Rebels’ Bains nears WHL scoring title with four-point night

Red Deer runs over Hitmen 8-3 at Scotiabank Saddledome

Arshdeep Bains leads the WHL in scoring.

Arshdeep Bains almost has the Bob Clarke Trophy in his grasp.

On Wednesday, the Red Deer Rebels overage left-winger collected two goals and two assists to power his squad to an 8-3 WHL regular season victory over the host Calgary Hitmen before 4,323 onlookers at the Scotiabank Saddledome. With that effort, Bains now seemingly has an insurmountable lead when it comes to being awarded the Bob Clarke Trophy as the WHL’s regular season scoring champion.

Appearing in all the Rebels 67 games to date, Bains has 110 points coming off 42 goals and a league high 68 assists. He leads linemate in 19-year-old centre Ben King by seven points for top spot in the scoring race.

King, who sits second in the WHL scoring race, has also appeared in all of the Rebels 67 games to date piling up 103 points coming off a league high 52 goals and 51 assists. He scored twice in Red Deer’s win over Calgary on Wednesday.

Kamloops Blazers third-year centre Logan Stankoven sits third in the WHL scoring race posting 102 points coming off 44 goals and 58 assists appearing in 57 games.

The last member of the Rebels to win the WHL scoring title was centre Justin Mapletoft back in the 2000-01 campaign, when Red Deer won the WHL title and the Memorial Cup as CHL champions. That season, Mapletoft piled up 120 points coming off 43 goals and 77 assists appearing in 70 regular season games for the Rebels.

The Rebels have one game remaining on their regular season schedule, while the Blazers have two games remaining on their regular season slate.

Against the Hitmen on Wednesday, the Rebels led 2-0 after the first period, held a 4-2 advantage after the second frame and pulled away to post the 8-3 final in the third.

Dallon Melin scored twice for the Rebels, while Jace Weir and Kai Uchacz netted singles.

Zac Funk scored twice for the Hitmen, who received a single from Blake Stevenson.

Chase Coward stopped 27 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Rebels. Brayden Peters started and took the setback in goal for the Hitmen turning away 28-of-34 shots sent his way before being pulled at the 7:30 mark of the third period.

Ethan Buenaventura played the rest of the way in relief stopping one-of-three shots sent his way.

The Rebels improved to 45-18-2-2 with the win and are locked into finishing third in the WHL’s Eastern Conference. Red Deer closes its regular season schedule on Saturday hosting the Edmonton Oil Kings (7 p.m. local time, Peavey Mart Centrium).

Arshdeep Bains has 42 goals and 68 assists this season.

The Hitmen, who have lost three straight, fell to 25-34-6-2 to remain ninth overall in the Eastern Conference. Calgary trails the 26-34-5-2 Swift Current Broncos by one point for eighth place and the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference.

The Hitmen close their regular season schedule on Sunday when they host the Lethbridge Hurricanes (2 p.m. local time, Scotiabank Saddledome). When Calgary hits the ice for that contest, they could potentially already be eliminated from playoff contention.

The Broncos close their regular season schedule on Friday when they host the 26-35-4-1 Prince Albert Raiders (7 p.m., Innovation Credit Union i-Plex). If the Broncos win that contest, they will eliminate both the Hitmen and Raiders from playoff contention.

The Raiders, who are 11^th overall in the Eastern Conference two standings points back of the Broncos, have two games remaining on their regular season schedule. After playing the Broncos in Swift Current on Friday, the Raiders return home to close their regular season schedule against the Brandon Wheat Kings (7 p.m., Art Hauser Centre).

If the Raiders win both their remaining regular season games, they will eliminate the Hitmen and Broncos from playoff contention.

The 26-34-3-2 Regina Pats sit 10^th overall in the Eastern Conference two points back of the Broncos. Regina closes its regular season schedule playing three games in three days.

The Pats take on the Winnipeg Ice, who have locked up first overall in the WHL with a 51-10-3-2 record, on both Friday and Saturday night at 7 p.m. at the Brandt Centre in Regina. Those two contests were originally scheduled for Thursday and Friday night in Winnipeg, but they were rescheduled and shifted to Regina due to severe bad weather in southern Manitoba.

The Ice close their regular season schedule with those two contests and will be treated as the home team in those games including having the last line change.

