Blades stay unbeaten, edge Tigers in shootout

It took 10 shooters per side but the Saskatoon Blades finally prevailed with a 4-3 shootout victory over the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers on Saturday night.

Riley Mckay scored the deciding goal as the Blades’ 10th shooter but not before Nolan Maier stopped the Tigers’ 10th shooter, Henrik Rybinski, to seal the victory as Saskatoon improved its Western Hockey League record to 3-0 on the season.

In the ninth shooter slot, Dawson Davidson put the Blades ahead, only to see Bryan Lockner beat Maier to keep the Tigers alive.

James Hamblin (Medicine Hat) and Kirby Dach (Saskatoon) also scored in the shootout before a Sasktel Centre crowd of 3,110 fans.

Max Gerlach scored with 3:15 left in regulation for the Blades against his former Tigers team to knot the score at 3-3 and send the game into overtime.

Team captain Chase Wouters and Kristian Roykas Marthinsen also scored for Saskatoon, which trailed 2-1 after the first and second periods. The Blades, who went 1-for-4 on the power play, out-shot the Tigers 42-32.

Mads Sogaard made 39 saves for Medicine Hat, which was 1-for-3 with the man-advantage. Maier had 29 stops.

The three stars were 1. Josh Paterson (two assists), 2. Hamblin and 3. Davidson.

The Blades are in Prince Albert on Sunday night to play the Eastern Division rival Raiders.