The Saskatoon Blades ended a three-game home-ice losing streak while extending their head-to-head winning run against Medicine Hat to 13 games with Friday’s 3-1 victory over the Tigers at SaskTel Centre.
The Bridge City Bunch improved their overall record to 44-12-5, due in large part to holding the young, speedy Bengals to only 24 shots on goal. The only Medicine Hat blemish against Blue and Gold goaltender Austin Elliott came on a third period power play. By then, the Blades led 2-0 on goals by Tanner Molendyk and Egor Sidorov. Fraser Minten salted the game away with an empty-net tally in front of 5,268 fans. Captain Trevor Wong (pictured) assisted on two of the Saskatoon goals, the first being the 250th point in his W-H-L career. The win was the first at home for the Bridge City Bunch since February 9 while the Tigers last success over the Blue and Gold was December 10, 2019. The Blades had 30 shots on goal, meaning it was the 30th straight game that Saskatoon has out-shot its opponent, dating back to December 9. The Bridge City Bunch are back in action Saturday at home against Edmonton. Prior to the contest, the Blue and Gold will retire Frank Banham’s Number 39 into the SaskTel Centre rafters. First face-off is scheduled for 7 o’clock, but will likely be closer to 7:20 because of the pre-game ceremony to honour Banham, the Blades’ all-time leading goal-scorer and point-getter. CJWW’s broadcast begins at 6:45 p.m. with the Palliser Rooms E-Q-3 Cutting Edge Pre-Game Show. Following are the audio highlights from CJWW’s broadcast, Post-Game Show comments from head coach Brennan Sonne, Wong and defenceman John Babcock plus the official game summary courtesy the W-H-L…..
Medicine Hat Tigers 1 at Saskatoon Blades 3 – Status: Final
Friday, March 8, 2024 – SaskTel Centre – Saskatoon, SK
Medicine Hat 0 0 1 – 1
Saskatoon 1 1 1 – 3
1st Period-1, Saskatoon, Molendyk 9 (Wong, Saunderson), 14:29. Penalties-Parsons Mh (major-fighting), 3:02; Babcock Sas (major-fighting), 3:02; Suzdalev Sas (holding), 5:35; Smith Mh (slashing), 17:41.
2nd Period-2, Saskatoon, Sidorov 46 (Andrusiak, Babcock), 16:21. Penalties-St. Martin Mh (tripping), 1:04; served by McKenna Mh (too many men), 4:00; MacKenzie Mh (hooking), 6:06.
3rd Period-3, Medicine Hat, Basha 28 (McKenna, Wiesblatt), 12:06 (PP). 4, Saskatoon, Minten 20 (Wong), 18:46 (EN). Penalties-Volotovskii Sas (interference), 11:09.
Shots on Goal-Medicine Hat 4-11-9-24. Saskatoon 15-10-3-28.
Power Play Opportunities-Medicine Hat 1 / 2; Saskatoon 0 / 4.
Goalies-Medicine Hat, Zahara 15-6-2-2 (27 shots-25 saves). Saskatoon, Elliott 27-7-2-1 (24 shots-23 saves).
A-5,268
Referees-Adam Forbes (62), Tarrington Wyonzek (137).
Linesmen-Riley Carriere (72), Marc Guitard (116).
