For 60 minutes Saturday, the Saskatoon Blades did a fabulous job of containing Trey Fix-Wolansky.
However, the W-H-L’s third-leading point-getter got free just long enough to score on a 2-on-1 break at the 30-second mark of overtime, lifting the Edmonton Oil Kings to a 4-3 victory over the Saskatoon Blades.
The see-saw contest, played in front of 3,800 fans at SaskTel Centre, saw the Bridge City Bunch score the opening goal in a game for the 34th time in 51 outings when Gary Haden deflected Nolan Kneen’s point shot past Dylan Myskiw. However, the visitors took the lead before the end of the first period on goals by Conner McDonald and Vladimir Alistrov. Haden tied the proceedings up in the second period with his 25th goal of the season and ninth in four games. Max Gerlach put the Blue and Gold back out in front just past the mid-point of the third period with a man-advantage tally. But, McDonald scored on the power play with 3:09 left in regulation time to force the extra period and Fix-Wolansky’s heroics.
“Obviously, it would’ve been nice to get the two points, we need the wins right now with Moose Jaw hot on our tail,” explained Haden. “But, we try to look at it as I think we were the better team (Saturday) night. We played hard, we battled hard. We just a few unlucky bounces…a skilled play (for Fix-Wolansky) to in overtime, that’s going to happen when you play three-on-three…but a point is a point. We’ve got to take it from here. We just got to get past it and get ready for Brandon.”
The Blades visit the Wheat Kings Tuesday in their first weeknight game since a Tuesday, January 8 home win over Seattle. Saskatoon maintained their streak of picking up at least a point in the standings in each of their last six games (4-0-2) after out-shooting Edmonton 41-35. The Bridge City Bunch are 30-13-8 for the season…the 68 points are four more than Moose Jaw, who lost 4-3 in Prince Albert Saturday. The Oil Kings won for the fourth straight time, upping their record to 29-15-8 for 66 points…four more than second place Lethbridge in the Central Division.
After three consecutive weeks of playing on just Friday and Saturday, the Blue and Gold play four times this coming week. Following the Tuesday visit to Brandon at 7 p.m….with the broadcast on 98-COOL signing on at 6 with the Sardinia Family Restaurant pre-game show…the Blades come home to entertain Moose Jaw Wednesday, then visit Swift Current Saturday during Hockey Day in Canada festivities and then host Brandon Sunday. Following is the official game summary from the W-H-L…
Edmonton Oil Kings 4 (OT) at Saskatoon Blades 3 – Status: Final OT
Saturday, February 2, 2019 – SaskTel Centre – Saskatoon, SK
Edmonton 2 0 1 1 – 4
Saskatoon 1 1 1 0 – 3
1st Period-1, Saskatoon, Haden 24 (Kneen), 3:46 (PP). 2, Edmonton, McDonald 15 15:29. 3, Edmonton, Vladimir Alistrov 8 (Josh Williams, Ethan Cap), 17:42. Penalties-Trey Fix-Wolansky Edm (hooking), 3:07.
2nd Period-4, Saskatoon, Haden 25 (Wouters, Harsch), 15:42. Penalties-Trey Fix-Wolansky Edm (tripping), 0:50; McDonald Edm (cross checking), 8:22; Hughes Sas (roughing), 18:37.
3rd Period-5, Saskatoon, Gerlach 29 (Davidson, Crnkovic), 11:54 (PP). 6, Edmonton, McDonald 16 (Quinn Benjafield, Trey Fix-Wolansky), 16:51 (PP). Penalties-Jake Neighbours Edm (major-boarding, game misconduct), 8:33; Dach Sas (hooking), 15:40.
OT Period-7, Edmonton, Trey Fix-Wolansky 28 0:30. Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-Edmonton 11-11-12-1-35. Saskatoon 11-14-16-0-41.
Power Play Opportunities-Edmonton 1 / 2; Saskatoon 2 / 4.
Goalies-Edmonton, Myskiw 19-10-2-3 (41 shots-38 saves). Saskatoon, Maier 25-9-6-0 (35 shots-31 saves).
A-3,800
Referees-Adam Griffiths (36), Mark Pearce (5).
Linesmen-Devan Thiessen (94), Tarrington Wyonzek (137).
