The Saskatoon Blades fought the law…and the Blades won!
Despite being assessed nine of 13 minor penalties in the game, the Bridge City Bunch killed off the final eight Medicine Hat power play chances in a 4-2 victory over the Tigers Tuesday night before 2,866 fans at SaskTel Centre. Nolan Maier made 37 saves for his third consecutive first star effort on behalf of the Blue and Gold…12 of the stops against the Bengals’ top-ranked power play in the W-H-L. The spate of penalties included two minors during the same stoppage of play with 2:22 remaining in the third period and the Blades up 3-1. Head coach Mitch Love was assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct minor after vehemently objecting to a slashing call on Saskatoon defenceman Jackson Caller. Medicine Hat did score a second after the 5-on-3 man advantage ended, but Kirby Dach scored into an empty net to ice the Bridge City Bunch’s third straight win and extend the 9-9-3 Tigers’ winless skid to three games (0-2-1).
The Bengals did score on their first power play chance in the first period as veteran centre Ryan Chyzowski scored the first of both Medicine Hat goals. Former Tiger Max Gerlach tied the game in the second period with his 14th goal of the season and 200th career point. Rookie Kyle Crnkovic followed 1:42 later with his first career W-H-L goal and point to put the Blue and Gold ahead for good. Captain Chase Wouters tallied, what turned out to be, the winning goal in the third period. The Tigers out-shot the 13-7-2 Blades 39-37. Saskatoon is off until Saturday when they welcome the Tri-City Americans to SaskTel Centre for their biannual visit. Following is the official game summary from the W-H-L…
Medicine Hat Tigers 2 at Saskatoon Blades 4 – Status: Final
Tuesday, November 13, 2018 – SaskTel Centre – Saskatoon, SK
Medicine Hat 1 0 1 – 2
Saskatoon 0 2 2 – 4
1st Period-1, Medicine Hat, Chyzowski 6 (Jevne, Nassen), 8:58 (PP). Penalties-McKay Sas (inter. on goaltender), 8:39; Lockner Mh (hooking), 10:23; Roykas Marthinsen Sas (interference), 11:37.
2nd Period-2, Saskatoon, Gerlach 14 (Florchuk), 14:00. 3, Saskatoon, Crnkovic 1 15:42. Penalties-Machado Sas (tripping), 2:51; Ostir Mh (slashing), 5:51; McKay Sas (roughing), 11:13.
3rd Period-4, Saskatoon, Wouters 3 (Haden, Paterson), 6:27. 5, Medicine Hat, Chyzowski 7 (Lockner, Ostir), 19:38. 6, Saskatoon, Dach 12 (Florchuk), 19:59 (EN). Penalties-Florchuk Sas (slew-footing, slew-footing), 7:12; Ostir Mh (interference), 11:56; Paterson Sas (hooking), 13:56; Christensen Mh (slashing), 14:29; served by Gerlach Sas (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 17:38; Caller Sas (slashing), 17:38.
Shots on Goal-Medicine Hat 14-13-12-39. Saskatoon 9-20-8-37.
Power Play Opportunities-Medicine Hat 1 / 9; Saskatoon 0 / 4.
Goalies-Medicine Hat, Hollett 5-8-0-0 (36 shots-33 saves). Saskatoon, Maier 11-5-1-0 (39 shots-37 saves).
A-2,866
Referees-Aydon Brown, Troy Murray (34).
Linesmen-Tanner McGregor (55), Levi Schutz (110).