After the two head-to-head contests with Winnipeg, the Pats close their regular season schedule on Sunday hosting their archrivals the Moose Jaw Warriors (4 p.m., Brandt Centre). The Warriors sit fourth overall in the Eastern Conference with a 37-23-3-3 record after downing the Wheat Kings in Brandon 5-2 on Tuesday.

The Saskatoon Blades, who sit fifth in the Eastern Conference with a 37-26-3-1 record, could potentially pass the Warriors for fourth in the conference and have home ice advantage for a best-of-seven first round WHL playoff series.

The Blades close their regular season schedule on Friday hosting the 35-26-3-2 Wheat Kings (7 p.m., SaskTel Centre). If the Blades win that contest and the Warriors lose their final two regular season games in regulation, Saskatoon would take fourth place in the conference.

The Warriors travel to Lethbridge on Friday to face the Hurricanes (7 p.m. local time, Enmax Centre). Moose closes its regular season against the Pats on Sunday.

Ben Kings has 52 goals and 51 assists this season.

Moose Jaw just needs one standings point in its final two outings to lock up fourth in the conference.

The Wheat Kings would leap from sixth to fifth overall in the Eastern Conference if they win their final two regular season games.

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Raiders’ Chaika picks up first WHL shutout

Tikhon Chaika earned his first shutout win in the WHL.

Import rookie Tikhon Chaika enjoyed his brightest day in his young WHL career on Wednesday night.

The 18-year-old netminder from Minsk, Belarus, made 26 saves to pick up his first career WHL shutout as his Prince Albert Raiders downed the Hitmen in Calgary 1-0 in a regular season clash played before 4,080 spectators at the Pengrowth Saddledome.

Chaika, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 161 pounds, is going through a growing pains type of season that is understandable for an import rookie, who has to learn a new language and culture on top adjusting to a new hockey league.

As the season has gone on, his statistics are becoming a little more solid. In 33 appearances with the Raiders this season, Chaika has a 13-14-2 record, a 2.98 goals against average and a .900 save percentage to go with his one shutout.

The Raiders got their lone goal at the 12:45 mark of the first period on a gaff by Hitmen Belarusian import right-winger Anton Astashevich. Astashevich had the puck in his own zone and tried to make a cross-ice pass to a teammate.

Astashevich’s pass was picked off by Raiders centre Evan Herman. Herman broke in alone on the Calgary net and put a backhand shot past Hitmen netminder Brayden Peters.

Peters had a solid night himself making 25 saves to take the setback in goal as the Hitmen lost their eighth straight game to fall to 18-23-5-2.

The Raiders have won two straight contests to improve to 19-26-2-1.

They were without 19-year-old defenceman Trevor Thurston, who was sitting out the first of a five game league imposed suspension. Thurston was suspended for picking up a charging major, a cross-checking major and two game misconducts in the Raiders 4-1 victory over the Tigers in Medicine Hat on Monday.

Raiders HC Marc Habscheid picked up a milestone on Wednesday.

Prince Albert’s win on Wednesday unofficially marked the 573^rd career regular season head coaching victory for Raiders head coach Marc Habscheid. The win total includes Habscheid’s time with the Kamloops Blazers, Kelowna Rockets, and the Chilliwack Bruins/Victoria Royals franchise. Habscheid’s first season holding a WHL team’s head coaching duties came in the 1997/98 campaign with the Blazers.

With that total, Habscheid passes Mike Williamson to sit alone for fifth on the WHL’s all-time career regular season wins list. Williamson collected his 572 regular season head coaching victories working behind the bench of the Portland Winterhawks, Calgary Hitmen and Tri-City Americans from the 1999-2000 campaign to the 2017-18 campaign.

Habscheid now trails Lorne Molleken for fourth place on the WHL’s all-time career regular season wins list. Molleken piled up 626 wins working behind the bench with the Moose Jaw Warriors, Saskatoon Blades, Regina Pats and Vancouver Giants during a period of time that spanned from 1989 to 2016.

Don Hay holds the record for career WHL regular season head coaching victories at 750. Hay collected his win total working behind the bench of the Kamloops Blazers, Tri-City Americans and Vancouver Giants during a period of time that spanned from 1992 to 2018.

The Raiders return to action on Friday when they travel to Red Deer to take on the 31-15-2-1 Rebels (6 p.m. Saskatchewan time, 900 CKBI).

