It was four-and-a-half years in the making, with a few detours thrown in for good measure, but Dorrin Luding finally made his first start in goal for the Saskatoon Blades Friday night.
And, he certainly didn’t waste it!
The 19-year-old Prince George product made 42 saves for his second career W-H-L shutout, back-stopping the Bridge City Bunch to a 3-0 victory over the Hitmen in Calgary. Luding was a third round pick in the 2014 Bantam Draft by the Blades, played 20 minutes in relief for Saskatoon at home against Kamloops on December 11, 2015…then was dealt to Everett and, subsequently, to Seattle before being reacquired by the Blue and Gold over the summer.
“I thought he tracked the puck really well,” said Associate Coach Ryan Marsh when asked about Luding’s impressive outing. “He was really sharp and we got a well-deserved win from him tonight for sure.”
The best of Luding’s 42 saves came off a Luke Coleman short-handed breakaway with approximately 3:00 remaining in the third period.
Kirby Dach supplied all the support Luding would need with a first period goal while line-mates Michael Farren and Logan Christensen (pictured) each notched their first goals of the season in the second period. Both Farren and Christensen added an assist for the Bridge City Bunch, who were out-shot 42-30.
There were also a couple of milestones for the youngest Blade and one of the oldest members of the Blue and Gold. Overage defenceman Dawson Davidson picked up the 100th assist of his W-H-L career on Christensen’s goal while 16-year-old rookie blueliner Aidan De La Gorgendiere collected his first W-H-L point when Dach redirected his goal-mouth pass past Calgary netminder Carl Stankowski.
The Hitmen are 0-4-1 to start the season while Saskatoon improved to 5-2-0. The Blades complete their four games-in-five nights road trip through the Central Division Saturday night when they visit the Lethbridge Hurricanes. The broadcast on 98-COOL starts at 6 p.m. with the Sardinia Family Restaurant pre-game show and the play-by-play at 7. Following is the official game summary from the W-H-L…
Saskatoon Blades 3 at Calgary Hitmen 0 – Status: Final
Friday, October 5, 2018 – Scotiabank Saddledome – Calgary, AB
Saskatoon 1 2 0 – 3
Calgary 0 0 0 – 0
1st Period-1, Saskatoon, Dach 5 (De La Gorgendiere, Florchuk), 7:35. Penalties-No Penalties
2nd Period-2, Saskatoon, Farren 1 (Christensen, McKay), 4:32. 3, Saskatoon, Christensen 1 (Farren, Davidson), 14:34. Penalties-Kastelic Cgy (charging), 5:56; Huber Cgy (slashing), 8:55; Kastelic Cgy (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 15:55.
3rd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Kustra Sas (interference), 2:04; Coleman Cgy (roughing), 2:04; Kastelic Cgy (interference), 3:48; Roykas Marthinsen Sas (interference), 4:04; McKay Sas (major-fighting), 11:16; Schmiemann Cgy (major-fighting), 11:16; Krebs Cgy (cross checking), 16:08; Wouters Sas (high sticking), 17:43; Kastelic Cgy (interference), 19:28.
Shots on Goal-Saskatoon 9-14-7-30. Calgary 9-15-18-42.
Power Play Opportunities-Saskatoon 0 / 6; Calgary 0 / 2.
Goalies-Saskatoon, Luding 1-0-0-0 (42 shots-42 saves). Calgary, Stankowski 0-3-1-0 (30 shots-27 saves).
A-4,527
Referees-Fraser Lawrence (10), Austin Weisgerber (39).
Linesmen-Davide Gilli (40), Aidan Henderson (78).
