With two thirds of their top line on the shelf, the Wheat Kings needed good goaltending and a gutsy effort to wrench a win out of the Saskatoon Blades’ hands. They got both.
Jordan Gavin scored two and an assist, and Filip Ruzicka was named first star with 34 saves on 36 shots as the Wheat Kings won 3-2 over the Blades. Luke Mistelbacher also scored in the victory.
“We needed a really gritty, high-character performance out of all of our guys tonight and I thought we got that,” said Wheat Kings head coach and GM Marty Murray. “We’re down to ten forwards, we’re in a three-in-four with a lot of travel, so I’m really proud of the guys’ effort tonight.”
Though the Wheat Kings held the early edge in shots, it was the Blades who struck first. Jordan Martin spun a pass our front from the bottom of the left circle, and it went across the crease right to a waiting Hunter Laing, who lifted home his 13th.
Before the period was out, however, the Wheat Kings had responded. Nigel Boehm let a shot go from the left point that bounced off a foot right to Gavin, who cut to his backhand and went top-shelf to make it a tie game.
For the second game in a row, the Wheat Kings power play gave them a shot in the arm, and this time it also gave them the lead. Chase Surkan waited patiently at the left side of the net and put the puck right in the wheelhouse for Mistelbacher, who wired home his 17th of the season.
The Blades responded at even strength. Brayden Klimpke moved from the right point to the middle and let a shot go through traffic, which Tyler Parr tipped in the high slot, giving the puck the perfect redirection to find the net.
After that, Gavin put on a show. After setting up a couple of chances that were turned away, Gavin took the puck back in the neutral zone, carving his way between the defenseman in into the clear before ripping his second of the game high-glove on Ethan McCallum.
And despite three Blades power plays in the third period, that would prove to be the final goal of the game. Ruzicka and the Wheat Kings locked things down from there and took the 3-2 win.
The next game for the Wheat Kings comes after a few days of rest on Friday, November 28 against the Prince Albert Raiders. Puck drop is 7:00.
