A new week brought some news regarding the Saskatoon Blades and their lone media availability ahead of Friday’s start of the W-H-L Eastern Conference final against Moose Jaw.

First, the Bridge City Bunch announced that prospect forwards Colten Worthington and Cooper Williams will be participating in the 2024 Telus Cup, national Male Under-18 Triple-A Championship in Nova Scotia. Worthington is with the Brandon Wheat Kings and Williams with the Calgary Buffaloes.

Then, the W-H-L revealed their weekly award winners with Blue and Gold right winger Egor Sidorov (pictured) saluted as Player-of-the-Week. The 19-year-old signed Anaheim prospect had back-to-back hat-tricks, plus two assists, in Games 3 and 4 in Red Deer.

In between, Blades’ head coach Brennan Sonne, Sidorov and three other Saskatoon players met with the media ahead of the series with the Warriors. Game 1 of the Blades-Moose Jaw series starts at 7 o’clock Friday at SaskTel Centre while the Western Conference final starts an hour later in Prince George with Portland visiting. Following are news releases from Saskatoon and the W-H-L…..

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Membertou, NS – Saskatoon Blades prospects Colten Worthington and Cooper Williams are competing at the 2024 Telus Cup this week in Nova Scotia.

Worthington had an outstanding season with the dominant Brandon Wheat Kings U18 AAA squad that went 43-0-1 during the regular season. The Brandon, MB product put up 27 goals and 35 assists in 40 games with the Wheat Kings. The 16-year-old forward added eight goals and six assists in the Manitoba U18 AAA Hockey League (MU18HL) playoffs, helping his club go a perfect 9-0 in postseason action. Worthington recorded a goal and an assist at the 2023-24 West Regionals. The Wheat Kings went 3-1 at West Regionals and defeated the Saskatoon Blazers in the final to advance to the Telus Cup.

Williams enjoyed one of the best seasons by a rookie that the Alberta Elite U18 Hockey League (AEHL U18) has ever seen. The 16-year-old sniper scored 29 goals and 22 assists in 30 games with the Calgary Buffaloes as a 15-year-old for a majority of the season. The Calgary, AB native added seven goals and six assists in 13 playoff games, helping Calgary capture a provincial championship. The Buffaloes advanced to the Telus Cup after two straight wins in Pacific Regionals against the Vancouver North East Chiefs.

Both the Buffaloes and Wheat Kings begin their Telus Cup quest Monday, April 22nd. The Wheat Kings begin their tournament at 12:00pm CT against the Cantonniers de Magog while the Buffaloes cap off the first day at 4:00pm CT against the Sydney Rush.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Monday, April 22nd: Sidorov named Tempo WHL Player of the Week for second time this season

Saskatoon, SK – Saskatoon Blades forward Egor Sidorov has been named Tempo WHL Player of the Week for his efforts between Monday, April 15th and Sunday, April 21st. The league announced Sidorov as the winner Monday afternoon.

It’s the second time the Anaheim Ducks prospect has received the weekly honour for the WHL. Sidorov helped the Blades complete a four-game sweep in Round 2 against the Red Deer Rebels with back-to-back hat-tricks in games 3 and 4. Sidorov recorded a five-point performance in Game 4 at the Peavey Mart Centrium to complete the 4-0 series sweep. The 6-foot sniper finished the series with six goals and two assists in four games, helping lift Saskatoon to their second straight Eastern Conference Final appearance.

Sidorov earned first star honours in Game 3 at the Peavey Mart Centrium with a three-goal performance in an 8-5 win for the Blades. The Belarusian sniper returned to enemy territory the following night and scored three goals and two points for a five-point first star performance in a 7-0 series-clinching win. Sidorov earned WHL Highlight of the Night after Game 4 for two of his goals in the victory.

The 19-year-old winger leads the WHL in goals this postseason with ten in nine games. Sidorov has four assists to go along with them, ranking him first in team scoring at 14 points. The 50-goal scorer during the regular season is five points shy of his career-high playoff point totals set last year in 16 games.

The Blades are 8-1 this postseason and haven’t dropped a game since the playoffs opening contest against the Prince Albert Raiders.

Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Final between the Blades and Moose Jaw Warriors is Friday, April 26th at SaskTel Centre with Game 2 the following night. Both games begin at 7:00pm before the series shifts to the Moose Jaw Events Centre on Tuesday and Wednesday next week. It’s the first time since 1993 that the Eastern Conference Final features an all Saskatchewan matchup.

DUCKS PROSPECT SIDOROV NAMED TEMPO WHL PLAYER OF THE WEEK

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / MONDAY, APRIL 22, 2024

Calgary, Alta. – Saskatoon Blades winger Igor Sidorov has been named Tempo WHL Player of the Week for the week ending April 21, 2024, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.

This is the second time Sidorov has won the award in 2023-24.

The Anaheim Ducks prospect led all skaters in points and goals with a pair of hat tricks and two assists for eight points and a +5 rating in two games.

Sidorov’s efforts made all the difference in a high-flying 8-5 win over the Red Deer Rebels in Game 3.

In front of a hostile Alberta crowd, Sidorov jetted down the wing on a partial breakaway to snap his fifth goal of the season home and give the Blades a 3-1 lead in the first period. The 6-foot, 180-pound winger showed patience on his second goal of the night, outwaiting a wave of Rebels defenders before firing the puck over the shoulder of the Red Deer netminder. Sidorov used his speed again to breeze around the offensive zone before cutting to the net and wristing the puck past the screened goaltender to complete his first WHL playoff hat trick and give Saskatoon a commanding 3-0 series lead.

With a chance to move on to the WHL Eastern Conference Championship, Sidorov continued his rampage in Game 4 on April 17. On a delayed penalty early in the first period, Sidorov’s point shot found the back of the net after tipping off the Rebels goaltender. Late in the first frame, he pulled off a spin-o-rama backhand move to net his second and put the Blades up 3-0. He finished off another hat trick by hauling down the ice to negate an icing call and going between the legs for a blink-and-you’ll miss it highlight reel goal. Saskatoon would win 7-0 to complete the sweep and move on to the Eastern Conference Championship for a second straight year.

Sidorov is the first WHL player to record hat tricks in back-to-back playoff games since Prince Albert’s Aliaksei Protas in Games 5 and 6 of the 2019 postseason.

The Vitebsk, Belarus product has 10 goals and four assists for 14 points in nine postseason matches, leading all WHL skaters in goals and game-winning goals (three).

The regular season champion Blades now prepare to take on the Moose Jaw Warriors with a berth in the WHL Championship on the line.

Game 1 is set for Friday, April 26 at 7:00 p.m. ST at the SaskTel Centre.
2023-24 Tempo WHL Player of the Week
April 15, 2024: Denton Mateychuk, Moose Jaw Warriors (Columbus Blue Jackets)
April 9, 2024: Tij Iginla, Kelowna Rockets
April 1, 2024: Briley Wood, Wenatchee Wild
March 25, 2024: Jagger Firkus, Moose Jaw Warriors (Seattle Kraken)
March 18, 2024: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars
March 11, 2024: Andrew Cristall, Kelowna Rockets (Washington Capitals)
March 4, 2024: Jordan Keller, Kamloops Blazers
February 26, 2024: Riley Heidt, Prince George Cougars (Minnesota Wild)
February 20, 2024: Graham Sward, Wenatchee Wild (Nashville Predators)
February 12, 2024: Emmitt Finnie, Kamloops Blazers (Detroit Red Wings)
February 5, 2024: Egor Sidorov, Saskatoon Blades (Anaheim Ducks)
January 29, 2024: Carter Yakemchuk, Calgary Hitmen
January 22, 2024: Luca Cagnoni, Portland Winterhawks (San Jose Sharks)
January 15, 2024: Matthew Savoie, Moose Jaw Warriors (Buffalo Sabres)
January 8, 2024: Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers
January 2, 2024: Chase Bertholet, Spokane Chiefs
December 18, 2023: Tij Iginla, Kelowna Rockets
December 11, 2023: Dominik Rymon, Everett Silvertips
December 4, 2023: Conor Geekie, Wenatchee Wild (Arizona Coyotes)
November 27, 2023: Andrew Basha, Medicine Hat Tigers
November 20, 2023: Koehn Ziemmer, Prince George Cougars (Los Angeles Kings)
November 13, 2023: Gabe Klassen, Portland Winterhawks
November 6, 2023: Trevor Wong, Saskatoon Blades
October 30, 2023: Jagger Firkus, Moose Jaw Warriors (Seattle Kraken)
October 23, 2023: Andrew Cristall, Kelowna Rockets (Washington Capitals)
October 16, 2023: Ryder Ritchie, Prince Albert Raiders
October 10, 2023: Easton Armstrong, Wenatchee Wild
October 2, 2023: Jagger Firkus, Moose Jaw Warriors (Seattle Kraken)
September 25, 2023: Zac Funk, Prince George Cougars
2024 NHL DRAFT-ELIGIBLE NETMINDER ŠPUNAR NAMED GIUSEPPE WHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Calgary, Alta. – Portland Winterhawks netminder Jan Špunar has been named Giuseppe WHL Goaltender of the Week for the week ending April 21, 2024, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.

