SASKATOON BLADES vs. SWIFT CURRENT BRONCOS   

Tonight’s game is the third of eight regular season meetings this season between the Saskatoon Blades (24-8-0-1) and the Swift Current Broncos (19-19-0-0).  In their first meeting this season, back on Nov 3^rd in Swift Current, Josh Nicholls scored 2 third period goals and despite giving up 3 PP markers to Swift Current, the Blades defeated the Broncos by a score of 5-4.  In the second meeting of the season between these two teams, the Blades got goals from 6 different players including the game winner from Stefan Elliott as the Blades tamed the Broncos 6-2.        

Duncan Siemens leads the Blades offensive charge vs. the Broncos having picked up 5 points (1G 4A) in the 2 games played against Swift Current this season.  Josh Nicholls has chipped in with 2 goals and 2 assists and is a +7 against Swift Current this year.  For the Broncos, Justin Dowling has picked up a goal and added 2 assists vs. the Blades this season.    

The Swift Current Broncos enter tonight’s game on game #8 of an 11 game road trip away from the Credit Union I-Plex in Swift Current.  The Broncos last home game was on December 3^rd and they do not play at home again till January 2^nd when the Blades make their 2^nd of 4 trips this season to Swift Current.  The road warrior Bronco team faces the league’s best home team tonight in the Saskatoon Blades.  The Blades have a 12-1-0-1 record at Credit Union Centre this season and have won 5 straight on home ice coming into tonight’s contest. 

Blades Last Game

The Moose Jaw Warriors accomplished two things with Tuesday's 4-1 home-ice victory. First, they ended the Saskatoon Blades' three-game winning streak. Second, and more importantly, the Tribe closed their deficit to catch the Bridge City Bunch atop the Eastern Conference standings to nine points.  

Moose Jaw captain Spencer Edwards snapped a 1-1 tie with 1:58 remaining in the second period and Warriors' goaltender Thomas Heemskerk made that goal stand up as the winner, stopping all eight shots he faced in the first half of the third period as the Blades pressed for the equalizer.  Chris Collins scored the lone goal for 24-8-0-1 Saskatoon, who out-shot Moose Jaw 24-21.

Blades Banter   

- On Wednesday it was announced that 19 year old Blades leading scorer Curtis Hamilton had made Team Canada’s National Junior Team.  Curtis is one of nine WHL players to have made the squad which will play in the WJHC tournament starting December 26^th in Buffalo. 

- For the 13^th consecutive week, the Saskatoon Blades find themselves ranked in the CHL Top 10 Rankings.  Coming off a week which saw the Blades post a 3-1 record, the panel of NHL scouts which tabulate the rankings, ranked the Blades #6 overall.        

- Tonight is the Blades annual Global TV Toque Toss night.  Blades fans were encouraged to bring toques, mitts, scarves, etc and throw them onto the ice after the Blades score goal.  All the warm winter wear will then be collected and donated to MD Ambulance who will distribute it to those in need. 

By The Numbers

- Stefan Elliott enters tonight’s game riding a 7 game point streak.  During that time, Elliott has picked up 4 goals and 6 assists.  Elliott is 4^th leading scorer amongst all WHL defenseman with 31 points (12G 19A) and is tied for the league lead in game winning goals with 6. 

-  5 Blades can be found in the league’s top 10 plus/minus standings.  Curtis Hamilton leads the league with a +27 mark, Stefan Elliott is ranked 2^nd in the league with a +23 rating, Duncan Siemens and Marek Viedensky are tied for 4^th overall with +19 marks, while Josh Nicholls is tied for 9^th in the league with a +18. 

- The Blades are 2^nd in the league in shorthanded goals scored with 8.  Three different Blades (Marek Viedensky, Stefan Elliott and Darian Dziurzynski) have each picked up 2 shorthanded goals this season.