Riders' O'Day believes positive steps taken in 2024
Nov 21, 2024
Work has now begun on evaluating the roster ahead of the 2025 season.
A crowd of 8,253 people filled the Sasktel Centre on Saturday night to watch and cheer on the Saskatoon Blades for their 60th home opener in franchise history.
But before the game started, last year’s team was honoured, celebrated and immortalized.
Two new banners hang in the Blades home arena — one for the East Division crown and the other for the Scotty Munro Memorial Championship, which is handed out to the team with the best record in the Western Hockey League (WHL).
Blades head coach Dan DaSilva said he wished everyone on last year’s team could’ve been there to see the banners go up.
“It’s unfortunate for guys who were on that team last year, aren’t here (and) can’t see it,” said DaSilva. “All their hard work, and the effort they put in being immortalized and up in the rafters for the rest of time.”
The Blades, who beat Swift Current Broncos 4-1 on Friday, continued their winning ways by beating the Broncos 9-3 in a wild game.
The cheering didn’t stop at the banner hanging as Blades forward Cooper Williams buried his first career WHL goal just six minutes into the game, giving the team a 1-0 lead.
Williams said he was happy to get career goal No. 1 out of the way early.
“It’s always good to have that happen,” said Williams.
But Swift Current quickly hushed the Blades faithful as Ty Coupland, Ryan Gould and Peyton Kettles all beat Blades net minder Austin Elliott to give the Broncos a 3-1 lead.
Blades forward Willy James then found the back of the net before the end of the first period for his first career WHL goal.
The Blades left their mark in the second period as forward Tyler Parr tied the game at three, then defenceman Brayden Klimpke blasted one past Broncos goalie Reid Dyck for his first career WHL goal before Ben Riche notched two , giving the Blades a 6-3 lead at the end of the period.
DaSilva said the message to his players between the first and second periods was to simplify their game.
“I found we kind of created problems for ourselves by mismanaging pucks through the neutral zone,” said DaSilva. “I found we turned too many pucks over, we kind of got away from our game plan.”
But the Blades weren’t done, as they tallied three more goals in the third period, including forward Colten Worthington’s first career WHL goal.
A total of 12 players recorded a point in the lopsided victory, including six rookies.
DaSilva said he’s been pleasantly surprised by the rookies.
“Those kids in their first WHL action — you couldn’t ask for anything more,” said DaSilva. “I’m very proud of what they’ve done in the first two games.”
The Blades host Brandon Wheat Kings on Sept. 28, when Saskatoon native and 2025 National Hockey League draft eligible Roger McQueen comes to town. The puck drops at 7 p.m.
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