Sunday,January 1st, 2017 – 2:00pm at SaskTel Centre, Saskatoon, SK
Saskatoon Blades (14-20-4-1 – 33pts)
5th – East Division 9th – Eastern Conference
PP – 35/184 = 19% (13th in WHL)
PK - 121/162 = 74.7% (20thin WHL)
Swift Current Broncos (20-11-3-4 - 47 pts)
3rd – East Division4th – Eastern Conference
PP – 36/155= 23.2% (6th in WHL)
PK – 104/136 = 76.5% (17th in WHL)
Today…The Saskatoon Blades will look to bounce back after a 3-2 overtime loss to the Swift Current Broncos on Friday night. The Blades managed to pick up a single point with a lineup still hindered by injuries. This is the 5th game of the season between the Blades and Broncos, Swift Current leads the season series 3-1. Since returning from the holiday break Saskatoon has managed 3 of a possible 6 points, but still remain 5 points out of a playoff spot. Today’s game is also the 6th straight contest within the East Division for Saskatoon, which they will continue this week in Brandon and Moose Jaw. Logan Flodell stopped 21/22 shots in his only start against the Broncos in the season opener. Expect Flodell to get the nod today, after Brock Hamm made back-to-back starts this week.
Power Charge… Saskatoon’s powerplay has come alive in the second half of the season. In three games since returning for the second half of the season, the Blades have gone an impressive 5/13 on the man advantage. Braylon Shmyr(3) and Josh Paterson(2) have accounted for all five goals.
Something to Dach about… 15 year old Kirby Dach has been called upon to join the Blades today for his 4th career WHL game. The 2016 2nd overall Bantam Draft pick has 1 assist in 3 games this season for the Blades, and has the highest points-per-game in the Alberta Midget AAA Hockey League with 21 points in 15 games.
Hájek Returns… The Blades blue line received a boost Friday night in Swift Current as 98 D Libor Hájek returned to the lineup after being released by Czech Republic at the World Junior Championships. Disappointed about his release, the 2nd round pick of the Tampa Bay Lightning is ready to make a statement in the 2nd half of his sophomore season. Hájek has 12 points in 32 games this season for the Blades.
Carrying the load… Braylon Shmyr has taken over as the Blades leading scorer and has found some consistency with 12 points (7G – 5A) in his last 10 games. Shmyr now has 28 points (18G – 10A) in 39 games this season. Shmyr also has 3 power play goals in 3 games this week.
Injury report… The Saskatoon Blades are currently without 3 key offensive pieces in the lineup. Cam Hebig has yet to dress for a game this season and remains on a week-to-week status with an upper body injury. Hebig had 69 pts in 59 GP last season for Saskatoon. Mason McCarty put on the skates this week, but is still weeks away from joining the team in practice after suffering a lower body injury in late November. McCarty has 23 pts in 26 games this season, and is expected to return to action in early February. Markson Bechtoldleft Tuesday’s game in Prince Albert is listed as day-to-day with an upper-body injury.
Roster breakdown:15 Forwards, 8 Defenseman, 2 Goalies
Age Breakdown:1996 – 3 | 1997 –7 | 1998 – 4 | 1999 – 8 | 2000 – 2 | 2001 - 1
The way they became Blades…
Round / # / Player (Overall - Year)1st / 2 / 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, Henderson, Fiala, Bechtold, Atwal
Home: 6-7-2-0 Road: 8-13-2-1
2016-17 TEAM RECORDS
1-goal games / 7-4-4-12-goal games / 6-3-0
3-plus-goal games / 1-12-0
Scoring first / 10-3-2-1
Opponent scoring first / 4-17-2
Leading after 2 periods / 8-1-1-1
Trailing after 2 periods / 2-16-0
Tied after 2 periods / 4-2-2-0
Overtime Record / 2-4
Shootout Record / 1-1
Out-shooting opponent / 5-3-0-1
Out-shot by opponent / 8-15-4-0
Shots are even / 1-2-0
vs. BC / 2-3-0
vs. US / 1-2-0
vs. Central / 3-6-3
vs. East / 8-9-1-1
2016-17 RECORD by MONTH
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 / 0-0-0-0 / 0-0-0-0 / 0-0-0-0
February / 12 / 0-0-0-0 / 0-0-0-0 / 0-0-0-0
March / 9 / 0-0-0-0 / 0-0-0-0 / 0-0-0-0
Totals / 72 / 14-20-4-1 / 6-7-2-0 / 8-13-2-1