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WHL Saskatoon Blades

Rhinehart Nets OT Winner, Blades Beat Raiders 5-4

April 27, 2021 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Saskatoon Blades News Release


REGINA, SK - Rhett Rhinehart picked a good time to score his first goal in five games.

The burly defender scored the overtime winner, Kyle Crnkovic and Colton Dach each racked up four points, and the Saskatoon Blades beat the Moose Jaw Warriors 5-4 to snap a four-game losing skid.

Saskatoon (15-5-2-1) wins the season series with a 3-1 record over Moose Jaw (8-13-3-0), and moves to within two points of the Winnipeg ICE for second in the East. They'll play their final game of the season on Wednesday, hosting the division-leading Brandon Wheat Kings.

Crnkovic scored a pair and added two helpers, while Dach notched a goal and three assists, including setting up the overtime winner on a 2-on-0 breakaway with Rhinehart. Captain Chase Wouters netted the fourth marker for Saskatoon, who never trailed through the game.

Nolan Maier collected his 11th victory of the season, making 23 saves, while Boston Bilous stopped 21 shots in defeat.

Crnkovic's opening period marker came with no shortage of speed in transition from the home team. Captain Chase Wouters sent a lead pass to Blake Stevenson in the neutral zone, who zipped into the attacking zone and sent a hard snapshot on Bilous.

The Warriors netminder made a high-blocker save, but the rebound went straight to Crnkovic who made easy work of his ninth of the campaign, snapping a four-game goalless drought.

Moose Jaw answered back less than four minutes later, also capitalizing on a rebound. Calder Anderson's point-shot was blocked right in front of Nolan Maier, but bounced straight to Logan Doust in the slot who had an easy tap in to tie the game.

Both teams traded off goals in the second period as well, starting with Crnkovic's second of the contest to make it 2-1.

After breaking up a neutral zone play on the penalty kill, NHL draft-eligible forward Colton Dach passed it to Crnkovic to set up a 2-on-1. Crnkovic held the puck on his off-wing, gesturing for a pass to Dach, but instead snuck a quick shot through the legs of Bilous.

But the lead didn't last long. Just 38 seconds later and moments after losing the man-advantage, the Warriors threw the puck towards Maier, where Jagger Firkus was positioned to lift a back-hand into the roof of the net.

Third-period action began with a bang for the home team.

Just eight seconds into the frame, Wyatt McLeod muscled his way through a couple Warriors defenders on the left wing boards and sent a pass towards Dach in front. Dach swiftly redirected the puck past Bilous, his ninth of the season, to give Saskatoon their third lead of the game.

https://twitter.com/BladesHockey/status/1386889935613878281

Captain Wouters extended the lead to 4-2 on the powerplay at the 5:29 mark. After winning the faceoff, the pending WHL graduate went straight to the front of the net, and was in the perfect spot to fire home a loose rebound and collect his ninth of the season.

The Warriors battled back in the latter half of the third period, collecting goals from Daemon Hunt and Calder Anderson to force overtime, tied 4-4.

It took Rhinehart 1:27 of the extra frame to end it.

It came after the Warriors mishandled the puck in the attacking zone. Dach grabbed it and began skating through the neutral zone before Rhinehart ripped up-ice to join him on the right side. Dach made a quick pass to Rhinehart who one-touched home the winner, sending a fleury of white sweaters onto the ice.

It's the second overtime win for Saskatoon this season, following up Tristen Robins winner against the Swift Current Broncos on March 24th.

Saskatoon will play their 24th and final game of the season on Wednesday when they finish their series against the Brandon Wheat Kings at 4:00pm.

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Western Hockey League Stories from April 27, 2021


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