When teams take turns scoring goals in a game, if you score first, then you’ll also score the final and winning goal…something the Saskatoon Blades did in a 4-3 overtime triumph over the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes Wednesday.
Brandon Lisowsky’s (pictured) 30th goal of the season with 29.3 seconds remaining in the fourth period was the 17-year-old’s second tally of the contest and came on his eighth shot on goal of the night, mere seconds after his seventh shot, that seemed destined to go in, was turned aside by Canes’ goaltender Jared Picklyk. The victory moved the 31-18-4 Bridge City Bunch within one point of fourth place Moose Jaw in the Eastern Conference with the Blue and Gold holding two games in hand on the Warriors. Jayden Wiens and Josh Pillar, with his first goal in six games since joining the Blades in a trade deadline day deal with Kamloops, also scored as Saskatoon extended their streak of games gaining points in the standings to seven (5-0-2) and their home ice run of gaining point in the standings to seven games as well (6-0-1). After being blanked 4-0 in Prince Albert Tuesday, Lethbridge gained an important point by battling back all night long. Three times the Hurricanes tied the score, eventually forcing overtime as their record moved to 23-26-4 for 50 points, good for seventh place in the Eastern Conference, two points up on Calgary and three ahead of the Raiders and Swift Current. The top eight teams qualify for the post-season. It was the Canes’ fifth game out of seven on the road while their home building, the Enmax Centre, is being used by the 2022 Tim Horton’s Brier. Lethbridge is 2-2-1 on the swing with games to come Friday in Regina and Saturday in Moose Jaw. Meanwhile, the Bridge City Bunch have a home-and-home weekend series against arch-rival P-A, Friday at the Art Hauser Centre and Saturday at SaskTel Centre. Following is the official game summary courtesy the W-H-L plus Les Lazaruk’s Post-Game Show interviews with Wiens, head coach Brennan Sonne and goaltender Ethan Chadwick, who made 29 saves for the victory while the Blue and Gold out-shot the Hurricanes 41-32…..
Lethbridge Hurricanes 3 at Saskatoon Blades 4 (OT) – Status: Final OT
Wednesday, March 9, 2022 – SaskTel Centre – Saskatoon, SK
Lethbridge 1 1 1 0 – 3
Saskatoon 2 0 1 1 – 4
1st Period-1, Saskatoon, Wiens 18 (Crnkovic, Robins), 11:40 (PP). 2, Lethbridge, Pauls 2 17:01. 3, Saskatoon, Pillar 12 (Watterodt, Saunderson), 18:31. Penalties-Arntsen Let (hooking), 11:08; Nolan Let (slashing), 19:27.
2nd Period-4, Lethbridge, Wilke 1 (Reichle), 10:35. Penalties-Laventure Let (tripping), 5:48; Rhinehart Sas (tripping), 11:13; Wood Let (cross checking), 14:33.
3rd Period-5, Saskatoon, Lisowsky 29 2:41. 6, Lethbridge, Reichle 4 (Jones), 6:07. Penalties-Rhinehart Sas (hooking), 3:56; Laventure Let (tripping), 10:26.
OT Period-7, Saskatoon, Lisowsky 30 (Wiens), 4:30. Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-Lethbridge 10-6-15-1-32. Saskatoon 17-15-5-4-41.
Power Play Opportunities-Lethbridge 0 / 2; Saskatoon 1 / 5.
Goalies-Lethbridge, Picklyk 8-6-1-0 (41 shots-37 saves). Saskatoon, Chadwick 5-3-0-0 (32 shots-29 saves).
A-2,426
Referees-Bob Millette (61), Bryce Sebastian (64).
Linesmen-Riley Carriere (72), Devan Thiessen (94).
