GAME 33 RECAP | McCallum nabs first win as Blades defeat Pats at the Brandt Centre
Regina, SK – 18-year-old goaltender Ethan McCallum picked up his first win as a member of the Saskatoon Blades in a 5-2 victory Saturday at the Brandt Centre against the Regina Pats.
The 6-foot-4 netminder stopped 32 of 34 shots, including several key stops in the third period to keep the Blades lead intact. McCallum’s record is 1-3-0-2 since being acquired by the Blades on October 28 and 2-4-0-2 overall on the season. The former Medicine Hat Tiger helped the Blades hold their spot atop the Eastern Conference with a 19-10-2-2 record, as the club improved to 2-0 since returning from the Christmas break.
Sophomore forward Hudson Kibblewhite led the way offensively for Saskatoon with a goal and two assists, the first three-point night of his career. Kibblewhite potted his fifth goal of the year midway through the second period to give Saskatoon a 2-1 lead while assisting on the team’s final two goals of the night. In 25 games, the Vernon, BC product has 11 points.
20-year-old sniper Brandon Lisowsky opened the scoring with his seventh powerplay goal of the season 9:54 into the first period. The WHL senior has 11 goals and eight assists on his 11-game point streak. The Port Coquitlam, BC product 39 points (21G, 18A) puts him on his best point-per-game pace in his five-year WHL career (1.44). Linemates Ben Riche and Grayden Siepmann extended their point streaks to four games with assists on the goal.
Make that 11 goals in 11 games for Brandon Lisowsky pic.twitter.com/HAUEnohgFR
— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) December 29, 2024
Pats forward Zachary Shantz tied the game 55 seconds into the middle frame with his ninth goal of the year. The 2005-born centre has a goal and two assists through three games against the Blades this season, and tied the game 1-1.
Kibblewhite regained the Blades one-goal lead just over halfway through the midway point of the game. The Vernon, BC product banked his fifth goal off the pad of Pats netminder Kelton Pyne from behind the net to make it 2-1 Blades.
Kibbs called bank pic.twitter.com/jT4O6dbMoj
— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) December 29, 2024
It looked as if the Blades would head to another intermission with the one-goal lead, but Pats forward Zach Pantelakis tied the game 2-2 with 19 seconds left in the second period. Tied after two periods for a 12th time this season, the Blades showed why they win more than they don’t when square after 40 minutes.
Bethune, SK product Ben Riche scored the game-winning goal 34 seconds into the third for his 20th goal of the year. The 19-year-old forward assisted on Lisowsky’s opening goal earlier in the night, extending his point streak to four games (3G, 3A). Riche leads the Blades in points with 45 (20G, 25A), ten more than his previous career high and doing so in 35 less games.
Riche joins the Blades 20-goal club this season! pic.twitter.com/T5YBzkFVOD
— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) December 29, 2024
Calgary, AB product Misha Volotvoskii netted the insurance marker with 6:03 remaining in the final frame. The 2005-born winger took advantage of a Pats turnover in their end to score his fourth goal and 11th points of the year.
"Marco?"
VOLO! pic.twitter.com/9LylR4HEfi
— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) December 29, 2024
Rookie forward Colten Worthington picked up his second career WHL goal with an empty-netter to make it 5-2 Saskatoon with 3:29 left on the clock..
What’s Next?
The Blades face the Prince Albert Raiders for this first time this season on Monday at the Art Hauser Centre.
Puck drop is 7:00pm CST.
