WHL Saskatoon Blades

OT Hero Crnkovic Does It Again

Published on March 8, 2020 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Saskatoon Blades News Release


REGINA, SK - Kyle Crnkovic is becoming the Regina Pats kryptonite.

For a second consecutive game, the 18-year-old forward was the overtime hero, undressing Pats netminder Donovan Buskey with a beautiful right-left deke to propel the Saskatoon Blades to a 5-4 victory at the Brandt Centre on Saturday.

It comes one night after Crnkovic brought a rowdy Sasktel Centre crowd to its feet by one-timing the overtime clincher in a 2-1 victory over the Pats.

As impressive his performance was on home ice the previous night, Crnkovic raised even more eyebrows in enemy territory. Crnkovic's overtime winner was his second goal and fourth point of the night, having assisted on goals by Nolan Kneen and Tristen Robins. The former first-round pick is now up to 20 goals in his sophomore WHL campaign.

Robins, the game's first star, and veteran defenceman Scott Walford earned three points each, and captain Chase Wouters notched a pair of helpers. In five games between the two division rivals this season, four have required at least overtime.

Saskatoon found themselves in a 3-0 hole 19:00 into the game, but a powerplay marker from assistant captain Kneen with 4.6 seconds left in the first period breathed life into the team. Robins, Crnkovic, and Walford each scored in a second period which saw the Blades hold the Pats to just five shots.

Zach Wytinck's second goal of the contest came with just 1:46 left in the game, forcing the extra frame, but Crnkovic and company wouldn't be denied a third straight victory against Regina.

Making his first start since February 15th, Koen MacInnes stopped 20 of 24 shots to earn his 13th win of the season. Buskey was named the game's second star with 34 saves. Saskatoon went two-for-seven on the powerplay, and successfully killed off three of four penalties.

Saskatoon remains in the second wild-card position and fourth in the East Division, two points behind the Winnipeg ICE. The boys will now shift their attention to a three-game road trip, beginning in Moose Jaw on Tuesday. After making stops in Winnipeg and Brandon next weekend, they'll return home on March 18th to close out the season series against the Pats.

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Western Hockey League Stories from March 8, 2020


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