Game Day: Saskatoon vs. Oil Kings
SASKATOON BLADES vs. EDMONTON OIL KINGS
Tonight’s game is the first of four regular season meetings this season between the Saskatoon Blades (25-8-0-1) and the Edmonton Oil Kings (16-15-0-2). Last season the Blades defeated the Oil Kings 3 out of the 4 times they met. Steven Stanford was in net for two of those games posting a 2-0 record with a 1.00 GAA and a 95% save percentage.
The Blades hope that their success against Central Division teams continues tonight as thus far in the season they have posted a 9-1 record against them this season. Tonight’s game also features two of the league’s hottest teams as both clubs have won 8 out of their last 10 games played.
Blades Last Game
The Saskatoon Blades recorded a bounce-back effort and win Friday night on home ice, downing the short-staffed Swift Current Broncos 3-1. After losing 4-1 in Moose Jaw on Tuesday, the Bridge City Bunch opened the scoring on a power play when Josh Nicholls banked a pass in off a Broncos’ defenseman. The goal touched off a stream of toques, gloves, scarves and other warm clothing items from the crowd of 3,661 fans onto the ice at Credit Union Centre. Once the intermission caused by the goal was over, the Blades went up 2-0 on Stefan Elliott’s man-advantage score. That turned out to be his league-leading seventh game-winning goal. Matej Stransky notched the other Saskatoon goal while Jordan Peddle ruined Adam Morrison’s shutout bid with 10.4 seconds left in the third period. The Broncos hung tough all night with only 16 skaters…two of whom were affiliate call-ups for the night. But, Swift Current was undone by failing to score on seven power play chances.
Blades Banter
– With his game winning goal scored late in the 1st period last night, Stefan Elliott became the all time franchise leader in GWG scored by a defenseman with 13. The 4th year defenseman from Vancouver, BC has picked up 7 game winners this season, ranking him 1st overall in the WHL in that stat category.
– Following tonight’s game, the majority of the Saskatoon Blades will be heading home to enjoy their 8 day Christmas break. When the Blades return to action on December 29th in Prince Albert, they will be without the services of Ryan Olsen and Levi Bews who will be participating in the World Under 17 Hockey Challenge for Team Pacific.
– On Wednesday it was announced that 19 year old Blades leading scorer Curtis Hamilton had made Team Canada’s National Junior Team. Curtis is one of nine WHL players to have made the squad which will play in the WJHC tournament starting December 26th in Buffalo.
– For the 13th consecutive week, the Saskatoon Blades find themselves ranked in the CHL Top 10 Rankings. Coming off a week which saw the Blades post a 3-1 record, the panel of NHL scouts which tabulate the rankings, ranked the Blades #6 overall.
By The Numbers
– Blades Captain Teigan Zahn will be playing in his 250th career WHL game tonight. The Tampa Bay Lightning prospect, and former 1st round WHL bantam pick of the Blades in 2005, has collected 11 goals and 40 assists to go along with 480 PIM’s in his now 5th full season with the Blades.
– Stefan Elliott enters tonight’s game riding an 8 game point streak. During that time, Elliott has picked up 5 goals and 6 assists. Elliott has scored goals in 5 of the Blades last 6 games, now has 13 goals this season thus giving him the league lead in goals scored by a blue liner.
– Tonight’s probable starter in goal for the Blades Steven Stanford, is ranked 4th overall in the league with a 2.59 GAA and 5th in save percentage with a mark of 91.6%.
