Scout
09-26-2007, 06:35 PM
Wednesday Blades' Notebook...
Posted by Les Lazaruk on Wednesday, September 26, 2007 at 10:02:00 AM.
So, the Saskatoon Blades are 0-2 to start the season. It's the 8th time in 42 years of playing in a major junior league that the Blades' franchise has started a season with two consecutive losses, going into tonight's Eastern Conference match-up against the Moose Jaw Warriors at Credit Union Centre. Make it 10 times if you count the first two seasons of Blades' existence in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League in 1964-65 and '65-66!
Of the previous seven 0-2 starts, the Blades fell to 0-3 on four occasions...the last being to start the 2002-2003 season. But, here's why you can't get overly-concerned about a slow start...that 2002-2003 Bridge City Bunch team that went 0-3 to start, ended up with a 40-27-5-0 record for 85 points and a 3rd place finish in the East Division. To further illustrate how deceiving a start can be, how about the Blades' team that had two wins and a tie in their first three games. That was 2003-2004...when the Blades ended up at 7-52-11-2, their worst-ever campaign!
Gaelan Patterson's short-handed goal, that accounted for the only Saskatoon scoring in Saturday's 6-1 loss to visiting Brandon, was the 17-year-old centre's first point snce January 12th in Moose Jaw...a span of 26 games without a goal or an assist. On that goal, Teigan Zahn recorded an assist. That was his first point since December 3, 2006 in Calgary...21 games without a point. The 17-year-old defenceman has yet to score a goal in 42 WHL games.
Assuming he suits up tonight against the Warriors, 1988-born left winger Garrett Klotz will play in his 100th WHL game. Overage right winger Michael Kaye played in his 200th career game on opening night in Brandon. And, 18-year-old defenceman Colton McPherson is slated to play his first WHL game tonight. The Whitewood native wasn't available for the first two games because of the flu.
Speaking of injuries, 1990-born left winger Cody Wutzke is out indefinitely with a concussion.
The Warriors, who dropped a 3-2 overtime decision to visiting Swift Current back on Friday in their only regular season game to date, made a couple of significant moves yesterday. First, they released 20-year-old goaltender Kurt Jory, leaving fellow netminder Joey Perricone and forwards Keith Voytechek and Terrance Delaronde as their trio of overagers. Then, Moose Jaw send 19-year-old centre, and Gresham, Oregon product, Jason Reese to Tri-Cities for 18-year-old centre, and Prince Albert native, Joel Broda.
Game time is 7:05 with HOT-93's broadcast starting at 6:30 with "The Kia of Saskatoon Cutting Edge Pre-Game Show."
Posted by Les Lazaruk on Wednesday, September 26, 2007 at 10:02:00 AM.
So, the Saskatoon Blades are 0-2 to start the season. It's the 8th time in 42 years of playing in a major junior league that the Blades' franchise has started a season with two consecutive losses, going into tonight's Eastern Conference match-up against the Moose Jaw Warriors at Credit Union Centre. Make it 10 times if you count the first two seasons of Blades' existence in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League in 1964-65 and '65-66!
Of the previous seven 0-2 starts, the Blades fell to 0-3 on four occasions...the last being to start the 2002-2003 season. But, here's why you can't get overly-concerned about a slow start...that 2002-2003 Bridge City Bunch team that went 0-3 to start, ended up with a 40-27-5-0 record for 85 points and a 3rd place finish in the East Division. To further illustrate how deceiving a start can be, how about the Blades' team that had two wins and a tie in their first three games. That was 2003-2004...when the Blades ended up at 7-52-11-2, their worst-ever campaign!
Gaelan Patterson's short-handed goal, that accounted for the only Saskatoon scoring in Saturday's 6-1 loss to visiting Brandon, was the 17-year-old centre's first point snce January 12th in Moose Jaw...a span of 26 games without a goal or an assist. On that goal, Teigan Zahn recorded an assist. That was his first point since December 3, 2006 in Calgary...21 games without a point. The 17-year-old defenceman has yet to score a goal in 42 WHL games.
Assuming he suits up tonight against the Warriors, 1988-born left winger Garrett Klotz will play in his 100th WHL game. Overage right winger Michael Kaye played in his 200th career game on opening night in Brandon. And, 18-year-old defenceman Colton McPherson is slated to play his first WHL game tonight. The Whitewood native wasn't available for the first two games because of the flu.
Speaking of injuries, 1990-born left winger Cody Wutzke is out indefinitely with a concussion.
The Warriors, who dropped a 3-2 overtime decision to visiting Swift Current back on Friday in their only regular season game to date, made a couple of significant moves yesterday. First, they released 20-year-old goaltender Kurt Jory, leaving fellow netminder Joey Perricone and forwards Keith Voytechek and Terrance Delaronde as their trio of overagers. Then, Moose Jaw send 19-year-old centre, and Gresham, Oregon product, Jason Reese to Tri-Cities for 18-year-old centre, and Prince Albert native, Joel Broda.
Game time is 7:05 with HOT-93's broadcast starting at 6:30 with "The Kia of Saskatoon Cutting Edge Pre-Game Show."