Haden puts on offensive show as Blades prove too slick for Oil Kings

Forward tallies four goals and throws in an assist to lead Saskatoon to 20th win

It was the Gary Haden Show for the Saskatoon Blades.

Haden scored four times as the Saskatoon Blades won their third straight game with a 6-3 Western Hockey League victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings on Tuesday night at Sasktel Centre.

Haden tallied a hat-trick in the third period — including the game-winner — during a span of 4:14 to break what was a 3-3 deadlock. His third and fourth goals were just 21 seconds apart.

He also added an assist. With the win, Saskatoon improves its record to 20-10-3-1.

Edmonton falls to 16-12-3-2 for the season.

Haden came into Tuesday’s game with two goals and two assists in his previous four games. He now has 12 goals and 12 assists for 24 points in 29 games.

It was the third meeting between the Blades and Oil Kings this season. The teams split two games in Edmonton.

Edmonton opened the scoring at 9:28 when a Liam Keeler shot ricocheted off the skates of Saskatoon D-man Brandon Schuldhaus. The Oil Kings were out-shooting the Blades 8-0 at that point.

Goals by Chase Wouters a minute later, at 10:28, and Seth Bafaro, at 13:41, gave Saskatoon a 2-1 lead before a power play marker by Brett Kemp, at 17:59, evened things up at 2-2 after the opening period.

Haden scored with the man-advantage at 10:05 of the second period to restore Saskatoon’s lead.

It didn’t last however, as Oil Kings defenceman and 2019 NHL Draft A prospect Matthew Robertson knotted the score at 3-3 with a goal at 11:10.

Haden put the Blades ahead, with his second tally of the night, at 8:11 of the third to make it 4-3. He added two more as the host squad was able to pull away.

Saskatoon outshot Edmonton 29-25 as Nolan Maier recorded the win in the Blades’ net.

BUSY BLADES

For the Blades, Tuesday’s game was their fourth in five nights and marked their third at home.

It was the second of a three-game homestand, which continues Friday against the Brandon Wheat Kings.

Game-time is 7 p.m. at Sasktel Centre.

SASK. CONNECTION

The Edmonton Oil Kings are coached by Humboldt native and former NHLER Brad Lauer.

Saskatoon native Parker Gavlas, a 1999-born defenceman, recently joined the Oil Kings from the WHL’S Regina Pats.

WORLD JUNIOR

Washington Capitals draft pick Kristian Roykas-marthinsen has temporarily left the Blades to play for Norway at the 2019 world junior Division 1A hockey tournament in Germany.

Roykas-marthinsen has seven points in his last seven games with Saskatoon.