The Saskatoon Blades lost two one-goal games this past weekend.
The Saskatoon Blades lost two one-goal games this past weekend.
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A pair of road losses on the weekend have left the Saskatoon Blades with an 0-2 record to officially start their 2026-27 Western Hockey League campaign.
In their season opener on Friday night, a single goal in the second period proved to be the difference maker as the Blades fell to the host Brandon Wheat Kings 5-4.
They trailed by three in the third period, but a power-play goal from Ben Bowtell and a short-handed marker from Kazden Mathies at 15:36 brought them within one.
However, they weren't able to secure the equalizer in the time remaining.
The next night saw the Blades travel to Moose Jaw for a meeting with the Warriors, where they again fell by one point, this time 7-6 in overtime.
Both teams scored three goals in the first period, two in the second and a single in the third, bringing the two teams to a 6-6 tie followign regulation.
In overtime, Gage Nagel notched the game winner for the hometown team just 42 seconds in.
Brayden Klimpke and Laing each scored twice for the Blades in the meeting, while Cooper Williams and Triston Mitchell-McElhone added singles.
The Blades return to action Friday when they travel to Prince Albert to face the Raiders in part one of a home-and-home series. They'll host their home opener on Saturday against the Raiders.
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Huskie soccer teams have tough weekend
Whether playing at home or on the road, it was the same result for the University of Saskatchewan Huskies men's and women's soccer teams as both squads picked up a pair of losses in Canada West action.
Playing on home turf, the women's team fell 1-0 to the Calgary Dinos on Saturday and followed that up on Sunday with a 2-1 loss to the Mount Royal Cougars, with Danielle Lehmann scoring the Huskies lone goal.
Those losses were the team's first of the season and drop them to a 3-2-1 record.
Meanwhile, the men's team was on the road for their two games, starting with a 3-0 defeat at the hands of the Dinos on Saturday and a 2-0 shut out loss against Mount Royal the day after.
The Dogs have now suffered their third loss in a row, giving them a 2-3 record.
Hilltops secure road win against Huskies
The Saskatoon Hilltops added another notch to the win column as they defeated the host Edmonton Huskies 30-21 on Sunday afternoon.
Just before the six-minute mark of the first quarter, Jack Boechler hauled in a pass in the end zone to give the Hilltops a 7-0 lead following the convert.
Saskatoon kicker Ryden Gratton then added a 17-yard field goal a few minutes later to put the visitors up 10-0.
That score carried through to 1:02 into the second quarter, when Corbin Ebben scored a rushing major for the Toppers.
The Huskies found the endzone with just over three-and-half minutes left in the second quarter to cut the lead to 18-7, but Gratton added another field goal before the halftime break to make the score 21-7.
Two more Gratton field goals provided some second-half cushion.
The victory gives the Hilltops a 4-2 Prairie Football Conference record, and they'll put it to the test when they return home for a game against the provincial-rival Regina Thunder on Saturday, 7 p.m. at SMF Field.
Saskatchewan Rush make roster moves
The Saskatchewan Rush had a busy behind the scenes, making selections from the National Lacrosse League dispersal draft and trades with other teams.
In the draft on Sept. 15 — held after the folding of the Ottawa and Philadelphia franchises — Saskatchewan made three picks, starting with transition player Jake Stevens 10th overall.
They then made a trade with the Colorado Mammoth that gave them the 19th pick —which they used to select forward Sam Firth— in exchange for their second-round pick in the 2027 NLL Entry Draft.
The Rush wrapped up dispersal action by selecting transition Reed Kurtz, after electing to pass on their final two dispersal draft selections.
That same day, the Rush traded Holden Garlent to the Albany Firewolves in exchange for Connor Kearnan, Jaxon Fridge and a second-round pick in the 2026 entry draft.
Later in the week, the Rush received another entry draft pick, this one a third-rounder in 2029, from the San Diego Seals in return for Clark Walter.
Over the weekend, the Rush also signed Reilly O'Connor and re-signed Brock Haley.
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