GAME 2 PREVIEW | Blades welcome Broncos for Merlin Ford Lincoln Home Opener
WHL REGULAR SEASON | GAME 2 | Saskatoon Blades (1-0-0-0) vs Swift Current Broncos (0-1-0-0)
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Time to welcome everyone back to our house!
The Saskatoon Blades host the Swift Current Broncos for the second half of an opening weekend home-and-home series. Tonight marks the Blades Merlin Ford Lincoln Home Opener, and the Blue and Gold are bringing home a win from Speedy Creek. Saskatoon opened the 2024-25 season with a 4-1 victory last night at Innovation IPlex against the Broncos. The win marked seven straight for the Blades against the provincial rival.
We’re excited to see everyone back together at SaskTel Centre. There’s plenty for fans to look forward to as the party starts well before 7:00pm puck drop!
TAILGATE PARTY
The fun starts 90 minutes before doors even open. Make your way down to our Tailgate Party at 4:30pm at the front of SaskTel Centre and get up close for our players’ red carpet entrances at the front of the arena. Grab a beer, chow down on a BBQ burger, and talk blades with fellow fans all while band Feedback performs live!
Pop in to see Kreative Mum and get your face painted ahead of the big game. Fans can show their skills at the at our pop-up shooting lane, or dunk assistant coach Jerome Engele in a dunk tank!
LIGHT UP STICKS
Doors open at 6:00pm, and the first 2500 people through the doors receive a free blue glow stick for the game!
PRE-GAME PRESENTATION
Be in your seats at 6:50pm for a special on-ice presentation, and meet the team for the 2024-25 season!
GUARENTEED $25,000 50/50 JACKPOT
Big money! Our 50/50 jackpot is guaranteed to be at $25,000. The lines will be busy, so save the hassle and buy your ticket online on the day of the game when our 50/50 site goes live at 9:00am!
MERLIN FORD LINCOLN CONTEST
Home opener marks the beginning of a season-long contest powered by Merlin Ford Lincoln. Several lucky fans will be selected to compete at second intermission and move on to the next game, with it all culminating in the winner getting a chance to Shoot-to-Win a new ford vehicle at the final game of the year!
POST-GAME AUTOGRAPHS
Don’t go anywhere after the game because we’ve got a full-team autograph session on the concourse! Meet your favourite Blades and walk home with some signed swag.
POST-GAME SHOW IN THE O16 LOUNGE
Hear in-depth interviews and analysis from Blades play-by-play legend Les Lazaruk and Adam Erhmantraut after the game in the Original 16 Founders Lounge.
Lower bowl seats are almost gone, with several sections in the upper bowl already open. Get your tickets now to secure the best seat available!
Who to Watch
2005-born forwards Rowan Calvert, Misha Volotovskii, Tyler Parr, and Ben Riche all contributed offensively in yesterday’s victory. Volotovskii scored the game-winner in the second period by getting a piece of Morgan Tastad’s point-shot. Parr finished the night with two helpers, while Calvert finished with a goal and an assist. Riche was the WHL’s preseason points leader with nine and scored the insurance marker late in the third to make it 3-1.
Rookie forward Kohen Lodge not only scored the opening goal of the season for Saskatoon, but the first goal of his WHL career. Saskatoon’s 2023 ninth-round pick opened the scoring just under halfway through the first period, with linemates Lochlan Tetarenko and Cooper Williams assisting on the goal to earn their first ever WHL point in their first ever game. Lodge’s parents were in attendance for the milestone tally.