Blades drop 6-5 OT heartbreaker in Brandon

Trevor Wong scored twice for the Blades on Wednesday.

Saskatoon Blades weren’t able to hold off a determined Brandon Wheat Kings side.

Holding a 5-4 lead entering the third period of a WHL regular season game at Westoba Place in Brandon, Man., the Blades had their hands full protecting their edge against a Wheat Kings side that carried play in the third frame. With 89 seconds remaining in the stanza, Wheat Kings 19-year-old centre Nolan Ritchie potted his 20^th goal of the season and second tally of the night to force a 5-5 and send the contest to overtime.

With less than six seconds remaining in overtime, Wheat Kings 20-year-old offensive defenceman Chad Nychuk potted the winner to deliver the host side to a 6-5 victory.

Vincent Iorio, Riley Ginnell and Marcus Kallionkieli all netted singles for Brandon.

Trevor Wong scored twice for the Blades, while Vaughn Watterodt, Kyren Gronick and Kyle Crnkovic netted singles.

Crnkovic, who is the Blades veteran star left-winger, continues to lead the WHL in scoring with 74 points coming off of 33 goals and 41 assists.

The Wheat Kings led 2-0 and 4-2, before the Blades scored three goals to close out the second period to take a 5-4 lead. That set up the dramatics late in the third period and in overtime.

Ethan Kruger stopped 23 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Wheat Kings (26-15-3-2). Nolan Maier turned away 24 shots to take the extra time setback in goal for the Blades (27-18-2-1).

The two sides will go at it again on Friday in Brandon (7 p.m. Saskatchewan time, 600 CJWW).

Elsewhere in the WHL on Wednesday night, the Regina Pats blanked the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers 2-0, and the Winnipeg Ice slipped past the Hurricanes in Lethbridge 3-2.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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Blades get their hometown guy

Moore signs with WHL club a day after Prospects Draft

Blades GM Colin Priestner, left, is pictured with Zachary Moore.

It only took one night for the Saskatoon Blades to get their guy, and their guy to get his team.

On Friday morning, the Blades inked 15-year-old forward and hometown product Zachary Moore to a WHL Standard Player Agreement. 

The Blades selected Moore in the second round and 34^th overall in the WHL Prospects Draft that was held online on Thursday.

He was the first of 10 players the Blades picked in that draft.

Moore, who stands 5-foot-9 and weighs 150 pounds, has posted 10 goals and seven assists in 21 regular season contests with the Saskatoon Contacts of the Saskatchewan Male Under-18 AAA Hockey League. 

He is the Contacts leading scorer and has helped them post a 12-6-3 record so far this season.

Moore was pumped to be drafted by the Blades and sign with his hometown WHL club just a day later.

“It is such a great feeling (with) growing up watching all the Blades and seeing how they play,” said Moore. “I’ve always dreamed of playing in the WHL.

Zachary Moore signs a WHL Standard Player Agreement with the Blades.

“To get the opportunity to play with my hometown team, it is such an amazing feeling.”

He said his favourite Blades player was centre Kirby Dach, who now plays for the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks. Including the 19 games he played in his 15-year-old season, Dach suited up for the Blades from 2016 to 2019 before being selected in the first round and third overall in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft by the Blackhawks.

“My favourite NHL team is the Chicago Blackhawks, so watching (Kirby) Dach go there after playing here, he is just an amazing talent,” said Moore. “He is so quick.

“He was probably my favourite player just to watch for the Blades.”

Blades general manager Colin Priestner was pleased his club was able to select Moore.

Zachary Moore, left, shakes hands with Blades GM Colin Priestner.

“It is pretty exciting for us to have a player like Zach (Moore) to come in here,” said Priestner. “Having the local ties is something that we felt was very important to us when you have a character like Zach who has very, very high character.

“He is someone that we just heard so many great things about from so many coaches and teammates and just different people in hockey throughout the province the over last couple of months. The opportunity came yesterday.”

Moore can played five games with the Blades this season and could potentially join the WHL squad full time, when the Contacts season comes to a conclusion.

Priestner said it is a bonus that Moore doesn’t have to travel far to suit up for the Blades, if they need to call him up.

