By TERRY PUGH
The Saskatoon Blades needed some late-game heroics to beat the Prince Albert Raiders 3-2 in overtime on Saturday, September 6.
A raucous crowd of over 1,000 fans packed the Warman Home Centre Communiplex to take in the pre-season Western Hockey League (WHL) game, with proceeds from the gate going to the Warman Minor Hockey Association. Both teams had a mix of veterans and hopefuls in their lineups.
The Raiders’ Jonah Sivertson got his team off to a quick start with a shot early in the first period that beat veteran Blades’ netminder Evan Gardner.
Saskatoon tied the score five minutes into the second period on a goal by Rowan Calvert, who took a pass from Dominik Petr and lifted a wrist shot over Prince Albert goalie Steele Bass.
The Raiders regained their one-goal lead at tail end of the middle frame on a goal by Hubert Clarke.
Despite outshooting the Raiders throughout the third period, the Blades had trouble getting anything past goaltender Michal Orsulak, who had replaced Bass midway through the second period.
But, two costly penalties by the Raiders with less than two minutes to go in regulation allowed the Blades to pull their goalie and put six skaters on the ice against the Raiders’ three. The Blades Dominik Petr scored the inevitable tying goal, forcing the game into extra time.
Another Blades veteran, Tyler Parr, scored the game winner after capitalizing on a pass from Petr in overtime.
The Blades host the Moose Jaw Warriors at the Martensville Recreation Centre on Saturday, September 13 in their final pre-season game before kicking off their regular season September 19 in Prince Albert against the Raiders.