For the second straight game, the Saskatoon Blades didn’t show up on time. Only this time, the Edmonton Oil Kings took full advantage while the Bridge City responded with too little, too late, in a 7-3 W-H-L pre-season loss at SaskTel Centre.
Unlike Friday when the Blue and Gold escaped the first period in a scoreless tie while out-shot 13-6 by the Oil Kings, on Saturday Edmonton out-shot the Blades 13-4 and led 3-0 after the opening 20 minutes. They added another four unanswered goals in the second period before Saskatoon came alive in the third frame with their three goals while out-shooting the Oil Kings 17-5.
Overage forward Carter Souch paced Edmonton with their first two goals and three assists while Jacob Boucher notched a short-handed goal and chipped in three helpers while defenceman Logan Dowhaniuk scored twice on the power play. The seven Oil Kings’ goals came on 20 shots against Saskatoon product Ethan Chadwick in the Bridge City Bunch. He was, mercifully, lifted in favour of 20-year-old veteran Nolan Maier for the third period. In the final frame, Carter Streek, Brendan Lee and Charlie Wright tallied for the Blue and Gold with Kyle Crnkovic assisting on two of the markers. Overall, Saskatoon out-shot Edmonton 34-25.
Earlier Saturday, the Blades reduced their pre-season roster to 29 players by sending a trio of 2005-born skaters to their minor teams. The deletion of defenceman Tait Humphries plus forwards Rowan Calvert and Brenden Fields leaves the Bridge City Bunch with 29 players…17 forwards, nine defencemen and three goaltenders. European forwards Yegor Sidorov and Moritz Elias are expected to arrive in Saskatoon and skate with the Blue and Gold this week…and, possibly, suit up for games Friday in Prince Albert and Saturday against the Raiders at The Legends Centre in Warman. Following is the post-game media scrum with Blades’ head coach Brennan Sonne, plus Les Lazaruk interviews with Kyle Crnkovic, Charlie Wright and Carter Streek along with the game summary from the W-H-L…..
Edmonton Oil Kings 7 at Saskatoon Blades 3 – Status: Final
Saturday, September 18, 2021 – SaskTel Centre – Saskatoon, SK
Edmonton 3 4 0 – 7
Saskatoon 0 0 3 – 3
1st Period-1, Edmonton, Carter Souch 1 (Boucher, Kobe Verbicky), 0:46. 2, Edmonton, Carter Souch 2 (Boucher, Heward), 3:43. 3, Edmonton, Logan Dowhaniuk 1 (Boucher, Carter Souch), 14:26 (PP). Penalties-Keagan Slaney Edm (cross checking), 11:49; De La Gorgendiere Sas (roughing), 13:21; Streek Sas (kneeing), 14:02; Peters Edm (holding), 16:26; Hansen Sas (interference), 19:06.
2nd Period-4, Edmonton, Boucher 4 (Carter Souch), 4:01 (SH). 5, Edmonton, Ross Stanley 1 (Tyler Horstmann), 10:06. 6, Edmonton, Brendan Kuny 3 (Peters, Tyler Horstmann), 17:13 (PP). 7, Edmonton, Logan Dowhaniuk 2 (Carter Souch), 18:40 (PP). Penalties-Dawson Seitz Edm (hooking), 2:55; Carter Souch Edm (roughing), 15:39; Wiens Sas (roughing), 15:39; Lisowsky Sas (high sticking, high sticking), 17:03.
3rd Period-8, Saskatoon, Streek 1 (Wiens), 1:45. 9, Saskatoon, Lee 2 (Crnkovic, Wright), 9:01 (PP). 10, Saskatoon, Wright 1 (Crnkovic, Bocharov), 15:16. Penalties-Peters Edm (hooking), 7:06; Shea Van Olm Edm (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 13:41; Streek Sas (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 13:41; Keagan Slaney Edm (hooking), 18:16.
Shots on Goal-Edmonton 10-10-5-25. Saskatoon 4-13-17-34.
Power Play Opportunities-Edmonton 3 / 5; Saskatoon 1 / 5.
Goalies-Edmonton, Hay 1-0-0-0 (34 shots-31 saves). Saskatoon, Chadwick 0-1-0-0 (20 shots-13 saves); Maier 0-0-0-0 (5 shots-5 saves).
A-
Referees-Adam Forbes (62).
Linesmen-Andrew Sawatsky (123).
