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| Seth Bafaro scored for the Blades on Tuesday night. |
The Saskatoon Blades just missed returning from their road
trip through the WHL’s U.S. Division with a winning record over that five-game
jaunt.
On Tuesday night at the ShoWare Centre in Kent, Washington, the
Blades concluded their five-game road swing with a 4-1 setback against the
Seattle Thunderbirds before 4,003 spectators. With the loss, the Blades posted
a 2-3 record playing each of the WHL’s five clubs based in the United States.
Overall, the Blades record fell to 11-15-2-1, while the
Thunderbirds, who are rebuilding after winning the WHL championship last season,
improved to 13-13-2-1.
The Thunderbirds got out to a quick start in Tuesday’s
encounter as 17-year-old rookie centre Tyler Carpendale scored at the 2:19 mark
of the opening frame.
Just over four minutes later, Blades defenceman Seth Bafaro
scored from the point to even the score at 1-1.
Seattle controlled play in the second outshooting Saskatoon
17-3 in the frame. Due to the stellar play of Blades 16-year-old rookie goalie
Nolan Maier, the Thunderbirds only managed to exit the second stanza holding a
2-1 edge.
Finnish import winger Sami Moilanen potted his 16th
over the season at the 2:57 mark of the second frame, and the officials had to
go to a video review to confirm Moilanen did indeed score due to the fact he
was on the border of the crease of the Saskatoon goal.
 |
| Netminder Nolan Maier stopped 31-of-34 shots for the Blades on Tuesday. |
Maier turned away 31-of-34 shots to take the setback in goal
for the Blades. Matt Berlin made 26 stops to pick up the win in goal for the
Thunderbirds.
The Blades return to action on Saturday, when they host the
Kamloops Blazers at 7 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre. That contest is the team’s “Girls
Rock Game,” where the Blades are partnering with Big Brothers and Big Sisters
of Saskatoon.
The Blades have a special ticket offer for girls groups in
the city where 20 tickets can be purchased for $100, and it allows the group to
attend a girl empowerment talk featuring Claire Hanna, who is a former member
of Canada’s national women’s volleyball team and a sports reporter for Global
Saskatoon. Hanna’s talk is slated to run from 5:30 to 6 p.m. pre-game at the
SaskTel Centre.
On Sunday at 2 p.m. at the SaskTel, the Blades host the
arch-rivals the Prince Albert Raiders in their annual “Teddy Bear Toss” game.
Spectators are invited to throw stuffed animals on to the ice surface after the
Blades score their first goal.
Stars’ Leschyshyn commits to Syracuse
University
 |
| The Stars’ Anna Leschyshyn has committed to Syracuse University. |
Leschyshyn is a star 16-year-old power forward with the
Saskatoon Stars female midget AAA team. The Saskatoon product sits third in the
Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League scoring race piling up 13 goals
and 15 assists helping the Stars jump out to a 13-0 start.
In 72 career regular season games with the Stars, Leschyshyn,
who stands 5-foot-10, has 43 goals and 45 assists. She is the daughter of long
time former NHL defenceman and Saskatoon Blades grad Curtis Leschyshyn, who is
one of the Stars assistant coaches.
Anna’s older brother, Jake Leschyshyn, is an 18-year-old
centre with the WHL’s Regina Pats. Jake has seven goals and six assists in 24
appearances so far this season with the Pats.
The Stars resume regular season play on Dec. 16, when they
travel to Swift Current to take on the Diamond Energy Wildcats.
Dorsett pens a heartfelt thanks to his
supporters
 |
| Derek Dorsett, seen here in 2007, penned a heartfelt letter to his supporters. |
About a year ago, the Kindersley, Sask., product underwent a
cervical-fusion surgery to heal up a damaged disk in his back. About two weeks
ago, Dorsett’s doctors in Los Angeles, Calif., discovered another herniated
disk near the rebuilt section of his back, and he was advised to not play
again. His retirement was officially announced last Thursday.
Dorsett had gotten out to a great start with the Canucks
netting seven goals and two assists in 20 regular season games. After spending
his first professional season with the American Hockey League’s Syracuse Crunch
in 2007-08, Dorsett started playing in the NHL on a full-time basis with the
Columbus Blue Jackets in 2008-09.
He appeared in 515 regular season games with the Blue
Jackets, New York Rangers and Canucks netting 51 goals, 76 assists and 1,314
penalty minutes. Over his hockey career, Dorsett, who stands 6-feet and weighs
192 pounds, became one of the game’s best agitators, but he was also viewed as
one of the best teammates no matter where his career took him.
Dorsett played for the WHL’s Medicine Hat Tigers from 2004
to 2007 and was one of the franchise’s all-time greatest fan favourite players.
He recorded 49 goals, 79 assists and 593 penalty minutes in 180 regular season
games with the Tabbies.
His letter to his supporters can be found right here.
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to stankssports@gmail.com.
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