Sunday, February 19th, 2017 – 5:00pm CST @ Scotiabank Saddledome, Calgary, AB
Saskatoon Blades (23-27-6-2 – 54pts)
5th – East Division 8th – Eastern Conference
PP – 54/265 = 20.4% (13th in WHL)
PK - 188/243 = 77.4% (15thin WHL)
Calgary Hitmen (21-26-8-2 – 52pts)
4th–CentralDivision9th – EasternConference
PP – 42/237= 17.7% (19thin WHL)
PK – 190/255 = 74.5% (20th in WHL)
Tonight…Without question is the biggest game of the season for the Saskatoon Blades as they visit the Calgary Hitmen. The Blades currently sit 2 points ahead of the Hitmen in the Eastern Conference playoff race, but the Hitmen have a game in hand. Saskatoon will be playing their 3rd game in as many nights, and with the early start time, have a quick turnaround after last night’s game in Lethbridge. The Hitmen will have rest on their side after having a rare Saturday night off. Saskatoon can either put 4 points between themselves and Calgary, and slip out of a playoff spot with a regulation loss. It’s the first trip of the season to the Saddledome for the Blades, and the 3rd meeting of the year. The Blades and Hitmen each have 1 win in the season series.
The Last Game…Tyler Lees scored his 1st career goal as a call up last night in Lethbridge in a 6-2 Blades loss. Brock Hamm made 28 saves, and Logan Christensen (10th) had the other Blades goal. It was the first regulation loss for Saskatoon since February 3rd.
JakobStukel scored the overtime winner at home on Friday night lifting the Calgary Hitmen over the Edmonton Oil Kings by a score of 2-1. Calgary has went to overtime in their last 3 games, winning one, losing one, and winning one by way of shootout.
Back in Blue… ’97 F Mason McCarty returned to the Blades lineup last weekend after missing 27 games with a lower body injury. McCarty, who was the Blades leading scorer when he went down with injury, has provided a boost to the injury riddled Blades, posting 2 goals, 2 assists, 6 penalty minutes and a +1 rating in 5 games since coming back. McCarty now has 27 points including 16goals in 31 games this season. ’96 F MarksonBechtoldreturned to action on Wednesday after missing 18 games due to injury. Bechtold scored his 7th goal of the season Friday night in Kootenay in his 2nd game back in the Blades lineup.
Dach this way… Highly touted prospect, Kirby Dach, was called up to the Saskatoon Blades last week on an emergency basis to join the club full time for the rest of the season. The 2016 2nd overall bantam pick scored twice last Friday against Moose Jaw, including the game winner, and again on Wednesday vs Everett. Dach now has 3 goals and 2 assist in 9 career WHL games.
Bryton up… ’96 D Bryton Sayers leads by example on and off the ice for the Blades, and has been leading on the scoresheet in a recent stretch. Over the last 14 games, Sayers has 11 points, and leads the Blades in assists with 23.
Draft Watch… ’99 F Josh Paterson was listed at 163rd in the NHL Central Scouting Midterm rankings… ’99 D Mark Rubinchik was ranked 119. Paterson has 30 points (13G-17A) and is one of only 3 Blades to have played in all 58 games this season. Rubinchikhas 5 points in his last 6 outings, totaling 19 points in 49 games this season.
Shynkaruk Shining… ’96 F Jesse Shynkaruk continues to win fans over after once again leading the Blades to victory last weekend in overtime scoring his 26th goal of the season. Shynkarukhad 1 assist Friday night bringing his season total to 41 points in 44 games. He leads the team, and sits 2nd in the league with 8 GWG’s.
This Date in Blades History:February 19, 1999…in one of their few highlights of the late Brad McCrimmon’s first of two seasons as head coach in Saskatoon, the Blades scored the most goals in a single game…winning 9-2 in Regina. Tyler Shybunka and Jon Barkman each scored twice for the Bridge City Bunch with Barkman adding two assists. Justin Kelly had three helpers and was +5 while defenceman Christian Chartier was +4 as the Blades improved to 15-39-6 for the season. Thanks to a third period line brawl, that involved Saskatoon goaltender Tyler MacKay, a total of 221 penalty minutes were whistled down by referee Alain Frenette.
On call… The injuries continue to pile up for the Blades, prompting another call up. ’00 F Tyler Leeshas joined the Bladesfor the weekend trip. Lees scored his 1st WHL goal last night against Lethbridge and currently sits 10th in league scoring in the SMAAAHL with 42 points in 41 games this season.
Injury report…
97 F Cam Hebig– upper body – indefinitely
97 F Braylon Shmyr – upper body – day-to-day
00 F Chase Wouters – upper body – week-to-week
98 F Caleb Fantillo– upper body – day-to-day
99 F LukusMacKenzie – upper body – week-to-week
99 D Jake Kustra– upper body – week-to-week
Roster breakdown:
16 Forwards
7 Defenseman
2 Goalies
Age Breakdown:
1996 – 3
1997 –6
1998 – 5
1999 – 8
2000 – 2
2001 - 1
The way they became Blades…
Round / # / Player (Overall - Year)1st / 1 / Wouters(19th - 2015), Dach(2nd – 2016)
2nd / 3 / Kustra (34th - 2014), Christensen(30th - 2014), Paterson(25th - 2014)
3rd / 2 / Hebig(56th – 2012), MacKenzie(60th – 2014)
Euro / 2 / Hájek (2nd - 2015), Rubinchik (7th - 2016)
List / 4 / Shynkaruk,Farren, Hamm, Michaud
Trade / 12 / Leslie, Sayers, McCarty, Ramsay, Shmyr, Flodell, Fantillo, Caller, Johnson, Fiala, Bechtold, Atwal
Team Leaders:
Goals: Braylon Shmyr (27)
Assists: Bryton Sayers (24)
Penalty Minutes: Evan Fiala (107)
+/-: Evan Fiala (+4)
PPG: Braylon Shmyr (13)
GWG: Jesse Shynkaruk(8)
SV%: Logan Flodell (.911)
GAA: Logan Flodell (2.87)
Rookie Points: Michael Farren (22)
2016-17 TEAM RECORDS
1-goal games / 10-5-6-22-goal games / 11-6-0
3-plus-goal games / 2-15-0
Scoring first / 18-3-3-2
Opponent scoring first / 5-24-3
Leading after 2 periods / 13-1-1-1
Trailing after 2 periods / 4-22-1
Tied after 2 periods / 6-3-3-1
Overtime Record / 4-6
Shootout Record / 2-2
Out-shooting opponent / 11-3-2-2
Out-shot by opponent / 10-22-4-0
Shots are even / 2-2-0
vs. BC / 2-3-0
vs. US / 1-3-0-1
vs. Central / 7-8-4
vs. East / 13-13-2-1
Month / Games / Record / Home / Road
September / 3 / 1-2-0-0 / 0-1-0-0 / 1-1-0-0
October / 12 / 6-5-1-0 / 2-1-1 / 4-4-0-0
November / 13 / 3-9-1-0 / 2-3-0 / 1-6-1
December / 11 / 4-5-1-1 / 2-2-1-0 / 2-2-1-1
January / 12 / 6-5-1-0 / 5-3-1-0 / 1-2-0-0
February / 12 / 3-2-1-1 / 3-1-0-1 / 0-2-1-0
March / 9 / 0-0-0-0 / 0-0-0-0 / 0-0-0-0
Totals / 72 / 23-27-6-2 / 14-11-3-1 / 9-16-3-1