The Saskatoon Blades nearly erased a four-goal deficit in Saturday’s 4-3 loss against the Kamloops Blazers at Sandman Centre.
The Blue and Gold found themselves down 4-0 halfway through the game, but three unanswered goals in the back half of the second period breathed life into the team. 19-year-old sniper Ben Riche recorded two goals within a minute of each other to cut the Blazers lead in half, followed by overage winger Brandon Lisowsky’s ninth of the season less than four minutes later. Both men got right back of the scoresheet after their nine-game point streaks end the night prior against the Kelowna Rockets. Riche leads the Blades in points with 27 (12G, 15A) in 18 games, while Lisowsky has 18 points (9G, 9A) in 12 games.
Blades goalie Evan Gardner came in for 6-foot-4 goaltender Ethan McCallum after the Blazers’ fourth goal. Gardner stopped all 16 shots in relief, giving him a .913 save percentage and a 2.70 goals against average.
Although the Blades went 1-3-0-1 on their BC road trip, every game was decided by one goal. Saskatoon remain first in the Eastern Conference with an 11-5-1-1 record. A three-game home-stand awaits the Blades as they return to the prairies.
The Blades trailed 2-0 after the first period thanks to goals from Blazers captain Emmitt Finnie and defenceman Matteo Koci. Finnie’s 12th of the season opened the scoring 6:37 into the game, while Koci extended the lead by a pair with his first of the year 14:57 into the first period.
Things continued to go wrong for the Blades as Blazers forward Kai Matthew and Nathan Behm added two more goals within the first five minutes of the second. Matthew made it 3-0 just 1:30 into the frame with his second of the year, giving him two points in nine games this season. Behm’s goal made it 4-0 Blazers, marking his third point of the night along with two assists.
It wasn’t immediate, but the goaltending change lit a fire underneath the Blue and Gold. The club netted three goals in the final 5:16 of the middle frame to bring them within one heading into the final 20 minutes.
Riche kick started the comeback with two goals less than a minute apart. The Bethune, SK product leads the Blades in points with 27 (12G, 15A) in 18 games, and provided a much needed jolt to the Bridge City Bunch.
With 1:19 left on the clock in the second, Lisowsky ripped home his ninth goal of the year to bring the Blades within one. The 5-foot-9 winger has the same number of assists in 12 games this season. All momentum was on the Blades’ side heading into the final 20 minutes and it didn’t slow down.
The Blades had several good chances to tie the game but didn’t find the back of the net, losing their second straight game.
The Blades begin a three-game home-stand Friday, Nov. 15 against the Edmonton Oil Kings.
Puck drop is slated for 7:00 p.m. CST.