This is the second time the 19-year-old has won the award, in addition to a WHL Goaltender of the Month win in September/October.

Špunar led all WHL goaltenders with a 2-0-0-0 record, a 1.32 goals-against average, a .959 save percentage and a shutout this week to remain undefeated in the postseason.

The 6-foot-3, 199-pound netminder faced a barrage of shots in Game 3 against the Everett Silvertips on April 15. Despite going down 3-0 early in the second period, Špunar shut the door as the Winterhawks slowly clawed back to force overtime. The Winterhawks sophomore’s night was highlighted by a penalty shot save on Carter Bear with the game tied 3-3 in the third period. He stopped all eight shots he faced in the extra frame while Carter Sotheran netted the game-winner for Portland. Špunar steered aside 44 of 47 shots for his busiest game of the 2023-24 WHL season.

With the Winterhawks leading the series 3-0 and with a chance to punch their ticket to the next round, Špunar turned in his strongest performance of the postseason in Game 4. The Olomouc, Czechia product denied all 27 shots he faced for his first shutout of the WHL season to eliminate the Silvertips and earn first star of the game.

Špunar is 8-0-0-0 in the 2024 WHL Playoffs with a 1.94 goals-against average, a .931 save percentage and one shutout.

The 2024 NHL Draft-eligible netminder is coming off a solid regular season that saw him post a 25-6-2-1 record, a 2.12 goals-against average and a .913 save percentage, earning a nomination for the Del Wilson Memorial Trophy for WHL Goaltender of the Year.

The U.S. Division champion Winterhawks head north to face the Prince George Cougars in the Western Conference Championship, beginning with Game 1 on Friday, April 26 at 7:00 p.m. PST.
2023-24 WHL Goaltender of the Week
April 15, 2024: Joshua Ravensbergen, Prince George Cougars
April 9, 2024: Tyler Palmer, Everett Silvertips
April 1, 2024: Reid Dyck, Swift Current Broncos (Boston Bruins)
March 25, 2024: Evan Gardner, Saskatoon Blades
March 18, 2024: Brett Mirwald, Vancouver Giants
March 11, 2024: Kolby Hay, Edmonton Oil Kings
March 4, 2024: Ethan Buenaventura, Calgary Hitmen
February 26, 2024: Reid Dyck, Swift Current Broncos (Boston Bruins)
February 20, 2024: Brett Mirwald, Vancouver Giants
February 12, 2024: Brett Mirwald, Vancouver Giants
February 5, 2024: Reid Dyck, Swift Current Broncos (Boston Bruins)
January 29, 2024: Scott Ratzlaff, Seattle Thunderbirds (Buffalo Sabres)
January 22, 2024: Chase Wutzke, Red Deer Rebels
January 15, 2024: Chase Wutzke, Red Deer Rebels
January 8, 2024: Brett Mirwald, Vancouver Giants
January 2, 2024: Harrison Meneghin, Lethbridge Hurricanes
December 18, 2023: Brett Mirwald, Vancouver Giants
December 11, 2023: Chase Wutzke, Red Deer Rebels
December 4, 2023: Jackson Unger, Moose Jaw Warriors
November 27, 2023: Dawson Cowan, Spokane Chiefs
November 20, 2023: Rhett Stoesser, Red Deer Rebels
November 13, 2023: Evan May, Medicine Hat Tigers
November 6, 2023: Joshua Ravensbergen, Prince George Cougars
October 30, 2023: Joshua Ravensbergen, Prince George Cougars
October 23, 2023: Daniel Hauser, Wenatchee Wild
October 16, 2023: Jan Špunar, Portland Winterhawks
October 10, 2023: Kyle Kelsey, Red Deer Rebels
October 2, 2023: Ethan Chadwick, Everett Silvertips
September 25, 2023: Max Hildebrand, Prince Albert Raiders

