The Saskatoon Blades may have been holding “Fan Appreciation Night” for their final home game and regular-season contest Friday at SaskTel Centre, but it could’ve just as easily been dubbed “Nolan Maier (pictured) Appreciation Night”…again!
The 21-year-old Yorkton product stopped 35 of 36 shots, back-stopping the Bridge City Bunch to a 2-1 triumph over the Brandon Wheat Kings before 5,609 fans on a night where the Blue and Gold also honoured long-time head coach and general manager Lorne Molleken by placing his name on the “Blades Builder Banner.” The victory, coupled with the Warriors picking up a point in a 5-4 overtime loss in Lethbridge, means standing places four through six in the Eastern Conference have been determined. The Warriors will finish fourth and have home-ice advantage in a first round playoff series against the Blades, starting Friday in Moose Jaw, while the Wheat Kings will finish sixth and play Red Deer in the opening round. Maier’s 31st win of the season and record-extending 122nd of his W-H-L career saw him at his best in the first period when Saskatoon started listlessly and were out-shot 14-6 by the Wheaties, only to have the contest be scoreless after 20 minutes. Brandon opened the scoring in the second period when Rylen Roersma pounced on a bad bounce off the corner boards to the front of the Bridge City Bunch goal. But, Trevor Wong knotted the score with his 17th goal off a breakaway and Kyle Crnkovic scored the game’s last goal…all of them coming in the middle frame…off a 3-on-2 rush, for his team-leading 39th of the season. From there, Maier and the Blue and Gold shut the door, despite being out-shot 36-22, finishing the 2021-22 season with a 38-26-4 record for 80 points. The Wheat Kings will take a 35-27-5 log into Prince Albert Saturday for the final regular-season game for both clubs. Following is the official game summary courtesy the W-H-L and Les Lazaruk’s post-game interviews with head coach Brennan Sonne, Maier and fellow 20-year-old, defenceman Rhett Rhinehart…..
Brandon Wheat Kings 1 at Saskatoon Blades 2 – Status: Final
Friday, April 15, 2022 – SaskTel Centre – Saskatoon, SK
Brandon 0 1 0 – 1
Saskatoon 0 2 0 – 2
1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Saunderson Sas (hooking), 4:34.
2nd Period-1, Brandon, Roersma 19 (Hammett), 2:57. 2, Saskatoon, Wong 17 6:46. 3, Saskatoon, Crnkovic 39 (Wiens), 11:56. Penalties-Ginnell Bdn (roughing), 7:22.
3rd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-Brandon 14-11-11-36. Saskatoon 6-10-6-22.
Power Play Opportunities-Brandon 0 / 1; Saskatoon 0 / 1.
Goalies-Brandon, Kruger 27-17-2-2 (22 shots-20 saves). Saskatoon, Maier 31-23-3-1 (36 shots-35 saves).
A-5,609
Referees-Aydon Brown, Mike Langin (67).
Linesmen-Brayden Glynn (96), Aiden Penner (109).
