The Saskatoon Blades not only extended their winning streak to a season-high eight games Saturday, but the 3-2 triumph in Swift Current made the Bridge City Bunch the first W-H-L team to officially clinch a playoff spot.
Lukas Hansen banged home his own rebound with 8:32 remaining in the third period to break a 2-2 tie. Hansen was presented with a breakaway from the top of the circles in on the Broncos’ goal when Swifty’s Czech defenceman Jakub Dvorak mis-handled the puck and fell. Egor Sidorov and Brandon Lisowsky scored the other goals for the 39-9-5 Blue and Gold while captain Trevor Wong (pictured) added two assists. Austin Elliott stopped 24 of 26 shots as the Blades out-shot Swift Current, now 26-19-6 for the season, by a 27-26 count. A limited number of playoff ticket packages go on sale Monday at 10 a.m. with adult packages for all home post-season games priced at $129.00. Saskatoon is idle until they open a three-game, long weekend road trip on Friday in Lethbridge. Following are the audio highlights from CJWW’s broadcast, Post-Game Show interviews with head coach Brennan Sonne and Hansen plus the official game summary courtesy the W-H-L…..
Saskatoon Blades 3 at Swift Current Broncos 2 – Status: Final
Saturday, February 10, 2024 – InnovationPlex – Swift Current, SK
Saskatoon 1 0 2 – 3
Swift Current 0 1 1 – 2
1st Period-1, Saskatoon, Sidorov 42 (Molendyk, Wong), 6:27 (PP). Penalties-Mistelbacher Sc (roughing), 5:02; Armstrong Sas (too many men), 8:22; Saunderson Sas (tripping), 17:27; Armstrong Sas (too many men), 19:45.
2nd Period-2, Swift Current, Birnie 18 (Wyrostok, Gould), 13:21. Penalties-Armstrong Sas (major-inter. on goaltender, game misconduct), 5:20; Coupland Sc (boarding), 16:20.
3rd Period-3, Saskatoon, Lisowsky 30 (Wong, Saunderson), 3:26. 4, Swift Current, Caswell 16 (Hvidston, Mistelbacher), 5:01. 5, Saskatoon, Hansen 11 11:28. Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-Saskatoon 9-7-11-27. Swift Current 5-6-15-26.
Power Play Opportunities-Saskatoon 1 / 2; Swift Current 0 / 4.
Goalies-Saskatoon, Elliott 24-4-2-1 (26 shots-24 saves). Swift Current, Rocha 8-11-1-1 (27 shots-24 saves).
A-2,610
Referees-Brody McGrath (73), Kevin Webinger (6).
Linesmen-Sean Dufour (50), Ryan Lundquist (106).
