The Saskatoon Blades will play the first of eight games without head coach Mitch Love as they host Medicine Hat Tuesday night.

Love is an assistant coach with Canada’s entry in the upcoming World Junior Championship in the Czech Republic. That means associate coach Ryan Marsh and assistant Ryan Keller will run the Blue and Gold bench in the interim. Tuesday’s game against the Tigers is the second of a four-game pre-Christmas homestand for the Bridge City Bunch following Saturday’s 4-3 shootout loss to Kelowna. The 14-13-3 Blue and Gold have dropped both previous games to the Bengals, both in south-eastern Alberta, to 20-8-and-1 Medicine Hat. Saskatoon will have 18-year-old defenceman Matt Sanders make his debut with the team tonight after listing him last week from the Junior A ranks in Alberta. However, Saskatoon product Alex Morozoff, acquired Monday evening from Seattle, will not be available to the Bridge City Bunch Tuesday. First faceoff is 7 p.m. with the Sardinia Family Restaurant pre-game show starting off the broadcast on 98-COOL at 6. Following is the news release from the Blades with regards to Monday’s trade…..

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Saskatoon, SK – The Saskatoon Blades have acquired 2001 born forward Alex Morozoff from the Seattle Thunderbirds in exchange for a sixth round pick in 2023.

“We’re pleased to add Alex to the Blades organization, he’s a good local player who can play both centre and on the wing. As Alex is only 18, he fits nicely into the structure of our team age-wise.”

Drafted into the league by the Red Deer Rebels with the 149th overall selection in 2016, Morozoff has gone on to play in 116 Western Hockey League games over three seasons with the Thunderbirds and Red Deer Rebels, notching 18 goals and 10 assists for 28 points. This year Morozoff has has four goals and an assist for five points in 24 games.

“We look forward to having him join the team on Wednesday,” concluded Priestner.