The Saskatoon Blades had four different defencemen contribute a goal on the scoresheet in Friday’s 6-3 win against the Calgary Hitmen at SaskTel Centre.
It all started with 20-year-old blueliner Grayden Siepmann’s powerplay goal in the first period. The former Hitmen’s goal was the first of three points on the night, earning first-star honours with two assists later in the game. The Langley, BC product leads the Blades’ backend in points with seven goals and 31 assists in 51 games.
All three of the remaining defenceman goals came from 2007-born blueliners. The first was courtesy of former Medicine Hat Tiger Jack Kachkowski late in the second. It’s the NHL draft-eligible defenceman’s first goal as a Blade and first of the season. Less than two minutes later, fellow right-handed shot Isaac Poll found the back of the net with his second of the year. Rookie blueliner Jordan Martin added an insurance marker in the third period to give him four goals and eight points in 48 games.
Rookie centre Cooper Williams and alternate captain Rowan Calvert were Saskatoon's other two goal-scorers. 18-year-old netminder Ethan McCallum turned aside 39 of 42 Hitmen shots to improve his record to 7-6-0-2 on the season.
Friday marked a massive win for the Blades in the Eastern Conference playoff race. Saskatoon remains tied with the Prince Albert Raiders for first place in the East Division at 62 points, with both teams having 17 games remaining in the regular season.
Hitmen forward Connor Hvidston made it 1-0 3:33 into the game with his 16th goal of the season. The 20-year-old centre from Tisdale, SK, added an assist on the Hitmen’s third goal of the night, giving him 48 points in 52 games.
Siepmann scored against his former team just over five minutes later on a Blades powerplay. The 20-year-old blueliner one-timed a shot past Hitmen netminder Daniel Hauser to make it a 1-1 game. The score held up for the remainder of the frame, sending both sides to the dressing room tied.
Williams gave the Blades their first leaf of the night 7:34 into the second with his ninth goal since the new year. The 6-foot centre had nothing but time on the hashmark and went bar down on Hauser. Williams has had two goals and three assists in his last four games and has led all Saskatoon rookies in scoring with 38 points (16G, 22A) in 51 games.
The Hitmen went up 3-2 with two goals just 11 seconds apart around the midway mark of the game. Clavet, SK product Kalem Parker tied the game with his tenth of the season, followed by forward Carson Wetsch’s 26th.
A pair of 2007-born defencemen responded for the Blue and Gold before the period’s end to make it 4-3. Kachkowski scored his first goal of the season with 3:23 left in the second to tie the game. The former Medicine Hat Tiger ripped a shot from the point past Hauser, giving him ten points in 46 games this season. Defence partner Isaac Poll scored his second goal of the season less than two minutes later to give the Blades their second lead of the game, one that stayed for the remainder of the night. The White City, SK product has five points in 38 games this season.
Martin’s goal came unassisted just over halfway through the final 20 minutes. The 6-foot-2 blueliner came in hot on the rush after forcing a turnover in the neutral. The right-handed shot beat Hauser clean to give him his second point in three games.
Saskatoon’s powerplay went back to work late in the third. Calvert netted his leading 16th goal on the man-advantage to make it 6-3 Saskatoon. The Moose Jaw, SK native also leads the Blue and Gold in goals with 21 in 47 games, dishing out 22 helpers.
What’s Next?
The Blades embark on Swift Current tomorrow night to take on the Broncos.
Puck drop is 7:00 p.m.