“The great news is we know if we have sickness, injury or anything like that, he (Moore) can be here in 15 minutes to play on short notice,” said Priestner.

Moore said he is a player that prides himself on being able to play both ends of the ice.

“I think my 200-foot game is what sets me apart from other players,” said Moore. “My defensive ability is very good.

Zachary Moore, centre, is pictured with his parents.

“In the offensive zone, I also bring great vision, so I can set up my teammates very well. I feel like I just make the players around me better, which can bring impact to any line or any certain situation that I am being put into.”

Priestner is looking forward to what the future holds for Moore with the Blades.

“He is a guy we really targeted with our first pick,” said Priestner. “I couldn’t be more pleased to have Zach and his family here today to sign his standard player agreement with the Blades and begin his career here as a Saskatoon Blades prospect and potentially as soon as next year be a Blade.”

Funk’s cash in for Hitmen and untimely one for Blades

The Hitmen celebrate their winning goal by Zac Funk (#24).

Zac Funk broke the hearts of the Saskatoon Blades.

With the Blades locked in a 2-2 tie with Funk’s Calgary Hitmen, the 18-year-old right-winger received the puck in the left slot on a nice pass from linemate Sean Tschigerl and quickly snapped home a shot to put the Hitmen up 3-2 with 4:22 remaining in the third period of Friday’s WHL regular season clash between the two sides.

Funk’s timely goal, which was his second of the night, stood up as the winner as 19-year-old centre Riley Fiddler-Schultz potted an empty netter with 37.6 seconds remaining in the third to deliver the Hitmen to a 4-2 victory to disappoint most of the 2,946 spectators at the SaskTel Centre.

Both of Funk’s goals were timely momentum changers that allowed the Hitmen to hold an upper hand on the Blades, who were playing their first home game since downing the Edmonton Oil Kings 4-3 in overtime on November 9.

The Blades vacated the SaskTel Centre as the Canadian Olympic Curling Trials were held in their home rink from November 20 to 28.

Zac Funk scored twice for the Hitmen on Friday.

The Hitmen started Friday’s game carrying the momentum. They broke through on the scoreboard at the 11:39 mark of the opening frame with a goal coming off the stick of right-winger Adam Kydd.

The Blades evened the score 1-1 with 2:44 remaining in the first on a nifty play by star left-winger Kyle Crnkovic. Deep in the Calgary zone by left side of the Hitmen goal, Crnkovic stole the puck from 20-year-old centre Cael Zimmerman and immediately wired home the equalizer to the top left corner of the net.

That set the stage for Funk to step up with his first timely momentum changing tally.

With 16.5 seconds remaining in the first, Funk put the Hitmen back in front 2-1 shoveling a loose puck into the back of the Blades net during a net scramble.

In the second, both teams zipped up and down the ice with a lot of speed but there weren’t a whole lot of scoring chances with the Hitmen holding an 8-6 edge in shots on goal in the stanza.

The Blades best chance to score came when right-winger Brandon Lisowsky was stoned from close in front of the Calgary goal.

Kyle Crnkovic scored for the Blades on Friday.

Late in the second period, the Hitmen had their best chance to score close in at the right side of the Saskatoon goal, but Zimmerman couldn’t poke the puck past Blades star netminder Nolan Maier.

The Hitmen came out with the edge play in the at the start of the third holding a 7-4 advantage in shots on goal before left-winger Brandon Whynott took a tripping penalty with 8:02 left in the frame.

On the ensuing power play, the Blades evened the score 2-2 on some great work by Jayden Wiens.

On a zone entry, Wiens passed the puck down into the left slot to Trevor Wong. Wong took a shot and his rebound deflected right to Wiens on the right side of the Calgary goal.

Wiens potted the equalizer into an empty cage.

After Funk put the Hitmen up 3-2, Wiens had a big chance to even the score, but he was denied close in at the right side of the Calgary goal by Hitmen netminder Brayden Peters with 1:32 remaining in the frame.

The Hitmen celebrate their win on Friday.

Maier turned away 27-of-30 stops to take the setback in goal for the Blades (13-11-1). Peters stopped 23 shots to pick up the win in net for the Hitmen (11-9-2-1).

The Hitmen head to Prince Albert to face the Raiders on Saturday (7 p.m., Art Hauser Centre).

