Blades trounce Broncos
Dietz scores four goals, ties record
Blades 7, Broncos 3 For the past two weeks most of the focus has been on the Saskatoon Blades’ defence.
Mired by long-term injuries, the biggest concern has been being able to dress enough healthy blue-liners to keep the puck out of the net.
So Friday, a Blades’ rearguard tried a different approach against the Swift Current Broncos (21-32-2-4).
Darren Dietz tied a WHL record for goals in a game by a defenceman by scoring four times.
Included in that outburst was a second-period hattrick and two in the final minute of that frame.
Thanks to the 18-year-old defenceman, the Blades (3523-0-1) beat the Broncos 7-3, ending a three-game losing streak.
“It was just one of those nights where the stars were aligned and everything you shoot finds its way into the net,” said Dietz.
The Blades led 2-0 after the opening frame on power-play goals by Dietz and winger Matej Stransky.
They threw 20 shots on Broncos netminder Jon Groenheyde and feasted on a Swift Current penalty kill that was a league-worst 71 per cent coming into the game.
The Blades were 2-for-3 on the power play after one, and 3-for-5 in the game. Two of Dietz’s goals came with the man advantage.
“That’s the theme of things right now. We want our defence to get involved,” said Blades head coach and general manager Lorne Molleken.
The teams exchanged goals in the middle frame with Coda Gordon and former Blade Levi Bews scoring for Swift Current and Brett Stovin and Dietz responding for the home side.
When Gordon tipped a point shot from Dillon Heatherington by Makarov with 2:05 left in the second to pull the Broncos within one, it looked like Blades might have to hold on for dear life in the third.
But that’s when Dietz took over.
The assistant captain finished off his hat-trick by depositing a rebound into a wide open net on a power play with 37 seconds remaining in the period. He then scored this third of the frame on a 3-on-1 with just 7.9 ticks left on the clock.
“Our team thought we’re an offensive team right now and we go out there and try to run and gun,” said Broncos head coach and general manager Mark Lamb. “We didn’t play away from the puck at all.
“We thought it could be point night for us and that’s what happens. I’ve been really happy with the way our team’s played (lately) but I’m not happy with this game at all.”
Dietz now has 14 goals this season, two fewer than Dalton Thrower for the club lead among blue-liners.
He hit the crossbar with about five minutes remaining on a short-handed chance from the slot for a chance to break the record.
And, after taking an interference penalty late in the game, Dietz tied to join the rush in the dying seconds in the hopes of getting that fifth goal.
“I was unaware actually (of what the record was) until I was in the penalty box,” he said. “So I thought I might take a chance at it.”
Travis Mcevoy scored the Blades’ final goal early in the third, rounding out an impressive two-goal performance from the fourth line. Each member of the unit — Stovin, Mcevoy and Nick Zajac — had two points.
“That line, since Christmas, has played well together,” said Molleken. “The compete is there and they’re trying to do the right things all the time.
“It’s nice to see them get rewarded with their hard work here tonight.”
Mcevoy’s goal came on Austin Smith, who replaced Groenheyde to start the third. Groenheyde stopped 30 of 36 shots, while Smith made eight saves.
Andrey Makarov made 41 saves in the Blades’ net.
The teams will rematch tonight in Swift Current.
BLADE BITS: The Blades are now 5- 0 against the Broncos as they’ve outscored Swift Current 25-13 ... Winnipeg Wild midget AAA defenceman Brett Lernout played his first WHL game on defence for the Blades. The 2011 listed player was paired with Thrower. The 16-year-old will be back in the lineup tonight as well.