BLADES BACK IN ACTION
It was a special season opener for Saskatoon’s Western Hockey League club, as the team paid tribute to Bruce Gordon, a former Saskatoon Blades team captain who is battling pancreatic cancer. The Blades unveiled a banner in Gordon’s honour.
The Saskatoon Blades opened a new Western Hockey League season Friday night at SaskTel Centre against the visiting Swift Current Broncos.
The game was still at progress at press time with the Blades leading 2-1 on goals by Caleb Fantillo and Brad Goethals.
PRE-GAME TRIBUTE FOR GORDON
A pre-game ceremony lasting 30 minutes honoured former Blades captain Bruce Gordon, who is battling pancreatic cancer.
“Few exemplify (the Blades logo) as well as our special guest,” said MC Dennis Beyak, a former Blades assistant GM and now the voice of the NHL’s Winnipeg Jets.
“A terrific leader, as tough as they come. After looking after people for years, we’re here to look after him.”
Among those joining Gordon and his wife, Chris, were past Blades Daryl Lubiniecki, Jack Brodsky, Todd Strueby, Ron Dreger, Daryl Stanley, Roger Kortko, Donn Clark, Gord Paddock, Dave Chartier and Brian Skrudland.
The Blades unveiled a Bruce Gordon banner in the east end of SaskTel Centre. As well, Blades players will wear Bruce Gordon helmet decals for the season with the theme: “Leave it all on the ice.”
THE GOALIES
Newly acquired Logan Flodell didn’t get the start in net for Swift Current. Instead, the Broncos went with 17-year-old Joel Hofer.
The Blades countered with newcomer Ryan Kubic, who was acquired from the Vancouver Giants.
SWEET SIXTEENS
Friday’s game featured a pair of the top 16-year-olds in the WHL in Kirby Dach of the Blades and Logan Barlage of the Broncos.
Dach had two goals and two assists in five pre-season games.
Barlage, a native of Humboldt, led Swift Current during the exhibition season with five points (two goals, three assists) in five games.
Swift Current’s roster also includes goalie Ethan Hein of Saskatoon. Hein posted a 14-2 record last season with the Saskatoon Bantam AA Maniacs.
HEBIG SERVING SUSPENSION
The Blades were missing Cam Hebig from Friday’s lineup. Hebig is serving a two-game suspension for a checking-from-behind penalty assessed last weekend in Edmonton.
Hebig is otherwise set to return from an injury that kept him out for the entire 2016-17 season. He hasn’t played a game since March 19, 2016, but did score five goals in five games during the pre-season.
Also scratched from Saskatoon’s lineup were D -men Jantzen Leslie and Payton McIsaac, plus forwards Arjun Atwal, Matt Mosher and Logan Doust.
Rookies Dach and Brandon Machado were in the Blades’ lineup.
BACK IN TOWN
Veteran Blades D-man Libor Hajek was back in the lineup after attending the Tampa Bay Lightning camp. He joins captain Evan Fiala, who was at the Detroit Red Wings camp.