The Blades return to action on Tuesday, when they travel to Moose Jaw to face the Warriors (7 p.m., Mosaic Place).

NOTE - The Blades wore special jerseys on Friday designed by 11-year-old Jaidyn Palmer, who won the Superstore “Design A Jersey” contest in the off-season. Those jerseys are being auctioned off with all the proceeds going to the Presidents Choice Children’s Charity.

Pats prevail over Raiders 5-2, other notes

Logan Nijhoff scored for the Pats on Friday.

The Regina Pats seemed to be getting contributions from everybody, and it proved to be too much for the visiting Prince Albert Raiders.

On Friday night before 3,564 spectators at the Brandt Centre, five different players scored for the Pats as they downed the Raiders 5-2. The Pats had a 2-0 lead after the first period, and 4-2 edge after the second period and rounded out the scoring with an empty-net tally in the third.

Tanner Howe, Layton Feist, Zane Rowan, Logan Nijhoff and Cole Carrier all had singles for the Pats. Carrier scored his tally into an empty net for his 10^th goal of the season.

Carson Latimer scored twice for the Raiders.

Matthew Keeper made 25 saves to pick up the win in goal for the Pats (11-14). Tikhon Chaika turned away 21-of-25 shots to take the setback in net for the Raiders (9-13-1-1).

The Pats return to action on Saturday when they travel to Brandon to play the Wheat Kings (7 p.m. local time, Westoba Place).

The Raiders return to action on Saturday when they return home to face the Calgary Hitmen (7 p.m., Art Hauser Centre).

• The Seattle Thunderbirds selected forward Macklin Celebrini first overall in Wednesday’s WHL U.S. Priority Draft. The 15-year-old has 20 goals and 22 assists in 43 games for the Shattack St. Mary’s under-18 prep team in Faribault, Minnesota. Celebrini is a Vancouver, B.C., product, but he has played in the United States since the start of the 2019-20 campaign.
• The Spokane Chiefs selected forward and Saskatoon product Berkly Catton first overall in Thursday’s WHL Prospects Draft. The 15-year-old had 11 goals and 12 assists playing 15 games for the Shattack St. Mary’s Under-16 AAA team in Faribault, Minnesota. Catton has left Shattack St. Mary’s to join his hometown Saskatoon Contacts Under-18 AAA team.
• The Prince Albert Raiders picked up two players in the first round of Thursday’s WHL Prospects Draft. With the 13^th overall selection in the first round, the Raiders picked 15-year-old forward Cole Peardon from Outlook, Sask. Peardon has four goals and 13 assists in 19 regular season games with the Saskatoon Blazers Under-18 AAA team. With the 14^th overall selection in the first round, the Raiders picked 15-year-old forward Ryder Ritchie from Kelowna, B.C. Ritchie has a goal and two assists in three games with Kelowna’s Rink Hockey Academy’s Under-18 team.
• On Wednesday, I was back in the pages of the Prince Albert Daily Herald with a column on the Prince Albert Raiders trading their captain Kaiden Guhle to the Edmonton Oil Kings, because the Oil Kings made an offer the Raiders couldn’t refuse. That piece can be found by clicking right here.
• On Thursday, I went live with a pair of pieces for the Gordie Howe Sports Complex’s Howe Happenings blog. I wrote a post on the Saskatchewan North Central Softball Academy’s Timbits Saturdays program, which can be found by clicking right here. I also wrote a post on how linked the Veeman family is with sport of speed skating. Four members of the Veeman family are part of the Saskatoon Lions Speed Skating Club. That piece can be found by clicking right here.

If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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Hitmen delay Blades’ playoff clinch party

Focht gets goal, assist in 4-3 Calgary victory

Carson Focht jets up ice on a goal-scoring rush.

    Carson Focht and the Calgary Hitmen sank the Saskatoon Blades post-season clinching party for at least a couple of nights.

    The veteran centre was happy his side found a way to gut out a 4-3 victory in a WHL regular season contest on Wednesday night before 3,063 spectators at the SaskTel Centre over the host Blades. Calgary’s victory came one night after being on the receiving end of an 8-3 drubbing at the hands of the defending WHL champion Raiders in Prince Albert.

