SATURDAY SPORTS PAGE: PATS SHOCK BLADES, FLAMES & JETS WIN

SASKATOON – Two keys for the Saskatoon Blades in their opening-round playoff series against the Regina Pats were to take advantage of home-ice advantage, and stop scoring leader Connor Bedard.

The Blades went 0-for-2 on Friday night as Bedard scored twice and added an assist as the Pats posted a 6-1 victory in their Western Hockey League series opener.

Zackary Shantz, Riley Ginnell, Stanislav Svozil and Tye Spencer also scored for the Pats, who were outshot 28-25. Drew Sim made 27 saves for the Queen City Kids.

Lukas Hansen scored for the Blades, who trailed 2-0 heading into the third period. The game was knotted 0-0 after the opening period.

Game 2 goes Sunday at 4:00 pm at SaskTel Centre on Access 7.

Elsewhere in the WHL:

ICE 5 TIGERS 3

Winnipeg leads best-of-seven series 1-0

WINNIPEG, Man. – Matthew Savoie scored three goals and added an assist as the Winnipeg ICE defeated the visiting Medicine Hat Tigers in the opening game of their best-of-seven playoff series.

Evan Friesen and Zack Ostapchuk also scored for the ICE, who lead 2-1 after the first period and 3-1 heading into the third.

Andrew Basha scored twice for the Tigers, while Rhett Parsons scored once.

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WARRIORS 2 HURRICANES 1 (2OT)

Moose Jaw leads best-of-seven series 1-0

MOOSE JAW, Sask. – Jagger Firkus scored at 19:43 of the second overtime period as the Moose Jaw Warriors edged the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes 2-1 in the opening game of the best-of-seven playoff series.

Logan Dowhaniuk also scored for the Warriors, with Firkus and Lucas Brenton earning the assists.

Cole Shepard scored a short-handed goal for the Hurricanes, who were outshot 54-51.

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REBELS 3 HITMEN 0

Red Deer leads best-of-seven series 1-0

RED DEER, Alta. – Kai Uchacz, Frantisek Formanek and Jayden Grubbe scored as the Red Deer Rebels blanked the visiting Calgary Hitmen 3-0 in the opening game of their best-of-seven playoff series.

Kyle Kelsey stopped 25 shots to earn the shutout.

Hitmen netminder Brayden Peters stopped 33 of 36 shots.

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WINTERHAWKS 4 SILVERTIPS 3

Portland leads best-of-seven series 1-0

PORTLAND, Ore. – Marcus Nguyen scored twice on the power play and Marek Alscher chipped in with two assists as the Portland Winterhawks edged the visiting Everett Silvertips in the opening game of their best-of-seven playoff series.

Robbie Fromm-Delorme and James Stefan also scored for the Winterhawks, who outshot the Silvertips 37-34.

Austin Roest scored twice for the Silvertips, while Jackson Berezowski netted a single.

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AMERICANS 6 COUGARS 4

Tri-City leads best-of-seven series 1-0

PRINCE GEORGE, B.C. – Tyson Greenway scored twice as the visiting Tri-City Americans defeated the Prince George Cougars 6-4 in the opening game of their best-of-seven playoff series.

Parker Bell, Jake Sloan, Deagan McMillan and Jalen Luypen also scored for the Americans, who were outshot 33-26.

Caden Brown scored twice for the Cougars, while Hudson Thornton and Zac Funk netted singles.

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BLAZERS 8 GIANTS 0

Kamloops leads best-of-seven series 1-0

KAMLOOPS, B.C. – Logan Stankoven scored three goals and added an assist as the Kamloops Blazers whipped the visiting Vancouver Giants 8-0 in the first game of their best-of-seven playoff series.

Emmitt Finnie, Dylan Sydor, Ryan Hofer, Caedan Bankier and Ashton Ferster also scored for the Blazers, who led 4-0 after the first period and 7-0 heading into the third. Olen Zellweger chipped in with four assists.

Kamloops outshot Vancouver53-15.

Blazers goaltender Dylan Ernst saved all 15 shots to post the shutout.

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THUNDERBIRDS 3 ROCKETS 2

Seattle leads best-of-seven series 1-0

SEATTLE, Wash. – Reid Schaefer scored at 5:53 of the third period to snap a 2-2 tie and the Seattle Thunderbirds edged the Kelowna Rockets 3-2 in the opening game of their best-of-seven playoff series.

Dylan Guenther scored twice for the Thunderbirds, who outshot the Rockets 39-25.

Jackson DeSouza and Caden Price scored for the Rockets, who led 1-0 after the first and 2-1 after 40 minutes.

SJHL ROUND 2

Flin Flon 4 Humboldt 3 (Bombers lead 1-0)
Battlefords 5 Melfort 2 (Stars lead 1-0)

NHL

The Winnipeg Jets broke out of an offensive funk as they defeated the visiting Detroit Red Wings 6-2. Mark Scheifele set an NHL high with his 39th goal of the season, and netminder Connor Hellebuyck made 23 saves as the Jets moved within three points of the idle Seattle Kraken for the first wild-card berth.

Tyler Toffoli’s second goal of the game, scored at 3:27 of overtime, gave the Calgary Flames an important 5-4 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Blake Coleman, Troy Stecher and Jonathan Huberdeau also scored for the Flames, who remain two points back of the Winnipeg Jets for the final wild-card playoff berth in the Western Conference. In other games the Sabres got past the Rangers 3-2 in OT and Dallas dumped Arizona 5-2.

There are 13 games on the NHL schedule on Saturday, with four Canadian teams in action. The Edmonton Oilers will look to win their fourth straight when they host the Anaheim Ducks, who have lost six in a row. The Toronto Maple Leafs visit the Ottawa Senators, and the Montreal Canadiens host the Metropolitan Division-leading Carolina Hurricanes, who have lost three in a row.

NLL

Georgia 12 New York 7
San Diego 14 Calgary 8
Colorado 11 Las Vegas 9
*Saskatchewan hosts Vancouver on Saturday

MLB

The Toronto Blue Jays, who opened their Major League Baseball season on Thursday with a wild 10-9 win over the host St. Louis Cardinals, will face the Redbirds again today after a day off yesterday. Right-hander Kevin Gausman will be on the mound for the visiting Blue Jays, while the Cards counter with right-hander Jack Flaherty.

(Canadian Press)