2024 NHL DRAFT-ELIGIBLE FORWARD PARASCAK NAMED KAL TIRE WHL GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK

Calgary, Alta. – Prince George Cougars forward Terik Parascak has been named Kal Tire WHL Rookie of the Week for the week ending April 21, 2024, the Western Hockey League announced Monday.

This is the sixth time the 17-year-old has won the award. He was also recognized as the WHL Rookie of the Month in December and September/October.

Parascak registered three assists in three games as the Prince George Cougars eliminated the Kelowna Rockets from the 2024 WHL Playoffs presented by Nutrien.

The Lethbridge, Alta. product kicked off the week with a secondary assist on Ondrej Becher’s game-tying powerplay goal in Game 3. It marked the fourth straight game where Parascak found the scoresheet and the Cougars would snatch a 4-3 overtime win to take a 3-0 series lead.

Kelowna would get one win back to force Game 5 in Prince George, where the Cougars exploded for a five-goal second period. Parascak got in on the offensive outburst with a sharp takeaway behind the Rockets’ net, setting up Riley Heidt’s second goal of the night. He’d add another helper on the powerplay with an agile feed to Zac Funk, who scored to complete a hat trick. With a 6-3 win, Prince George confirmed its participation in the Western Conference Championship for the first time since 2007.

Parascak has five goals, including two powerplay markers, a shorthanded tally and a game-winning goal, and seven assists for 12 points in nine postseason matches.

He leads all rookies in goals and assists.

The 5-foot-11, 179-pound winger is ranked 15^th among North American skaters in NHL Central Scouting’s final rankings ahead of June’s NHL Draft.

The Prince George Cougars will host the Portland Winterhawks for the first two games of the Western Conference Championship, with Game 1 set for Friday, April 26 at 7:00 p.m. PST.

2023-24 WHL Rookie of the Week
April 15, 2024: Evan Gardner, Saskatoon Blades
April 9, 2024: Chase Wutzke, Red Deer Rebels
April 1, 2024: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars
March 25, 2024: Reese Hamilton, Calgary Hitmen
March 18, 2024: Dimitri Fortin, Moose Jaw Warriors
March 11, 2024: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars
March 4, 2024: Cole Reschny, Victoria Royals
February 26, 2024: Cameron Schmidt, Vancouver Giants
February 20, 2024: Evan Gardner, Saskatoon Blades
February 12, 2024: Hunter Laing, Prince George Cougars
February 5, 2024: Evan Gardner, Saskatoon Blades
January 29, 2024: Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers
January 22, 2024: Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers
January 15, 2024: Julius Miettinen, Everett Silvertips
January 8, 2024: Julius Miettinen, Everett Silvertips
January 2, 2024: Cole Reschny, Victoria Royals
December 18, 2023: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars
December 11, 2023: Max Curran, Tri-City Americans
December 4, 2023: Joshua Ravensbergen, Prince George Cougars
November 27, 2023: Ethan Eskit, Brandon Wheat Kings
November 20, 2023: Dakota MacIntosh, Moose Jaw Warriors
November 13, 2023: Ben Kindel, Calgary Hitmen
November 6, 2023: Ethan McCallum, Medicine Hat Tigers
October 30, 2023: Julius Miettinen, Everett Silvertips (NHL CSS: C)
October 23, 2023: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars (NHL CSS: B)
October 16, 2023: Ty Coupland, Swift Current Broncos
October 10, 2023: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars (NHL CSS: B)
October 2, 2023: Terik Parascak, Prince George Cougars (NHL CSS: B)
September 25, 2023: Oscar Lovsin, Wenatchee Wild