It was a game Saskatoon should've won, could've won, but didn't.
In the end it was a 5-4 shootout win for the Thunderbirds a team known for playing close hockey games.
Saskatoon led the game 4-2 after 40 minutes. The 4 goals for Saskatoon came from Stefan Elliott, Brent Benson and a pair from Curtis Hamilton. Seattle's markers both came from Luke Lockhart.
It should have been a comfortable lead for the Blades, but the Thunderbirds didn't go away.
Lockhart would get his hattrick goal 3:30 into the third to make it a one goal game.
Then, a costly penalty would lead to the tying goal as Josh Nicholls flipped the puck over the glass from inside his own zone with six and a half minutes left to play.
On the man advantage Brenden Dillon's point shot was deflected onto the tape of former Blade Burke Gallimore, he sent a quick cross-slot pass to German Marcel Noebels who roofed it high glove side to tie the game at 4.
Overtime would solve nothing, even though both teams had the zone time to generate something.
The first 5 shooters were stopped in the shootout and Noebels would have a chance to win the game as the 6th shooter. He did exactly that as he faked backhand on Adam Morrison and finished on the forehand to steal the win.
Morrison made 23 saves in a losing effort while Colorado Avalanche prospect Calvin Pickard made 32 saves for the win.
Special teams was a huge storyline in the game as Seattle features the 4th best powerplay in the league. It did some major damage going 2 for 4. Saskatoon was 1 for 3 with the man advantage.
Saskaton falls to 7-1-0-1 on home ice.
Next action has the Portland Winterhawks in town on Friday night, a highly anticipated affair that features everything from cowboys to Gene Simmons to interesting (to say the least) Blades jerseys. It should be a fun night. Hopefully it has a better ending than tonight.
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