The Saskatoon Blades didn’t perform Tuesday with the same dogged intensity and clinical execution as they did in defeating the Prince Albert Raiders 1-0 on Sunday.
How could they possibly repeat that?!
But, Gary Haden put together a dream game, scoring four goals…the last three accounting for the only offence of the third period…as the Bridge City Bunch doubled the Edmonton Oil Kings 6-3 before 2,947 fans at SaskTel Centre. The 19-year-old Airdrie, Ab., product had notched two goals in a game twice and posted three points in a game just once in his previous 134 W-H-L games. He added an assist Tuesday for a five-point night as the Blue and Gold won their third straight game and achieved the 20-win plateau in just their 33rd game.
“Our line (Haden on the left wing with captain Chase Wouters at centre and Josh Paterson on right wing) has been talking, the last couple of games we’ve been playing (well), but we’ve been only scoring one goal a game and having all these (scoring) chances. I’ve been telling both of them for a couple of weeks that we’re due for a multi-point night and a real big night and tonight was the night,” enthused Haden afterwards. “We were just clicking. They both work really hard and it’s really easy to play with them.”
Wouters had a goal and an assist and Paterson chipped in a pair of helpers while defenceman Seth Bafaro also tallied for the 20-10-3 Blades, who out-shot the 16-12-5 Oil Kings 29-25…10-5 in the third period of what was Saskatoon’s fourth game in five nights.
“Yeah,” deadpanned defenceman Nolan Kneen when asked if he could use a day off following the four-in-five stretch. “I woke up (Tuesday) morning, my legs were a bit jiggly. It was tough coming to the rink, but we had a morning skate (and) that definitely helped.”
The Blades are off until Friday when they open a home-and-home series with the Wheat Kings at SaskTel Centre, before finishing the pre-Christmas schedule Saturday in Brandon. Following is the official game summary from the W-H-L…
Edmonton Oil Kings 3 at Saskatoon Blades 6 – Status: Final
Tuesday, December 11, 2018 – SaskTel Centre – Saskatoon, SK
Edmonton 2 1 0 – 3
Saskatoon 2 1 3 – 6
1st Period-1, Edmonton, Liam Keeler 5 (Logan Dowhaniuk, Parker Gavlas), 9:28. 2, Saskatoon, Wouters 4 (Haden), 10:28. 3, Saskatoon, Bafaro 4 13:41. 4, Edmonton, Brett Kemp 20 (Trey Fix-Wolansky, Vince Loschiavo), 17:59 (PP). Penalties-Haden Sas (interference), 15:30; served by Gerlach Sas (too many men), 17:08; Parker Gavlas Edm (hooking), 18:33.
2nd Period-5, Saskatoon, Haden 9 (Kneen, Davidson), 10:05 (PP). 6, Edmonton, Matthew Robertson 5 (Russell, Jalen Luypen), 11:10. Penalties-Quinn Benjafield Edm (slashing), 9:52; Wouters Sas (tripping), 15:58; McDonald Edm (slashing), 18:14.
3rd Period-7, Saskatoon, Haden 10 (Paterson), 8:11. 8, Saskatoon, Haden 11 (Wouters), 12:04. 9, Saskatoon, Haden 12 (Paterson), 12:25. Penalties-Wyatt McLeod Edm (interference), 9:41.
Shots on Goal-Edmonton 11-9-5-25. Saskatoon 9-10-10-29.
Power Play Opportunities-Edmonton 1 / 3; Saskatoon 1 / 4.
Goalies-Edmonton, Scott 1-1-1-0 (29 shots-23 saves). Saskatoon, Maier 16-8-2-0 (25 shots-22 saves).
A-2,947
Referees-Troy Murray (34), Austin Weisgerber (39).
Linesmen-Sean Dufour (50), Devan Thiessen (94).
