The most asked question going into Saturday evening was, “did the Saskatoon Blades save some goal-scoring for the upcoming game with Winnipeg after filling the net Friday against Swift Current?”
The answer was a resounding, YES!
After tallying the final nine goals of Friday’s 9-2 taming of the Tigers, the Bridge City Bunch notched the first four goals…all in the first period…on the way to chipping the ICE 7-2 in front of 3,585 “Pride Night” fans at SaskTel Centre. The Blue and Gold recorded their fourth straight triumph and ended Winnipeg’s winning streak at four games in the process. Kyle Crnkovic (pictured) took over the W-H-L scoring lead as his two goals and two assists gave him 57 points on the season, including 23 goals. Brandon Lisowsky also scored twice for the 21-14-2 Blades to become the third Saskatoon player to hit the 20-goal plateau with 21. Jayden Wiens, Noah Boyko and Vaughn Watterodt also found the back of the net for the Bridge City Bunch while Tristen Robins chipped in four assists. After eight members of the Blue and Gold posted multi-point games Friday against Medicine Hat, seven Blades turned the trick Saturday. Nolan Maier was the goaltending beneficiary of the outburst Saturday as he stopped 28 of 30 ICE shots for his 17th victory of the season and 108th of his W-H-L career, tied for ninth place on the all-time league list with current Philadelphia Flyers’ netminder Martin Jones. The four-point nights for Crnkovic and Robins are the most any single player has registered against 29-6-2 Winnipeg this season. The seven goals against sophomore goaltender Daniel Hauser was the most he has allowed in a game this season. In fact, the 17-year-old lost in regulation for the first time in 24 career W-H-L appearances. Saskatoon has caught fire offensively of late. They have scored 26 goals, while allowing only nine, on their four-game winning run and the Bridge City Bunch have scored at least one power play goal in seven consecutive games, 15-for-31 or 48.4% proficiency during that time after the Blue and Gold were 2-for-3 with the man advantage Saturday. The Blades travel to Alberta for their next games, Tuesday in Medicine Hat and Wednesday in Lethbridge. Following is the official game summary courtesy the W-H-L, followed by Les Lazaruk’s post-game interviews with Saskatoon associate coach Ryan Marsh, Crnkovic and Lisowsky…..
Winnipeg ICE 2 at Saskatoon Blades 7 – Status: Final
Saturday, January 22, 2022 – SaskTel Centre – Saskatoon, SK
Winnipeg 0 2 0 – 2
Saskatoon 4 2 1 – 7
1st Period-1, Saskatoon, Wiens 12 (Wright, Robins), 4:37 (PP). 2, Saskatoon, Crnkovic 22 (Boyko, Robins), 6:42. 3, Saskatoon, Lisowsky 20 (Sidorov, Wong), 16:51. 4, Saskatoon, Boyko 13 (Crnkovic, Robins), 17:35. Penalties-Streule Wpg (slashing), 4:22; Paulhus Sas (cross checking), 12:43.
2nd Period-5, Winnipeg, Finley 13 (Savoie, Zloty), 9:24 (PP). 6, Saskatoon, Lisowsky 21 (Crnkovic, Robins), 14:50 (PP). 7, Winnipeg, Bruce 11 (Milne), 17:28. 8, Saskatoon, Crnkovic 23 (Sidorov, Wong), 18:36. Penalties-Volotovskii Sas (hooking), 3:15; Gronick Sas (hooking), 9:08; Finley Wpg (interference), 13:14.
3rd Period-9, Saskatoon, Watterodt 2 (Wiens, Parr), 18:11. Penalties-Pederson Wpg (checking from behind), 9:27; McClennon Wpg (roughing), 10:16; Boyko Sas (roughing), 10:16; Segafredo Wpg (too many men), 14:53; Rhinehart Sas (charging), 14:53.
Shots on Goal-Winnipeg 11-11-8-30. Saskatoon 9-7-8-24.
Power Play Opportunities-Winnipeg 1 / 3; Saskatoon 2 / 3.
Goalies-Winnipeg, Hauser 13-1-1-0 (24 shots-17 saves). Saskatoon, Maier 17-12-1-1 (30 shots-28 saves).
A-3,585
Referees-Jeff Ingram (82), Levi Schutz (110).
Linesmen-Riley Carriere (72), Brayden Glynn (96).
