Depending on your personal preference, Saturday night’s 5-4 overtime loss could be viewed either in a “glass half full” or “glass half empty” way by the Saskatoon Blades and the 4,037 fans at SaskTel Centre.

“Glass half full” would be to look at the two power play goals in the third period that allowed the Bridge City Bunch to overcome a 4-2 deficit after two periods and force overtime. By getting to extra time, the Blue and Gold extended their home-ice record to 11-0-3 for the season and 17-0-3 over the last 20 regular-season games at SaskTel Centre, dating back to March 1. Another positive was scoring three power play goals in five chances.

“Glass half empty” would be the hat-trick goal by Calgary leading scorer Ben Kindel, just 29 seconds into O-T, along with the approximately 30 minutes of play from mid-way through the first period to end of the second frame in which the 14-9-4 Hitmen out-scored the 17-6-4 Blades 4-1 and out-shot them 19-8.

In the end, the shots on goal were even at 26-26. First-time N-H-L draft eligible forward Kindel added an assist to his three goals for Calgary while 19-year-old veteran forward Oliver Tulk had a goal and three assists and Ottawa Senators’ first round draft pick this past summer, defenceman Carter Yakemchuk, had a goal and two helpers. On the Saskatoon side, blueliner Tanner Molendyk had a goal and three assists in his final game before attending Team Canada’s World Junior team selection camp this coming week. In addition, 20-year-old left winger Brandon Lisowsky scored twice and added an assist – his second goal forcing overtime – while sophomore, 17-year-old centre Hudson Kibblewhite had the other goal for the Bridge City Bunch in his return to action after missing the previous seven games due to injury. The Blue and Gold play four games in the final week ahead of the W-H-L’s Christmas break, starting off with a Tuesday visit to Medicine Hat. Following are the audio highlights from CJWW’s broadcast, Post-Game Show comments from head coach Dan Da Silva and Molendyk plus the official game summary courtesy the W-H-L…..

CALGARY Goals CALGARY PLAYERS (plus) SASKATOON PLAYERS (minus) Per. Time  G-As1-As2 1st 15:09  37-11 2 9 11 12 37 17 21 23 28 52 2nd 6:16  26-37-9 9 11 16 26 37 11 19 21 28 52 2nd 8:14  11-8 6 8 9 11 37 2 8 19 20 24 2nd 9:50 PP  11-37-26 OT :29  11-37-26 11 26 37 2 19 24

SASKATOON Goals SASKATOON PLAYERS (plus) CALGARY PLAYERS (minus) Per. Time  G-As1-As2 1st 2:11 PP  24-8 2nd :46  8-19-24 2 8 19 20 24 7 9 11 26 37 3rd 6:40 PP  11-24-86 3rd 15:02 PP  8-23-24