    With Hitmen and Blades locked in a 2-2 tie on Wednesday, Focht scored a key turning point goal at the 5:52 mark of the third period. The fifth round NHL Entry Draft selection of the Vancouver Canucks blew down the left wing and wired a close in shot short side over the shoulder of Blades star netminder Nolan Maier.

    Just over three minutes later, the Hitmen extended their edge to 4-2, when overage defenceman Dakota Krebs wired home a shot from the point.

The Hitmen celebrate a goal from Carson Focht.

    While it seemed the visitors appeared to be in complete control, Blades Slovakian import right-winger Martin Fasko-Rudas banged home a gritty goal from the front of the Hitmen net to cut the visitor’s lead to 4-3 with 72 seconds remaining in the third.

    The Hitmen gutted out some nervous moments from that point including mucking up a defensive zone faceoff in the final seconds to hold on for the win.

    “I think these are games that we want to be in,” said Focht, who had an assist to go along with his goal. “At this point in the season, I think it is a good test every night to see where our group is at.

    “I think tonight really showed that we can play a full 60 minutes. We believe that this is a winning team. We’ve had some ups and downs throughout the season, but we’re definitely a really resilient group.

Carson Focht had a goal and an assist on Wednesday.

    “We show that on a daily basis, so I have a lot of faith in all those guys in that room.”

    The win allowed the Hitmen, who have a playoff spot secured, to improve to 35-22-4-1.

    The Blades fell to 31-24-2-3, and they still need to pick up one more point in the standings to clinch the final playoff berth in the WHL’s Eastern Conference.

    Wednesday’s game got off to a bit of scary start, when Blades right-winger Zach Huber hit Hitmen centre Riley Fiddler-Schultz into the curved part of the glass near the Blades bench just 1:38 into the first period.

    Fiddler-Schultz went down and the athletic trainers for both teams immediate jumped on to the ice to help the Calgary forward. Fiddler-Schultz was moving all his extremities and was helped off the ice by a stretcher.

    Huber came over to check on Fiddler-Schultz and all the Hitmen came off their bench to wish their teammate well.

    “You definitely never want to see a guy get injured like that,” said Focht. “It is just a hockey play.

    “It wasn’t dirty, but you just hate to see a guy go down like that. I thought we really rallied for him, and we had him in our minds thinking that we want to get this done for him tonight.”

Blades D Nolan Kneen hits Hitmen captain Mark Kastelic.

    The Blades proceeded to jump ahead 1-0 scoring at the 2:56 mark of the opening frame, when 16-year-old rookie centre Jayden Wiens collected the rebound of a point shot taken from overage defenceman Nolan Kneen and popped home his second of the campaign.

    The hosts nearly extended their edge a short time later, but a drive by 18-year-old centre Tristen Robins was knocked wide of the Calgary goal by Hitmen netminder Brayden Peters.

    The Hitmen proceeded to get some traction, when left-winger Cael Zimmerman backhanded home the rebound of one of his own shots from point blank range past Maier. That tally evened the score a 1-1 at the 6:55 mark of the opening frame.

    Focht picked up his assist on Zimmerman’s goal.

Dakota Krebs scored a goal for the Hitmen.

    The Hitmen took a 2-1 lead with 3:03 remaining in the second period on a power-play tally from captain Mark Kastelic. After Maier stopped a point shot from Hitmen star offensive defenceman Jeff Woo, the puck sat loose in front of him in the crease.

    Kastelic poked the puck through Maier’s legs and into the goal.

    The Blades evened the score at 2-2 with 1:24 remaining in the second. Right-winger Caiden Daley received a long bank stretch pass off the boards from import Czech defenceman Radek Kucerik, and Daley got in alone, cut across the front of the Hitmen net and tucked home the equalizer.

    Focht admitted his third period goal was fun to score.

    “I just picked up loose puck back in my zone and just ended up skating it all the way up,” said Focht. “I saw the defender was a little flat footed, so I tried to make a move on him and then just tried to beat the goalie.”

Hitmen RW Kyle Olson, centre, stops a shot in the final seconds of the third.

    After his team built a 4-2 advantage only to see the Blades cut the gap to 4-3 with 72 seconds remaining in the third, Focht was pleased his squad sealed the win from that point.

    “I’m not too sure how that third one went in, but it did,” said the Regina, Sask., product. “I thought we did a good job of responding and just really locking it down in those final minutes.”

