It’s not a habit they’ll want to get into, but the Saskatoon Blades do have a security blanket when they can’t score a lot of goals in a game.
For the second straight night on the road, the Bridge City Bunch managed just two goals…and goaltender Nolan Maier (pictured) made sure those were enough for a victory…as the Blue and Gold nipped the Kootenay ICE 2-1 Saturday in Cranbrook, B.C. Maier made 31 saves and was the first star of the game…one night after blocking 35 drives and being named first star as the Blades downed the Medicine Hat Tigers 3-1.
Both Saskatoon goals Saturday would be considered “own goals” by soccer aficionados. The game’s first tally had Gary Haden deflect a Josh Paterson shot that glanced into the Kootenay net off the stick of ICE defenceman Martin Bodak. The winning goal early in the second period saw Seth Bafaro’s high point shot take a strange ankle off a glass stanchion behind the Kootenay net, coming back over the cage and hit ICE goaltender Jesse Makaj in the back before tricking over the goal-line. Cole Muir was the only player for 6-11-3 Kootenay to solve Maier.
The 12-7-2 Bridge City Bunch return home for three straight home games, beginning Tuesday against Medicine Hat. Game time is 7 p.m. with the Sardinia Family Restaurant pre-game show starting at 6 on 98-COOL. Following is the official game summary from the W-H-L…
Saskatoon Blades 2 at Kootenay ICE 1 – Status: Final
Saturday, November 10, 2018 – Western Financial Place – Cranbrook, BC
Saskatoon 1 1 0 – 2
Kootenay 1 0 0 – 1
1st Period-1, Saskatoon, Haden 6 (Paterson), 8:41 (PP). 2, Kootenay, Muir 4 18:59. Penalties-Dach Sas (slashing), 1:58; Ginnell Ktn (tripping), 14:40; Muir Ktn (delay of game), 16:48; Smart Ktn (tripping), 18:13; Dach Sas (hooking), 18:41.
2nd Period-3, Saskatoon, Bafaro 2 (Dach), 4:29. Penalties-Huber Sas (delay of game), 6:14; Schuldhaus Sas (charging), 7:03; McKay Sas (tripping), 9:41.
3rd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Nicholas Sas (slashing), 8:38.
Shots on Goal-Saskatoon 8-5-13-26. Kootenay 8-10-14-32.
Power Play Opportunities-Saskatoon 1 / 3; Kootenay 0 / 5.
Goalies-Saskatoon, Maier 10-5-1-0 (32 shots-31 saves). Kootenay, Makaj 1-5-0-1 (26 shots-24 saves).
A-2,349
Referees-Kyle Kowalski (15), Brian MacDonald (7).
Linesmen-Devin Kohlhauser (92), Mason Stewart (93).