Anything Koen can do, Nolan can, at the very least, do as well.
The Saskatoon Blades won back-to-back games for the first time in the new 2019-20 W-H-L season, out-lasting the Raiders 2-1 Friday night in Prince Albert. Captain Chase Wouters (pictured) scored the winning goal at 3:57 of extra time as the Bridge City Bunch executed a face-off play in their own zone. Two passes and Wouters went in alone, beating P-A goaltender Boston Bilous high to the glove side.
However, for the second straight game, a Blue and Gold goaltender made 36 saves before the Blades found enough offence to win. Nolan Maier made 36 saves, the last 33 he faced in succession after surrendering the opening goal of the game at 1:52 of the first period to Raiders’ forward Ozzy Wiesblatt. Back on Wednesday in Lethbridge, rookie Koen MacInnes stopped 36 shots as the Blades rallied to nip the Hurricanes 3-2.
“(Nolan) was tremendous (Friday) night,” said Associate coach Ryan Marsh. “He kind of put us on his back for a stretch there in the first and the second period. There’s a couple of sequences of saves in the second period that allowed us to get the two points.”
Aidan De La Gorgendiere scored the other goal for Saskatoon, the first of his W-H-L career in his 54th career game, a power play tally in the first period.
After being out-shot 38-22 Wednesday in Lethbridge, the 3-3-0 Bridge City Bunch trailed on the shot clock at the end of Friday’s game by a 37-22 margin. All six Saskatoon games have been decided by one-goal while the Blue and Gold have allowed two or fewer goals in five of the six outings.
The 3-0-2 Raiders had a three-game winning streak ended…but have yet to lose in regulation time this season. Both of their overtime setbacks have come at home at the hands of the Blades.
Saskatoon returns to action Sunday afternoon for a Family Day contest against the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings at SaskTel Centre. Game time is 4 p.m. with the Sardinia Family Restaurant pre-game show opening up the broadcast on 98-COOL at 3. Following is the official game summary from the W-H-L…
Saskatoon Blades 2 (OT) at Prince Albert Raiders 1 – Status: Final OT
Friday, October 4, 2019 – Art Hauser Centre – Prince Albert, SK
Saskatoon 1 0 0 1 – 2
Prince Albert 1 0 0 0 – 1
1st Period-1, Prince Albert, Wiesblatt 1 (Protas, Watts), 1:52. 2, Saskatoon, De La Gorgendiere 1 (McNabb, Zabransky), 6:21 (PP). Penalties-Wiesblatt Pa (high sticking), 4:54; Huber Sas (hooking), 16:09.
2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Zabransky Sas (hooking), 5:34; Guhle Pa (tripping), 18:52.
3rd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Schmidt Sas (tripping), 2:19; Guhle Pa (high sticking), 4:25; Nachbaur Pa (hooking), 17:51.
OT Period-3, Saskatoon, Wouters 1 (McKay, Walford), 3:57. Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-Saskatoon 7-5-9-1-22. Prince Albert 14-16-5-2-37.
Power Play Opportunities-Saskatoon 1 / 4; Prince Albert 0 / 3.
Goalies-Saskatoon, Maier 2-3-0-0 (37 shots-36 saves). Prince Albert, Bilous 3-0-2-0 (22 shots-20 saves).
A-2,687
Referees-Jason Bourdon (20), Troy Murray (34).
Linesmen-Riley Carriere (72), Devan Thiessen (94).
