REGINA – Don’t let the score fool you — when the Saskatoon Blades could’ve used a goal early in Thursday’s preseason opener against the Regina Pats, they just couldn’t find the back of the net.
With only 190 goals scored in 72 games last season, the Bridge City Bunch ranked 20th out of 22 WHL teams in offensive prowess. On Thursday, the blue and gold received the first three early power play chances, out-shooting Regina 18-9 in the first period and yet trailed 1-0 after 20 minutes, on the way to a 5-3 loss.
“When you get those opportunities, you’ve certainly got to take advantage of them and, obviously, we didn’t,” said head coach Dean Brockman.
Meanwhile, 19-year-old Pats’ winger Jeff de Wit, just a nine-goal scorer last season, lit the red light behind Nolan Maier three times.
Saskatoon did get goals from Cam Hebig, Jackson Caller and Gage Ramsay. The latter connected with 48.5 seconds left in the third period with the result already in hand for Regina. For Hebig, it was his first goal in a game against an opponent, other than a training camp scrimmage, since March 19, 2016. That was the final game of the 2015-16 regular-season against the visiting Prince Albert Raiders.
“It does,” said the 20-year-old centre when asked if it felt good to play in a game against an actual opponent again. “A lot more faster, definitely more high pace. You’ve got to adjust to that and that’s what these exhibition games are for, getting used to it and getting back in rhythm.”
Egor Zamura and Tristen Robins also scored for the defending Eastern Conference-champion Pats, who out-shot the Blades 41-37 and were 1-for-8 on the power play. Maier, the highly-regarded 16-year-old rookie netminder, went the distance and stopped 36 shots, while the Bridge City Bunch were 0-for-4 with the man advantage.
Pacman Points – The Blades dressed 11 players with at least one game of WHL game experience on the 20-man roster. The combined experience from the 11 was 1,014 games, or 92.2 games/player. On the other hand, the Pats had 14 players in uniform with at least one game of WHL experience. The combined experience from the 14 was 768 games, or 54.86 games/player. A 15th member of the Pats hasn’t played in the regular-season, but did see action in two playoff games…forward Logan Nijhoff.
Not in uniform Thursday for Saskatoon were goaltenders Logan Flodell and Joel Grzybowski; defencemen Evan Fiala, Libor Hajek, Jake Kustra, Payton McIsaac and Majid Kaddoura; forwards Logan Christensen, Michael Farren, Arjun Atwal, Dryden Michaud, Caleb Fantillo, Brandon Machado, Chase Wouters, Matt Mosher, Lukus MacKenzie and Tyler Lees. MacKenzie and Lees are both nursing upper body injuries.
The Bridge City Bunch return to Regina Friday to play the Swift Current Broncos in an afternoon contest.
