Pats @ Blades

Tonight!

Game notes.......

Credit Union Centre, Saskatoon
Radio: 620 CKRM Regina, 92.9 The Bull FM Saskatoon

HIGHWAY 11 RIVALRY
Tonight is already the 4th of 8 meetings this season between the Saskatoon Blades and the Regina Pats. The Blades hold the edge in the season series thus far with a 2-0-0-1 record vs. Regina. In the first game these two teams played, back on Sept 18th, the Blades defeated the Pats by a score of 5-1. On the 23rd of September, the Pats used the shoot-out to claim a 4-3 victory over the visiting Blades. 4 days later back in Regina, the Blades skated to a 4-1 victory over their hosts.

Burke Gallimore (3G 2A) and Derek Hulak (1G 4A) lead the Blades offensive attack vs. the Pats this season, with each player collecting 5 points in the 3 games played against Regina. Adam Morrison has got all 3 previous starts vs. the Pats, posting a 92.4% save percentage and a 1.62 GAA in those games. For the Pats, Matt Streuby has scored 3 times to lead Regina’s offense against the Blades.

SASKATOON BLADES – Last Game
The Saskatoon Blades continued their winning ways on Sunday afternoon, picking up their fifth straight win with a 4-0 victory at Edmonton.

REGINA PATS - Last Game
A 3-2 OT loss at P.A. last night. See postgame story in posts below.

BLADES NEWS & NOTES
- Tuesday Oct 13, 2009, the Saskatoon Blades have traded 20 year old import forward Milan Kytnar to the Vancouver Giants. In return the Blades receive a 3rd round WHL Bantam pick in 2010. The move leaves the Blades with 22 players (13 forwards, 7 defenseman, and 2 goaltenders). The trade of Kytnar also solidifies the Blades three 20 year old spots with Derek Hulak, Walker Wintoneak, and Sam Klassen filling those spots.
- On October 6th, the Saskatoon Blades acquired 19 year old forward Randy McNaught from the Chilliwack Bruins in exchange for Jamie Crooks and a conditional draft pick. The 6’5, 221 lbs. McNaught has appeared in 90 games in his WHL career; picking up 8 goals and 5 assists to go along with 175 PIM’s.

By The Numbers
- The Blades roster features 17 returning players from last season’s East Division Pennant winning club. Amongst those returning are 5 twenty goal scores from last season in: Hulak, Wintoneak, Hamilton, Gallimore, and Patterson. With the addition of Jeremy Boyer, the Blades line-up now boasts 6 twenty goal scorers from the 2008-09 season.
- Adam Morrison currently is ranked first overall in the league in both GAA (2.07) and save percentage (92.4%). The 2nd year member of the Blades has a record of 14-3-1-1 in 22 career appearances in net for Saskatoon.
- Derek Hulak is tied for 10th overall in league scoring this season. The 20 year old Captain of the Blades has collected 5G and 12A for 17 points through 11 games.
- The Saskatoon Blades have 5 players ranked in the top 20 for best +/- rating in the league. Stefan Elliott and Derek Hulak are tied for 9th in the league with a +9 rating and Sam Klassen, Walker Wintoneak, and Burke Gallimore are tied for 15th overall with +8 ratings.
- Randy McNaught of the Blades is currently ranked 1st in the league in Penalty Minutes with 60.
- The Blades power-play is still struggling to find the back of the net consistently. The Blades find themselves ranked 18th in the league on the PP with a 13.0% (7 for 54) efficiency rating. However, on the penalty kill, the Blades find themselves ranked 2nd in the league with a 89.8% (43 of 48) success rate after having only surrendering 5 power-play markers against them this season.

WHL GAME NOTES can be found on the Regina Pats website or you can click here (note it's a PDF file).