In a season where he started as a defenceman in training camp, then was moved up to the wing to start the regular-season, Randen Schmidt (pictured) turned another position change into a career first Saturday night.
With Brandon Machado forced to the sidelines by illness, Schmidt moved to his spot at centre on the fourth line. The 18-year-old Regina product back-handed a rebound past Beck Warm into the Tri-Cities’ net for the winning goal…with 4:28 remaining in the third period…as the Saskatoon Blades rallied for a 5-3 victory. It was the Bridge City Bunch’s fourth straight triumph…tying their longest such streak of the season while improving their record to 14-7-2.
Left winger Eric Florchuk gave Schmidt a run for top billing on the night, and was actually named the game’s first star. The 18-year-old Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta native made up for failing to convert several glorious scoring opportunities by tying the score at 3-3 and adding the insurance marker. Both of Florchuk’s goals were set up by Kirby Dach, who ended up with a four-point night…a goal and three helpers. Josh Paterson notched the other Blue and Gold goal on a second period power play.
The Blades held leads of 1-0 and 2-1, only to have the 12-8-0 Americans come back to tie. Tri-Cities took the lead just past the mid-point of the third period when Parker AuCoin scored. But the rigours of playing 11 consecutive road games, the last six in nine days in the East Division, caught up to the Ams after that. Saskatoon out-shot Tri-Cities 20-4 in the third period…40-32 overall.
The Blue and Gold host Lethbridge Wednesday in the Bridge City Bunch’s final home game of November. After that, the Blades embark on their five-game Western Conference road swing…through the B.C. Division this time around. Following is the official game summary from the W-H-L…
Tri-City Americans 3 at Saskatoon Blades 5 – Status: Final
Saturday, November 17, 2018 – SaskTel Centre – Saskatoon, SK
Tri-City 1 1 1 – 3
Saskatoon 1 1 3 – 5
1st Period-1, Saskatoon, Dach 13 (Davidson), 0:55. 2, Tri-City, Brown 2 (Stewart, Sawchuk), 6:06. Penalties-Schmiemann Tc (inter. on goaltender), 9:36; Huber Sas (tripping), 13:09; Schmiemann Tc (major-fighting), 19:08; McKay Sas (major-fighting), 19:08.
2nd Period-3, Saskatoon, Paterson 6 (Davidson, Dach), 7:43 (PP). 4, Tri-City, Schmiemann 1 (Johnson, Olson), 9:53. Penalties-Kalinichenko Tc (charging), 6:56; Brown Tc (holding), 14:47; Caller Sas (high sticking), 19:12.
3rd Period-5, Tri-City, AuCoin 12 (Hrabik), 10:13. 6, Saskatoon, Florchuk 6 (Dach), 13:53. 7, Saskatoon, Schmidt 1 (Paterson, Malysjev), 15:32. 8, Saskatoon, Florchuk 7 (Dach, Roykas Marthinsen), 17:34. Penalties-Sawchuk Tc (interference, unsportsmanlike cnd.), 5:33; Bafaro Sas (10-minute misconduct), 12:48.
Shots on Goal-Tri-City 17-11-4-32. Saskatoon 8-12-20-40.
Power Play Opportunities-Tri-City 0 / 2; Saskatoon 1 / 5.
Goalies-Tri-City, Warm 11-8-0-0 (40 shots-35 saves); Boyko 1-0-0-0 (0 shots-0 saves). Saskatoon, Maier 12-5-1-0 (32 shots-29 saves).
A-3,832
Referees-Jason Bourdon (20), Chris Crich (20).
Linesmen-Sean Dufour (50), Devan Thiessen (94).