


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