By Les Lazaruk
RED DEER – When you played minor hockey, you listened to your coaches and did what they instructed you to do.
That lesson still applies at the Major Junior level!
“It was a simple matter that our players listened very closely when we did our pre-game prep,” explained veteran, assistant coach Jerome Engele as to why the Saskatoon Blades killed off all five Rebels power play chances Saturday night. “It was reiterated that they didn’t listen (Friday in Medicine Hat when they allowed five power play goals on seven chances as the Tigers won 5-2), obviously. And, they listened (Saturday), so they did what the coaches asked them to do.
“When you follow the game plan, it works!”
By following the Saturday game plan of head coach Dean Brockman and his assistants…Engele, Bryce Thoma and Ryan Keller…the Bridge City Bunch upended the home-standing Rebels 4-1. The Blue and Gold opened the scoring, then held Red Deer without a power play chance until just before the mid-point of the second period. In the third, after the Rebels tied the game at 1-1, the Blades killed off back-to-back Red Deer man advantages before Cam Hebig scored the winning goal with 8:10 remaining.
It was the first time in their eight regular-season games that 3-5-0 Saskatoon allowed fewer than four goals in a game.
Braylon Shmyr opened the scoring on a power play while Chase Wouters and Libor Hajek added insurance markers. The Bridge City Bunch out-shot the Rebels 38-28…just the second time they had the advantage on the shot clock this season. Hebig, Shmyr and Hajek each had an assist to go along with their tallies while Brad Goethals chipped in with a pair of helpers.
After opening the season with just one win in four home games, the Blue and Gold were 2-2-0 in their next four games all on the road. Their next outing is back at SaskTel Centre against the Vancouver Giants.
“The (players) have got to learn to condition themselves, to prepare themselves to come to the rink in a different manner,” responded Engele when asked how they bring their effective road play to home games. “When we hit that rink, we’re there to work.”
Pacman Points – Ryan Kubic made 27 saves for the Blades’ goaltending victory…and added an assist on Hebig’s game-winner. It’s the 19-year-old’s second career assist.
Saskatoon won 33 of 63 faceoffs with Wouters leading the way individually, claiming possession for the Bridge City Bunch on 12 of 21 draws. Kristian Reichel, the 19-year-old son of former NHL star forward Robert Reichel, was best at the dot for Red Deer, winning 15 of 28 faceoffs.
Shmyr paced all players in the game with seven shots on goal. Reichel, Jared Dmytriw, Austin Pratt and Grayson Pawlenchuk…who notched the only goal…led Red Deer with four shots on goal each.
Matt Mosher made his regular-season debut for Saskatoon. The White Rock, B.C. native drew into the lineup at the expense of Dryden Michaud…the only change to the Bridge City Bunch lineup from Friday in Medicine Hat. That meant defenceman Jantzen Leslie was the other “coaches decision,” while Kirby Dach, Logan Christensen and Tyler Lees remain sidelined by Upper Body injuries.
The Rebels, now 5-4-0, were without goaltender Riley Lamb, defenceman Alexander Alexeev and left winger Dawson Martin because of injury. Defenceman Sam Pouliot and centre Chase Lowry were healthy scratches.
