Blades score last-second goal, but lose in shootout to Warriors
The StarPhoenix
September 11, 2010
WARRIORS 3, BLADES 2 (SO)
Who says pre-season hockey can't be dramatic?
Saskatoon Blades forward Lukas Sutter forced extra time Friday in Moose Jaw, scoring the tying goal with milliseconds remaining in regulation. The host Warriors bounced back to claim a 3-2 victory, however, when Sam Fioretti was the only player to score in the shootout.
The rematch goes tonight in Saskatoon (7:05 p.m., Credit Union Centre).
"Our goalies played unbelievable for us tonight," said Blades coach-GM Lorne Molleken, who platooned 17-year-olds Tyler Oswald and Adam Iwan. "They made some key saves at critical times in the game and they were our two best players."
Oswald of Sanford, Man., blocked 15 of 16 shots including a second-period breakaway attempt by Jordon Wyton. Iwan took over midway through that frame and stopped 18 of 19 shots.
A week ago in Martensville, Blade goaltenders were hardly tested during a 5-0 rout of the Prince Albert Raiders. Iwan faced only three shots in the opening period before being replaced by Adam Todd, who blocked all 14 he faced during the final 40 minutes.
Saskatoon goalies weren't bored Friday in Moose Jaw, though.
The Warriors outshot the Blades 22-10 through two periods and took a 2-0 lead on goals by Dylan Hood and Michal Hlinka. Still, Saskatoon would've faced a bigger hole without the efforts of Oswald and Iwan.
"Our goaltenders allowed us to get back in the game," said Molleken. "Both of them had lots of work and both of them made saves off of breakaways, and 5-on-3 and 4-on-3 situations."
Down 2-0 entering the third period, the Blades got within a goal thanks to 17-year-old rookie Austin Daae's tally seven minutes in. That set the stage for Sutter to even the score in the dying moments after digging the puck out of a scrum and banking it behind Warriors goalie Brandon Glover.
"(Sutter) just threw it at the net and it was a bad goal," said Molleken. "But you know what? Funny things happen when you get pucks to the net."
Overtime was scoreless, but Fioretti beat Iwan in the shootout to seal Moose Jaw's victory.
BLADE BITS: The Blades added 20-year-old forwards Jeremy Boyer, Sena Acolatse and Travis Toomey to the lineup Friday, but two of them didn't finish the game. Acolatse was ejected for fighting Riley Reinbolt in the first period, and Toomey got the gate for scrapping Colin Bowman in the second, following Bowman's hit from behind on Saskatoon forward Braeden Johnson. . . . Scheduled to split crease duties for the Blades tonight are Adam Todd, a 16-year-old rookie from Courtenay, B.C., and 20-year-old Calgary native Steven Stanford.
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