Between Carl Tetachuk, fatigue and attrition, the Saskatoon Blades couldn’t muster enough on Saturday to win, instead falling 7-0 in Moose Jaw to the Warriors.
The result moved 35-21-5 Moose Jaw three points ahead of the 34-23-4 Bridge City Bunch in fourth place in the Eastern Conference with each team having seven games remaining in the regular-season, including one more head-to-head meeting Friday at SaskTel Centre.
Tetachuk stopped 31 shots for his third shutout of the season, including 15 of 23 shots through 40 minutes on four Blue and Gold power plays. That included 43 seconds of 5-on-3 man advantage time and a succeeding 4:17 worth of power play from a Robert Baco checking from behind major and game misconduct.
The fatigue factor came from the Warriors having not played since the previous Saturday and played at home again while the Blades were playing their third game in four nights with travel on Saturday. The fatigue was compounded by injuries. Before the game, captain Aidan De La Gorgendiere and forward Josh Pillar were added to Saskatoon’s walking wounded list that already contained forwards Noah Boyko, Trevor Wong and Lukas Hansen. By the time 90 seconds had been played in the third period, defenceman Rhett Rhinehart and forwards Tristen Robins and Jayden Wiens…the latter the recipient of the Baco check from behind into the side boards late in the second period…were in the Bridge City Bunch locker room receiving treatment.
Having lost the previous five head-to-head meetings with the Blue and Gold, Moose Jaw turned it on in the third period with five goals and ended up out-shooting the Blades 40-31. It was the seventh time Saskatoon had been blanked this season. They’ll try to return to the win column Wednesday when the Bridge City Bunch travels to Regina. Following is the official game summary courtesy the W-H-L plus Les Lazaruk’s Post-Game Show interview with head coach Brennan Sonne…..
Saskatoon Blades 0 at Moose Jaw Warriors 7 – Status: Final
Saturday, March 26, 2022 – Mosaic Place – Moose Jaw, SK
Saskatoon 0 0 0 – 0
Moose Jaw 1 1 5 – 7
1st Period-1, Moose Jaw, Korczak 22 (Niven), 3:47. Penalties-Hoekstra Mj (boarding), 6:12; Baco Mj (tripping), 13:57; Rhinehart Sas (interference), 20:00.
2nd Period-2, Moose Jaw, Brenton 3 (Mateychuk, Alarie), 6:16. Penalties-Hoekstra Mj (tripping), 14:09; Baco Mj (major-check/behind, game misconduct), 15:26.
3rd Period-3, Moose Jaw, Yager 33 (Firkus, Mateychuk), 1:10 (PP). 4, Moose Jaw, Alarie 20 (Korczak, Jordan), 2:56. 5, Moose Jaw, Mateychuk 10 (Ness, Alarie), 14:44. 6, Moose Jaw, Firkus 34 16:48. 7, Moose Jaw, Firkus 35 (Larson, Mateychuk), 19:02. Penalties-Lisowsky Sas (slashing), 0:30; Pilling Mj (interference), 6:10; Volotovskii Sas (delay of game), 16:52; Hoekstra Mj (hooking), 19:40.
Shots on Goal-Saskatoon 11-12-8-31. Moose Jaw 9-15-16-40.
Power Play Opportunities-Saskatoon 0 / 6; Moose Jaw 1 / 3.
Goalies-Saskatoon, Maier 27-20-3-1 (40 shots-33 saves). Moose Jaw, Tetachuk 28-12-3-2 (31 shots-31 saves).
A-2,867
Referees-Adam Forbes (62), Bryce Sebastian (64).
Linesmen-Ridge Brooks (161), Ryan Lundquist (106).
