RECAP | Warriors fall to Saskatoon Blades to open weekend
SASKATOON, Sask. – The Warriors battled but fell to the Blades in Saskatoon to open the weekend.
The Blades struck first to start the game with a goal off the stick of Cooper Williams at the 4:00 mark of the opening period. Not two minutes later, Jack Lavallee was called for holding, sending the Warriors to their first power play of the frame. Riley Thorpe responded on the power play in favour of the Warriors just before the eight-minute mark of the first period.
With less than three minutes to play, Saskatoon’s Brayden Klimpke was assessed a minor penalty for tripping, sending the Warriors to a late man-advantage. The Blades stood strong on the penalty kill to keep the score even.
After the whistle to end the period, Chase Petersen and Cohen Lewko dropped the gloves, earning matching five-minute fighting majors to open the middle frame.
Near the three-minute mark of the middle period, Brady Ness and Triston Mitchell-McElhone dropped the gloves at centre ice, sending them both to the box with five-minute majors to join their teammates.
The Blades struck quickly with another goal from Cooper Williams. The Warriors responded quickly with a goal from veteran forward Noah Degenstein to once again tie the game.
At 9:02 of the middle period, Hayden Harsanyi tallied his first marker of the game to push the Blades back into the lead. Just over a minute later, Gage Nagel was assessed a minor penalty for slashing. The Warriors stood strong on the penalty kill to stay within one goal.
With under five minutes to play, Noah Degenstein was assessed a minor penalty for roughing, sending the Warriors back to the penalty kill. Saskatoon capitalized on the man-advantage quickly to extend their lead.
Saskatoon’s Yegor Gusev notched the Blades’ fifth goal of the game. Moments later, Mathieu Lajoie was assessed a minor penalty for holding, but the Warriors penalty kill stood strong, sending the Warriors into the second intermission down by three.
In a back-and-forth middle frame, the Warriors battled but could not overcome the deficit created during the second period. At the midway point of the final period, Landen McFadden struck for the Warriors to bring them back within two. Jack Kachkowski responded quickly for the Blades to reset the deficit to three. Colt Carter struck back quickly for the Warriors, but the Blades responded one last time off the stick of Kane Martinuik to seal the game in favour of Saskatoon.
In net, Dylan Mingo made 34 saves on 41 shots. Across the ice, Martin Psohlavec made 19 saves on 23 shots. The Warriors went one for two on the power play and two for three on the penalty kill.
The Warriors are back in action tomorrow night to take on the Prince Albert Raiders at the Temple Gardens Centre. Tickets for the game can be purchased here.
