The Saskatoon Blades’ investment in acquiring Fraser Minten (pictured) continued to pay dividends on Friday in a 5-2 victory over the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers.
The younger Bengals were hanging with the veteran and experienced Bridge City Bunch for 39:50 – then Minten took over jn front of 6,385 fans at SaskTel Centre. The 19-year-old bulled to the net and banged home his own rebound with under three seconds remaining in the second period to put the Blue and Gold. The Toronto Maple Leafs’ draft pick notched the insurance goal early in the third period, banking a shot from below the goal line off the skate of Medicine Hat goaltender Zach Zahara and into the net. Minten has 11 goals, four of them game winners, and 21 points in 17 games with the Blades, now 35-9-5 for the season. Egor Sidorov also scored twice and added an assist, Trevor Wong notched the other Saskatoon goal and posted a helper while Tanner Molendyk added two assists as the Bridge City Bunch won their fourth straight game and their ninth consecutive home-ice victory. In out-shooting the Tigers 28-18, 19-8 over the final two periods, the Blue and Gold won their 11th straight head-to-head meeting over Medicine Hat, now 29-15-4 for the season and 13 points behind the Eastern Conference-leading Blades. Saskatoon returns to action Sunday when they host Brandon at 4 o’clock with CJWW’s broadcast starting at 3:45 p.m. with the Palliser Rooms E-Q-3 Cutting Edge Pre-Game Show. Following are the audio highlights from CJWW’s Friday broadcast, the official game summary courtesy the W-H-L and Post-Game Show comments from head coach Brennan Sonne, Minten and defenceman Ben Saunderson…..
Medicine Hat Tigers 2 at Saskatoon Blades 5 – Status: Final
Friday, February 2, 2024 – SaskTel Centre – Saskatoon, SK
Medicine Hat 2 0 0 – 2
Saskatoon 2 1 2 – 5
1st Period-1, Medicine Hat, Andresen 6 (Wiesblatt, McKenna), 0:35. 2, Saskatoon, Sidorov 38 (Lisowsky, Wong), 4:11. 3, Saskatoon, Wong 13 (Sidorov, Molendyk), 10:45 (PP). 4, Medicine Hat, Basha 20 (McKenna, Mrsic), 15:07 (PP). Penalties-Parsons Mh (checking from behind), 8:53; Krebs Mh (holding), 9:33; Armstrong Sas (slashing), 14:50.
2nd Period-5, Saskatoon, Minten 13 19:57. Penalties-Parsons Mh (cross checking), 10:44; Krebs Mh (hooking), 15:28; Smith Mh (roughing), 19:23; Babcock Sas (unsportsmanlike cnd.), 19:23.
3rd Period-6, Saskatoon, Minten 14 (Armstrong), 2:51. 7, Saskatoon, Sidorov 39 (Molendyk), 17:44 (EN). Penalties-Smith Mh (10-minute misconduct), 17:44; Watterodt Sas (roughing), 20:00.
Shots on Goal-Medicine Hat 10-2-6-18. Saskatoon 9-12-7-28.
Power Play Opportunities-Medicine Hat 1 / 1; Saskatoon 1 / 4.
Goalies-Medicine Hat, Zahara 11-4-1-1 (27 shots-23 saves). Saskatoon, Elliott 22-4-2-1 (18 shots-16 saves).
A-6,385
Referees-Ward Pateman (124), Tarrington Wyonzek (137).
Linesmen-Riley Carriere (72), Levi Schutz (110).
