Blades Set For Ice

Hockey Saskatoon Blades Top Stories WHL

(Photo Courtesy STEVE HISCOCK)

BLADES vs. ICE
7:05pm – SaskTel Centre

OFF THE TOP: The Saskatoon Blades (3-7-0) play the third of a six-game homestand tonight as they face off against Kootenay Ice (3-8-0). … The Blades and Ice are tied for 10th in the east with six points, one back of the Red Deer Rebels for ninth and four back of the Prince Albert Raiders for the eighth and final playoff spot. … The Ice coming off a 3-2 loss to the Raiders last night. … Kootenay is led in scoring by Jaedon Descheneau, who has five goals and four assists for nine points in nine points.

LAST TIME OUT: Led by Andrew Koep and Blake Orban, the defending Memorial Cup Champion Edmonton Oil Kings handed the Blades a 6-4 defeat this past Saturday at SaskTel Centre. Koep and Orban each recorded a pair of goals, while Dysin Mayo and Cole Benson did the rest offensively. In goal, rookie netminder Patrick Dea made 25 saves in the victory, snapping Saskatoon’s three-game winning streak. For the Blades, Alex Forsberg scored a pair on the power-play – his third and fourth goals of the season – while Ryan Graham and Austin Adamson chipped in with singles, the latter fuelling a late Blades rally, but it wasn’t enough. Alex Moodie suffered his first loss in four consecutive starts, surrendering six goals on 35 shots.

OH HENRY: Acquired back on Sept. 29, Blades defenceman Adam Henry has five points (0-5-5) in six games with his new team. The 19-year-old had a three-game point streak snapped in Saturday’s loss to the Oil Kings.

BETWEEN THE PIPES: Seeking his first win in the Western Hockey League, 17-year-old Nik Amundrud is expected to make his first start since Oct. 9, a 27-save effort against the Tri-City Americans. In three plate appearances so far this season, Amundrud has a 0-2-0 record, a 6.04 goals-against average and .851 save percentage. Alex Moodie, recorded a stellar 3-1-0 record in the four games since (wins vs. Prince Albert, Swift Current and Red Deer), will be the backup.

ON THE BOARD: Austin Adamson scored his first goal of the season vs. Edmonton and doing so, became the 20th Blade to record a point this season. Of those currently on the Blades’ roster, only three skaters and the two goaltenders have yet to register a point this year.

GOING STREAKING: Rolling with a pair of goals on Saturday vs. Edmonton, Alex Forsberg is now on a three-game point streak. He has three goals and five points in that span dating back to Oct. 15’s road win over the Swift Current Broncos. … Sam McKechnie is also on a three-game point streak, recording two goals and five points in the same stretch.

INJURY REPORT: Nick Zajac (upper body) missed Saturday’s game and doubtful for tonight’s contest; Issac Schacher (wrist) missed Saturday’s game, but will play tonight.

RECENT TRANSACTIONS: Reassigned defenceman Cole Bevan to the Coquitlam Express of the BCHL (Junior A) on Oct. 18.

UP NEXT: The Blades wrap up their six-game homestand with dates against the Lethbridge Hurricanes (Friday, Oct. 24, 7:05pm), Portland Winterhawks (Saturday, Oct. 25, 7:05pm) and Moose Jaw Warriors (Tuesday, Oct. 28, 7:05pm).

AT A GLANCE:

2014-15 LEADING SCORERS:

Alex Forsberg: 10GP-4G-4A-8PTS
Sam McKechnie: 8GP-3G-4A-7PTS
Cory Millette: 10GP-4G-2A-6PTS
Wyatt Sloboshan: 10GP-3G-3A-6PTS
Adam Henry: 9GP-0G-6A-6PTS

2014-15 SPECIAL TEAMS:

PP: 9-for-38, 23.7% (6th); PK: 40-for-52, 76.9% (17th)

 

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