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WHL Saskatoon Blades

Cinderella Comeback Falls Short For Blades

December 9, 2009 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Saskatoon Blades News Release


Following a hurried a third period comeback, the Saskatoon Blades lost a heartbreaker 5-4 in overtime to the Brandon Wheat Kings on Wednesday evening at home.

Braeden Johnson (Saskatoon, SK), Burke Gallimore (Edmonton, AB), Charles Inglis (Saskatoon, SK), and Tyler Kizuik (Indian Head, SK) scored for the Blades, who now have an 11-2-1-0 record at home on the season.

Brandon - 1st - Matt Calvert (Brayden Schenn) 2:37 Calvert took a home run pass from Schenn just inside the Blades' blue line and fired one past Steven Stanford (Calgary, AB) for his 22nd of the season and had the Wheaties on the board first.

Brandon - 1st - Calvert (Scott Glennie, Colby Robak) 10:01 pp The Wheat Kings went up 2-0 when the Columbus draft pick tipped home a Glennie point shot past a screened Stanford.

Brandon - 1st - Calvert (Schenn) 19:23 sh The overage forward completed the natural hat trick before the opening frame was closed again on a breakaway, this time using a backhand-to-forehand deke to beat the Blades' netminder.

Brandon - 2nd - Mark Schneider (Paul Ciarelli, Michael Ferland) 2:47 Schneider took a drop pass from Ciarelli on the rush and from the top of the faceoff circle put a wrist shot home for his 4th of the season.

Saskatoon - 2nd - Johnson (Tyler Kizuik, Josh Nicholls) 18:12 pp The freshman Johnson picked up his first Western Hockey League goal to put the Blades on the board before the middle frame was out. The former Saskatoon Raider minor hockey player tipped home Kizuik's point shot and it was 4-1.

Saskatoon - 3rd - Gallimore 0:23 Gallimore made a two-goal game early in the final frame on a bit of a weird one. The second year Blade intercepted an errant pass from a Wheat King, turned and fired, and beat a sprawling Andrew Hayes, who had caught an edge while getting back in the crease.

Saskatoon - 3rd - Inglis (Stefan Elliott, Sam Klassen) 4:04 Elliott (North Vancouver, BC) started the play with a rush through the neutral zone and had the puck knocked off his stick. Inglis grabbed the loose puck just inside the blue line and sent a wrist shot on net that managed to handcuff Hayes and it was a 4-3 hockey game.

Saskatoon - 3rd - Kizuik (Brent Benson, Gaelan Patterson) 8:11 pp The Blades completed the comeback just over four minutes later after some solid puck work down low by Benson (Weyburn, SK) allowed for a centering pass to Kizuik in the faceoff circle and the rookie made no mistake for his first career goal.

Brandon - OT - Schenn (Robak) 2:03 It was all for naught, however, as the Brandon captain carried the puck into the Blades' zone and put wrist shot home for his 14th of the season and the overtime winner.

Stanford made 21 saves in a losing cause for the Blades. At the Brandon end, Hayes turned aside 17 of 20 shots sent his way before being pulled early in the third period. Jacob De Serres picked up the win in relief after stopping 8 of 9 shots.

Final score Brandon Wheat Kings 5, Saskatoon Blades 4.

The Blades next are in action this coming Saturday with a matchup against the Red Deer Rebels at Credit Union Centre. Game time is 7:05 pm. Tickets are available online at ticketmaster.ca, by calling 938-7800, or by visiting any Ticketmaster outlet.

Only one more week remains until the Blades' fifth annual GlobalTV Toque Toss and $5 Ticket Night on Wednesday, December 16th when the Kelowna Rockets are in town. In an effort to keep the less fortunate citizens of Saskatoon warm this winter, fans are encouraged to bring toques, scarves, mittens, and other warm winter clothing to throw on the ice following the Blades' first goal of the night. The collected clothing will be donated to a host of local charities in conjunction with MD Ambulance. Game tickets for that night only will be $5. The special ticket rate is now available at the Credit Union Centre box office. The game also marks the first Budget Car & Truck Rental Raincheck Night of the year. Fans can bring any unused season tickets to the game and get in for just $2.

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