Brandon Machado deflected Jackson Caller’s point shot past Carter Woodside for the winning goal on a third period power play goal as the Saskatoon Blades edged the Regina Pats 3-2 in W-H-L pre-season action Thursday at SaskTel Centre.
“Oh yeah, I definitely did touch it,” explained Machado, an 18-year-old forward from Airdrie, Ab., bidding to play a second season with the Bridge City Bunch. “A couple of guys are giving me some grief about the celebration in (the locker room), joking about it. But, it went off my stick, so it’s good to get that one.”
The man-advantage tally, the second one of the game for the Blue and Gold, extended the Blades’ record to 6-0-0…tops in the W-H-L in the pre-season.
It wasn’t a masterpiece of an effort, however, as the 3-2-0 Pats out-shot Saskatoon 47-31 and battled back from a 2-0 deficit to tie the game going in to the final six minutes. However, a checking-to-the-head major penalty and accompanying game misconduct to Regina defenceman Parker Gavlas, with 5:26 left in the third period, gave the Bridge City Bunch the power play chance that Machado capitalized on just nine seconds later.
Making his first start and appearance of the pre-season, Blue and Gold sophomore goaltender Nolan Maier shone with 45 saves.
“I don’t think we were overly happy with our game as a whole,” said Blades’ associate coach Ryan Marsh. “There’s lots of things we’ve got to clean up still. We did give up too many shots, discipline was a little bit questionable. But, on the bright side, it was good to have Maier (back) between the pipes and he played well for us tonight…it was good to see.”
Kirby Dach, on the power play, and Zachary Ashton staked Saskatoon to the 2-0 lead. But, Arizona prospect Garrett Wright scored in the final minute of the second period and set up Robbie Holmes’ third period man-advantage marker to set the stage for Machado’s heroics.
The Bridge City Bunch can complete a perfect 7-0-0 pre-season with a victory Saturday in Prince Albert. Game time is 7 p.m. with the broadcast on 98-COOL beginning at 6. Following is the official summary from the W-H-L…
Regina Pats 2 at Saskatoon Blades 3 – Status: Final
Thursday, September 13, 2018 – SaskTel Centre – Saskatoon, SK
Regina 0 1 1 – 2
Saskatoon 2 0 1 – 3
1st Period-1, Saskatoon, Dach 3 (Farren, Caller), 3:04 (PP). 2, Saskatoon, Ashton 2 (Nicholas), 11:59. Penalties-Evans Reg (interference), 2:46; Gavlas Reg (high sticking, high sticking), 6:32; Caller Sas (holding), 7:40; Bafaro Sas (interference), 8:56; Kustra Sas (tripping), 19:09.
2nd Period-3, Regina, Wright 2 (Pratt), 19:31. Penalties-Malysjev Sas (interference), 11:03; Kustra Sas (interference), 17:10.
3rd Period-4, Regina, Holmes 1 (Wright, Creta), 11:12 (PP). 5, Saskatoon, Machado 1 (Farren, Caller), 14:43 (PP). Penalties-Nijhoff Reg (roughing), 6:31; Davidson Sas (roughing), 6:31; Caller Sas (interference), 10:25; Pratt Reg (roughing), 12:39; Goethals Sas (roughing), 12:39; Platt Reg (tripping), 13:30; Dach Sas (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 13:30; Gavlas Reg (major – checking to the head, game misconduct), 14:34.
Shots on Goal-Regina 14-13-20-47. Saskatoon 10-8-13-31.
Power Play Opportunities-Regina 1 / 5; Saskatoon 2 / 3.
Goalies-Regina, Pesenti 2-0-0-0 (16 shots-14 saves); Woodside 0-1-0-0 (15 shots-14 saves). Saskatoon, Maier 1-0-0-0 (47 shots-45 saves).
A-
Referees-Jason Bourdon (20), Karlin Krieger (27).
Linesmen- .