GAME 1 RECAP | All signs of Blades hockey return, open season with win against Broncos
Saskatoon, SK – The Saskatoon Blades opened their 2024-25 season with a 4-1 victory Friday on the road at Innovation IPlex against the Swift Current Broncos.
Opening night in the WHL was business as usual for the Blue and Gold considering what they’ve been accustomed to the past several years. The Blades jumped out to a 2-0 lead, played sound defensively for a majority of the game, and finished off strong with a two-goal third period.
It wasn’t the veterans that kickstarted things for Saskatoon, but the all-rookie forward line of Kohen Lodge, Lochlan Tetarenko, and Cooper Williams. Tonight marked all three players’ first WHL game, recording their first career points on the opening goal of the night. With his parents in attendance, Lodge scored his first career goal 8:04 into the first period. The Blades’ 2023 ninth-round pick signed with the club in February of this year and put his name on the map less than a year later. Tetarenko had the primary assist on the goal, while Williams set the play up in the neutral zone.
Saskatoon netminder Austin Elliott was the game’s first star stopping 24-of-25 shots. The 20-year-old netminder now holds a career record of 56-14-5-1, with a .907 save percentage and a 2.35 goals-against average.
Bethune, SK’s own Ben Riche netted the insurance marker with under four minutes to go in the contest. The WHL’s preseason points leader (2G, 7A) picked up right where he left off, scoring in his Blades regular season debut.
2005-born forwards Rowan Calvert and Tyler Parr recorded two points in the win. Calvert scored the dagger late in the third and tallied an assist along with it, while Parr dished two helpers.
The Blades now have seven straight victories against the Broncos. Tomorrow night could make it eight as the Saskatoon welcome Swift Current to SaskTel Centre for their Merlin Ford Lincoln Home Opener.
Lodge, Tetarenko, and Williams all had one thing in common coming into tonight’s game; it was their first ever taste of WHL regular season action. All three rookies connected on the team’s opening goal of the season, each registering their first ever career points. Lodge gave the Blades a 1-0 lead around eight minutes into the first period after a slick feed from Tetarenko at the blueline, all starting from a Williams breakout. Lodge was drafted in the ninth round (195th overall) by the Blades in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft. The 16-year-old from Red Deer, AB signed with the club on February 7 this year and made an immediate impact in his first WHL game.
Saskatoon looked structurally sound through 20 minutes, leading 1-0 with a 12-8 edge in shots.
A couple solid saves from Elliott allowed the Blades to chip away at their next goal. Defenceman Morgan Tastad was credited with the goal in the arena, but it was later credited to forward Misha Volotovskii. The Calgary, AB native caught a piece of Tastad’s point-shot, redirecting its way past Swift Current netminder Reid Dyck. Volotovskii’s in his fourth season with the Blades, coming off a career-high nine goals and 14 points in 59 games last season. The 2005-born centre’s found himself in the bottom six the past three seasons due to deep Saskatoon teams but made a good first impression in an increased role tonight.
Broncos forward Rylan Gould brought his club within one with under five minutes remaining in the middle frame. The right-handed shot jammed home a loose puck between the pads of Elliott on the man-advantage, cutting the Blades lead to 2-1 heading into the final period.
Saskatoon didn’t sit back clinging to their one goal lead. Riche picked up his first goal of the season with under four minutes remaining in the third to make it 3-1. The Bethune, SK native led the league in preseason points with two goals and seven assists, picking up where he left off in his Blades regular season debut.
Calvert iced the game with 1:21 remaining to make it 4-1. The 5-foot-11 winger finished the game with a goal and an assist, helping solidify Saskatoon’s first win of the season.
What’s Next?
The Blades welcome the Broncos to SaskTel Centre for their Merlin Ford Lincoln Home Opener tomorrow night. Several sections have been opened in the upper bowl with more than 7000 tickets sold.
Our tailgate party featuring live music, food, and beverages gets underway at 4:30pm, with doors opening at 6:00pm. Puck drop is slated for 7:00pm following a special pre-game presentation on the ice at 6:50pm.
The Saskatoon Blades home opener is on Saturday, Sept. 21st at 7:00pm vs the Swift Current Broncos. Single game tickets are on sale now and can be purchased HERE
