By Les Lazaruk
EDMONTON – One person was involved in two debates Saturday. His play answered one question emphatically and left another in doubt.
Logan Flodell made 37 saves, several of the spectacular variety, backstopping the Saskatoon Blades to a 2-1 victory over the Oil Kings in the final pre-season game for both teams.
If there’s one thing very apparent from his performance, the Regina product has to be one of the three 20-year-olds on the Bridge City Bunch roster once the Oct. 10 overager deadline passes.
However, in stopping 67 of 70 shots (a .957 save percentage) in his two pre-season appearances, that isn’t quite as pressing now as who Flodell’s backup will be. That answer could be either Joel Grzybowski or Nolan Maier, and is expected next week.
The secondary debate is, just how much playing time will the backup get? The Blades haven’t made the WHL playoffs since 2013 and it’s expected that Flodell will play all the big games in the hopes of Saskatoon making a return to the post season.
“He gives us a chance every night and that’s all you can ask for from your goaltender,” said Blue and Gold Assistant Coach Ryan Keller. “I guess you hope along the way he steals one or two for you as well.”
Playing in the downtown community rink at Rogers Place — not the big venue in Edmonton’s new downtown hockey palace — the Oil Kings took the play to the Bridge City Bunch for the most part, outshooting them in each of the three periods. But, Flodell showed mid-season form with some of his stops.
Kirby Dach scored the winning goal, finishing off a pretty three-way passing play. Braylon Shmyr scored the other goal for the Blades on a two-man advantage and assisted on Dach’s winner with 3:57 remaining in the third period.
Brett Kemp opened the scoring, it was the only blemish on Flodell’s night. Edmonton outshot Saskatoon 38-22, but were 0-for-5 on the power play, including a five-minute major penalty for checking from behind on overage Blades centre Cam Hebig. He shoved Kemp into the open gate of the Edmonton bench, which will be a play likely be reviewed by the WHL for supplementary discipline. The Blue and Gold were 1-for-5 with the man advantage.
Pacman Points – The Blades didn’t bring goaltender Grzybowski, defencemen Jake Kustra, Libor Hajek and Evan Fiala, plus forwards Cole Johnson, Tyler Lees, Matt Mosher, Dryden Michaud, Caleb Fantillo and Josh Paterson to Edmonton. Hajek (Tampa Bay) and Fiala (Detroit) are attending NHL main training camps while Lees and Mosher are sidelined by upper body injuries.
The Blades finished the pre-season with a 4-2-0 record while the Oil Kings lost all five of their exhibitions and only scored seven goals.
Saskatoon opens the regular season Friday when they host the Swift Current Broncos at 7:05 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre.
