Giants Stomp Blades Comeback
October 4, 2015 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Saskatoon Blades News Release
SASKATOON, SK - There were no Giant slayers here this afternoon at SaskTel Centre.
A slow first period saw the Blades give up a power play goal just minutes into the game courtesy of Carter Popoff.
With several power plays in the first, the Blades were unable to generate offense as they were outshot 18 to 8 after 20 minutes.
The second period saw a 4 on 4 goal squeak past Brock Hamm's glove to give Vancouver a 2-0 lead.
Leading scorer Cameron Hebig, who finished the night with a goal and two assists, assisted on the first career WHL goal for Lukus MacKenzie which cut the score to 2-1.
"The puck got dished to Heibs (Hebig) and I saw there was only one defender back so I thought I'd jump up in the play and he made a nice dish to me and I just went in and scored." Described Lukus MacKenzie on how he scored his first WHL goal.
Jake Kustra blasted one from the point that beat the goaltender high blocker for his first career WHL goal to help the Blades be within one goal. "I just put my head down and shot it. Bob and the coaching staff were telling us to get quick shots on net and not trying to be too fancy and just get the puck on the net. I shot it and just hoped for the best," explained Jake Kustra on also scoring his first WHL goal.
After the Giants restored their lead back to two goals with over two and a half minutes into period number three, the Blades would get a much needed power play and after the efforts on how it performed last game, it had to redeem itself tonight.
Connor Gay found Hebig busting through the middle putting his backhand shot past Cody Porter to get the Blades within one.
Sticking with the same power play, the Giants got called on a late high sticking penalty with 1:44 to play in the third and the Blades knew they had life.
After Hamm was pulled to make it 6 on 4 hockey, captain Nick Zajac fed the puck in front and was tipped by Ryan Graham who now has four goals in four games.
In the overtime period, Jakob Stukel drove to the net from the blue line to beat Hamm upstairs to hand the Blades their third straight overtime loss in as many games.
The Blades outshot the Giants in the third 20 to 6 in a come from behind effort in the third.
Though one point is all they got here on this night, Head Coach Bob Woods was still happy with the overall effort after the first period. "First period I thought we let them take it to us pretty good but they figured it out and did what they had to do."
"I was proud of the way the guys responded when they made it 4-2 they could have packed it in and maybe last year probably would have ended up 5-2, 6-2. We believed we could come back and that's a powerful thing to have, we just have to find a way to win these overtime 3 on 3's." Bob Woods comparing this years group to last years.
The Blades will have a few days to prepare for the Kootenay Ice Wednesday night at SaskTel Centre. Game time at 7:00 p.m.
Western Hockey League Stories from October 4, 2015
- Rockets Double 'Canes 6-3 in Lethbirdge - Kelowna Rockets
- Oil Kings Flip Script for First Win - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Pats Fall to Calgary 3-0 - Regina Pats
- Petersen, Hitmen Blank Regina 3-0 - Calgary Hitmen
- Giants Stomp Blades Comeback - Saskatoon Blades
- Stukel Lifts Giants Past Blades - Vancouver Giants
- Game Day: Rockets in Lethbridge to Take on Hurricanes - Kelowna Rockets
- Preview: Giants at Blades - October 4th - Saskatoon Blades
- Game Notes: Broncos in Edmonton - Swift Current Broncos
- Calgary Hitmen Game Preview - Sunday, October 4 at Regina - Calgary Hitmen
- Wheat Kings Blank Pats - Brandon Wheat Kings
- Royals Best Blazers 5-1 Saturday Night - Kamloops Blazers
- Silvertips Top Portland 3-1 before Big Crowd - Everett Silvertips
- Chiefs Spoil Americans' Home Opener in Overtime - Tri-City Americans
- Royals Trump Blazers - Victoria Royals
- T-Birds Cage Cougars in Home Opener - Seattle Thunderbirds
- Hawks Fall 3-1 to Everett Saturday - Portland Winterhawks
- Rebels Defeat Rockets 7-4. - Red Deer Rebels
- Rockets Fall 7-4 in Red Deer - Kelowna Rockets
- Tigers Lose Wild One in Overtime - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Reid Gardiner's second of the game gives Prince Albert another OT win - Prince Albert Raiders
- Hitmen lose to Warriors - Calgary Hitmen
- Red Deer wins over Kelowna - Kelowna Rockets
- Pats blanked by Wheat Kings - Regina Pats
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