Rhett Rhinehart (pictured) wasn’t ready for his first W-H-L playoff series and his major junior career to come to an end just yet as the 20-year-old defenceman scored the game winning goal and the Saskatoon Blades staved off elimination Wednesday with a 5-3 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors.
The Warriors still have a commanding 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven Eastern Conference quarter-final with Game 5 Friday in Moose Jaw. It was the first time since 1990 that the Blades had won a Game 4 after falling behind 3-0 in a series. Rhinehart’s goal at 8:37 snapped a 3-3 tie, giving the Bridge City Bunch back the lead they held for the latter part of the first period, the entire second period and the early stages of the third. However, the Warriors fought back from a 3-1 deficit to forge the deadlock at 2:54 of the third frame on Ryder Korczak’s second marker of the series…setting the stage for Rhinehart’s heroics. The Lloydminster product added an assist, had a +2 ranking and five shots on goal and was named the game’s first star. Blue and Gold regular-season goal and points-scoring leader Kyle Crnkovic scored his first two goals of the series while Egor Sidorov and Noah Boyko also connected for the first time in the playoffs. Rookie right winger Tyler Parr chipped in two assists while Nolan Maier was stellar in net as Moose Jaw out-shot the Blades 35-30 in front of 3,362 fans at SaskTel Centre. Friday’s game can be heard on CJWW beginning with the Pre-Game Show at 6:30 and the play-by-play at 7 o’clock. Following is the official game summary courtesy the W-H-L plus Post-Game Show interviews with head coach Brennan Sonne, Rhinehart and Boyko…..
Moose Jaw Warriors 3 at Saskatoon Blades 5 – Status: Final
Wednesday, April 27, 2022 – SaskTel Centre – Saskatoon, SK
Moose Jaw 0 2 1 – 3
Saskatoon 2 1 2 – 5
1st Period-1, Saskatoon, Sidorov 1 (Pillar, Rhinehart), 17:39. 2, Saskatoon, Crnkovic 1 (Wong, Molendyk), 19:50. Penalties-Rhinehart Sas (cross checking), 0:11; Baco Mj (hooking), 8:35.
2nd Period-3, Moose Jaw, Wanner 2 (Calvert, Larson), 10:25. 4, Saskatoon, Boyko 1 (Lisowsky), 13:45. 5, Moose Jaw, Wanner 3 (Larson), 18:18 (PP). Penalties-Baco Mj (tripping), 0:59; Alarie Mj (roughing), 4:18; Rhinehart Sas (roughing), 4:18; Watterodt Sas (hooking), 16:58.
3rd Period-6, Moose Jaw, Korczak 2 (Alarie), 2:54. 7, Saskatoon, Rhinehart 1 (Parr), 8:37. 8, Saskatoon, Crnkovic 2 (Parr), 19:31. Penalties-No Penalties
Shots on Goal-Moose Jaw 11-12-12-35. Saskatoon 11-11-8-30.
Power Play Opportunities-Moose Jaw 1 / 2; Saskatoon 0 / 2.
Goalies-Moose Jaw, Tetachuk (30 shots-25 saves). Saskatoon, Maier (35 shots-32 saves).
A-3,362
Referees-Taylor Burzminski (83), Kevin Webinger (6).
Linesmen-Devan Thiessen (94), Levi Schutz (110).
