GAME 64 PREVIEW | Blades wrap up road trip in Speedy Creek
WHL REGULAR SEASON | GAME 64 | Saskatoon Blades (34-22-3-4) @ Swift Current Broncos (33-27-1-2)
|
Tonight
The Saskatoon Blades (34-22-3-4) conclude their three-game road trip tonight at InnovationPlex against the Swift Current Broncos (33-27-1-2).
The race for first place in the East Division is as tight as it can get. The Blades and Brandon Wheat Kings are tied for the division’s top spot with 75 points, the Wheat Kings holding the tiebreaker. Both clubs have five games remaining in the regular season, as do the Prince Albert Raiders who trail by one point. First place isn’t safe from the Broncos who trail by six points and could make some serious ground with a win tonight. The Blades dropped their latest contest 5-2 in Brandon on Wednesday at Westoba Place. Tonight marks the eighth and final meeting between the Blades and Broncos this season, Swift Current up 4-3.
Who to Watch
Rookie forward Zach Olsen scored a goal in Wednesday’s loss in his first game back from a three-game suspension. The 16-year-old winger has three goals in his last three games, giving him ten total in 55 games along with nine assists.
20-year-old defenceman Grayden Siepmann has one goal and three assists on his three-game point streak. The Langley, BC native recorded an assist in Wednesday’s loss to Brandon. Siepmann potted his tenth goal of the season Tuesday against the Regina Pats, marking a new career-high after two previous seasons hitting nine. The right-handed shot leads the Blades back end in points with 46 in 63 games.
Goalie Evan Gardner has won his last three straight starts. The Columbus Blue Jackets draft pick is 2-0 since returning from a lower-body injury on March 5. Gardner’s stopped 69 of 74 shots across his last two starts. The man known as the “Gardfather” is 20-12-3-1 on the season with a .908 save percentage and 2.98 goals against average.