    Maier turned away 29 shots to take the setback in goal for the Blades. Peters stopped 29 shots to get the win in net for the Hitmen.

    Focht is hoping his team can have a long playoff run. On his family side of things, his younger sister, Lauren, recently became the all-time leading scorer for the Regina Rebels female midget AAA team.

The Hitmen celebrate their win on Wednesday.

    The Rebels have the makings to be one of those teams that could appear in the championship game of the Esso Cup female midget AAA national championship tournament in late April in Prince Albert, Sask. Carson said his mom keeps him well informed of how Lauren is doing and that the siblings are pulling for each other to do well.

    “Obviously, both of us want to play as long as we can this year, and I think we are on good teams to do that,” said Carson Focht. “It is definitely not a rivalry between us, but it is good that her team is doing well.”

    The Blades return to action on Friday when they host the Regina Pats (21-33-4-2) at 7 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre.

    The Hitmen are back at it on Friday when they travel to Medicine Hat to take on the Tigers (38-19-2-1).

Ayres set to appear at Blades Suits Up game

A memory we'll all have forever pic.twitter.com/LUxqs8o3Wr

— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) February 23, 2020

    The Saskatoon Blades will be bringing in now famous NHL emergency backup goaltender David Ayres for their WHL Suits Up to Promote Organ Donation on Friday.

    Ayres became famous on February 22 for having to enter an NHL regular season game to play goal for the Carolina Hurricanes against the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Scotiabank Arena in Toronto. After the Hurricanes starting and backup goalies were injured, the 42-year-old Ayres fulfilled his role as the emergency backup entering the contest in the second period with the visitors holding a 3-1 edge.

    He allowed goals on the first two shots he faced and turned away the next eight shots in a 6-3 victory for the Hurricanes. With that result, Ayres became the first emergency backup goaltender to earn an NHL win.

    At age 42 years and 194 days, he became the oldest goaltender to win his NHL regular season debut.

    He is the operations manager for the Mattamy Athletic Centre in Toronto, Ont., and is best known for being a Zamboni driver.

    Ayres had a kidney transplant in 2004, which has allowed him to live his life to the fullest.

    At the Blades Suits Up game, Ayres will be dropping the puck for the ceremonial faceoff, and he will be signing autographs during the first intermission.

    For the Suits Up game, the Blades will be wearing special Hockey Night in Canada themed jerseys and the coaches will be wearing old school baby blue Hockey Night in Canada blazers. The jerseys and blazers will be auctioned off in a blind auction.

    All the proceeds raised from Friday’s game will be donated to Saskatoon’s Kidney Foundation Branch.

    The Blades will host the Regina Pats in their suits up game on Friday set for 7 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre.

Blades to honour Molleken on March 21

    When the Saskatoon Blades close their regular season schedule on March 21, they will honour one of the all-time greatest to hold the roles of head coach and general manager in the history of the franchise.

    Before the Blades host their archrivals the Prince Albert Raiders on March 21 at 7 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre, they will honour former long time head coach and general manager Lorne Molleken. Molleken’s name will be added to the Builders Banner and raised to the rafters of the SaskTel Centre.

    Molleken will be on hand for a special pre-game ceremony at ice level that will reflect on some of the great memories and moments from his time in Saskatoon. The 63-year-old will be joined by his family, former staff members, former players and friends.

    Molleken’s first stint with the Blades ran from 1991-92 to 1994-95 where he served as the team’s head coach. He guided the Blades to the WHL Championship series in 1992 and 1994. In both those appearances, the Blades fell in a series-deciding Game 7 to the Kamloops Blazers, who advanced on to win the Memorial Cup as CHL champions.

    Molleken departed to the professional ranks and served as head coach of the NHL’s Chicago Blackhawks in the 1999-2000 campaign.

    He returned to the Blades for the start of the 2004-05 campaign becoming the team’s head coach and general manager. He held the head coach role until the end of the 2012-13 campaign and stayed on as the general manager for the 2013-14 season.

    After leaving the Blades, Molleken served as head coach of the WHL’s Vancouver Giants for most of the 2015-16 campaign.

    Molleken is the Blades all-time leader in head coaching victories at 539 and winning percentage at .591.

    I did a story on Molleken when he returned to Saskatoon as the Giants head coach on October 4, 2015. That piece can be found by clicking right here.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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