Everything went in for the Saskatoon Blades Saturday at SaskTel Centre, scoring eight unanswered goals to beat the Swift Current Broncos 9-3.
The youngsters came through for the Blue and Gold as rookie forwards Cooper Williams and Colten Worthington each registered their first career WHL goals in the win. Williams opened the scoring 6:28 into the contest, one night after his league debut in Swift Current where he tallied a helper on fellow rookie Kohen Lodge’s first ever goal. The 6-foot sniper finished the game with two points, giving the Blades’ 41st overall pick in the 2023 WHL prospects draft one goal and three points in two games.
Speedy Creek responded swiftly with three goals in under nine minutes during the opening frame. Forward Ty Coupeland found the back of the net for the first time this season 9:12 through the first, followed by forward Rylan Gould’s second in as many games just over five minutes later. Second-year defenceman Peyton Kettles picked up his first of the season 3:22 later to make it 3-1 Swift Current late in the first. Things seemed dim for the Blue and Gold, but a weight off the shoulder of one man was a jolt of energy for the others.
2006-born forward Willy James scored his first career WHL goal with 19 seconds remaining in the first to cut Saskatoon’s deficit to one. The Calgary, AB native went 27 career games without a goal and his first began a stretch of eight unanswered goals from Saskatoon.
Forward Tyler Parr tied the game under three minutes into the second with his first of the season. The 5-foot-11 winger finished the night with a goal and two assists, giving him five points (1G, 4A) in the first two games of the year.
Fan-favourite Tanner Molendyk is away at Nashville Predators training camp, but rookie blueliner Brayden Klimpke was the full embodiment of the silky skater tonight. The 5-foot-11 defender scored his first of two goals on the evening midway through the second to make it 4-3 Saskatoon. Klimpke earned first star honours with two goals, two assists, and finished a +5. The left-handed shot suited up in 13 games for the Blades last season, nearly averaging over half a point-per-game in his career with three goals and seven points in 15 games.
Bethune, SK’s own Ben Riche picked up the next two goals for the Blades before the middle frame concluded, earning him four points (2G, 2A) on the night. The former Victoria Royal winger also scored in last night’s season opener at Innovation IPlex in Swift Current, giving him three goals and five points in two games.
After 40 minutes, Saskatoon led 6-3 with a 29-16 edge in shots. 40 minutes was all Broncos netminder Reid Dyck saw as backup Joey Rocha went in for the final frame.
19-year-old forward Misha Volotvoskii tapped in his second of the season just over halfway through the third to make it 7-3 Saskatoon. The man known as “Legend 1-7” has two goals in as many games this season.
Klimpke notched Saskatoon’s eighth goal of the game, followed by Worthington earning his souvenir puck on Saskatoon’s ninth and final goal. The 17-year-old forward is coming off an impressive season with the Brandon Wheat Kings U18 AAA club that gathered silver at the 2024 Telus Cup.
First-year forward Lochlan Tetarenko dished two helpers, giving him three assists in two career games. Import winger Vlastimil Blazek also picked up his first career WHL point with a two-assist performance.
The Blades swept the opening weekend home-and-home series against Swift Current, outscoring Speedy Creek 13-4. Tonight’s victory marks eight straight against the Broncos, and the tenth consecutive on home ice. A young Saskatoon squad finds themselves 2-0-0-0 after opening weekend as the season begins to ramp up.
What’s Next?
The Blades hit the ice again in one week when they welcome the Brandon Wheat Kings to SaskTel Centre Saturday, Sept. 28. Puck drop is 7:00 p.m.
