CHL on Sportsnet: Moose Jaw at Saskatoon
The 2019-20 CHL on Sportsnet broadcast schedule begins Sunday as the Moose Jaw Warriors (9-8-1-0) face off with the Saskatoon Blades (11-8-1-1) at 3:30 PM ET/12:30 PM PT on Sportsnet.
Entering Sunday, the hosting Blades hold down second spot in the WHL’s East Division, including wins in three of their past four outings. Leading the way offensively for the Blades this season is fourth-year forward Riley McKay with 20 points counting nine goals and 11 assists across 20 appearances, while starring between the pipes is Nolan Maier, a recent participant alongside Blades captain Chase Wouters with the winning Team WHL at the 2019 CIBC Canada Russia Series.
Against the Warriors, the Blades will be looking to bounce back following Saturday’s hard-battled 4-1 defeat to the Calgary Hitmen, while Moose Jaw is also coming off a losing effort Saturday after falling 7-3 to the Swift Current Broncos. This season, the Warriors have received strong contributions from 2021 NHL Draft hopeful Ryder Korczak, who leads the squad with 29 points counting eight goals and 21 assists across 18 contests, while Anaheim Ducks first-round pick Brayden Tracey has also been a steady scoring threat since making his season debut in mid-October. Through 12 contests this season, the reigning WHL Rookie of the Year has amassed 10 goals and 12 assists for 22 points. On Sunday, Tracey is one of two NHL drafted prospects competing alongside Blades centre Eric Florchuk, a seventh-round selection by the Washington Capitals in 2018.
Tracey and Korczak are key cogs in a Moose Jaw power play deployment that is firing at a 26.6% proficiency rating to lead the entire WHL, a unit that also includes budding blue-liner Daemon Hunt, a projected first-round pick in the 2020 NHL Draft Draft per NHL Central Scouting’s Players to Watch report for November, who already has eight helpers on the man advantage this season.
Sunday’s contest marks the second time this season the Warriors and Blades have shared the ice following a late October game in which Moose Jaw came away with a 5-4 overtime victory following a four-point outing by Tracey that included a hat-trick as well as the helper on Korczak’s overtime winner en route to first-star recognition. Finding the back of the net for the Blades in the losing effort was Wouters and McKay, who each finished with a pair of tallies.
Catch all the action in the latest matchup between the Warriors and Blades on Sunday at 3:30 PM ET/12:30 PM PT on Sportsnet and on the NHL Network in the United States.