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WHL Saskatoon Blades

Hebig's Return Lifts Blades over Broncos

February 18, 2016 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Saskatoon Blades News Release


SASKATOON, SK - With 13 points separating the Blades from the final Wild Card spot in the playoffs, these next three games are all playoff games for the Blades.

The Broncos visited SaskTel Centre not too long ago, and the pace just picked up right where it left off. A fast and physical first period for both teams as lots of bodies started flying with good quality scoring opportunities in the scoreless first.

The second period would see the Broncos in some trouble as Kade Jensen took out Nikita Soshnin hard from behind, Jensen ended up with a 5 minute major and a game misconduct giving the Blades a 5 minute power play.

On the initial power play, Connor Gay found Dustin Perillat who unloaded a one timer just 31 seconds into the power play giving the Blades the 1-0 lead. Perillat with that goal extended his point streak to five games.

The Blades had several power-play chances in the second. Including a 5 on 3 from the as Nikita Soshnin was the victim of another hit by the Broncos but unable to add to their lead at that point in the game.

The kid line got on the board with Lukus MacKenzie on the rush and fed it to Josh Paterson who went five hole on Burman for his tenth of the year giving the Blades a 2-0 lead. "It was something I was hoping to accomplish but it's all thanks to my line mates they've been doing a great job of getting me the puck," says Paterson on scoring his tenth goal of the year.

With 2.4 seconds left in the second, Tyler Steenbergen took advantage of some miscommunication by the Blades with a shot that Hamm wasn't expecting to put the Broncos within one. Hoping that goal might spark the Bronco offense in the third.

In his first game back from injury, Cameron Hebig's skill set was surely missed. Somehow getting a stick on the puck from a Ryan Graham pass and went backhand past Burman just 1:08 into the third period to make it 3-1 Blades.

Swift Current responded right away just 46 seconds after the Hebig goal, as Tyler Adams found the puck in the blue paint as Hamm thought he had it squeezed up top on a shot from former Blade Austin Adamson

The Blades would get a power-play in the third and just 1:07 into it, Braylon Shmyr holding the play in and from the top circle, unloaded the Blades second power-play goal of the evening giving the Blades a 4-2 lead. Finishing with two power-play goals on five opportunities.

Undisciplined plays by the Blades could have given Swift Current momentum late in the hockey game with three power plays for the Broncos. But the Blades penalty kill was solid all night long, blocking shots, playing sound defensively to kill off all five Broncos opportunities in the game.

With less than two to go, Jon Martin's shot from the wall was tipped by Glen Gawdin in the paint to put the Broncos just within one as the time started to wind down but wouldn't be enough for the Broncos as the Blades ended their three game losing streak with a good all around team effort for their twentieth win of the season. "It was nice to get the twentieth win, the guys talked about it all week and we wanted to find a way to get it done. We gave up that goal in the second and weren't happy about it and theres things we can learn from that but the main thing was we didn't let it crumble us. We stuck with what we wanted to do. We did a great job killing penalties and our power play scored when we needed it to. Overall everything was pretty positive," said Bob Woods on the team's twentieth win of the year.

Cameron Hebig finished the night with a goal as he was very anxious to return after missing the last 8 games with an upper body injury. "I was very excited to get back in the line up it was a long time coming. I just wanted to come out and have a good game and we came out with a "W" and that's what we did."

One key point Bob Woods mentioned was that his team were winning those one on one battles that ultimately helped them in the end to win the hockey. "It's just competing against that guy you're up against and letting him know he's in for a battle and just being determined. When you put your mindset to that you can win battles, Swift Current's got big strong players over there but our guys wanted it more tonight."

It will be a quick turnaround for the Blades as they head to Swift Current on Friday for a rematch and last meeting of the season against the Broncos.

Check out the Saskatoon Blades Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from February 18, 2016


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