Oil Kings collect 3-2 win over Saskatoon Blades with controversial ending

Two bad bounces. Two missed opportunities. Two moments of controversy.

Whatever you want to call the ending in the Edmonton Oil Kings 3-2 win over the Saskatoon Blades Saturday at SaskTel Centre, Blades head coach Mitch Love knows what he saw.

“Controversial would be a good word to use, or just missed calls. That would be another word to use,” Love said, calling the referees decisions into question following the game.

With the Blades up 2-1 in midway through the third period, the first moment of controversy would lead to the Oil Kings tying goal.

Moments after the puck appeared the leave the Blades’ zone, Edmonton managed to work the puck down to a streaking Riley Sawchuk. His shot was stopped, but Jake Neighbours slammed home the puck from the side of the net.

A little over four minutes later, Carter Souch would wrestle the lead away from the Blades after a loose puck popped out in front of the net. The puck crossed the line as the back of the net came off the ice, but the goal stood after a brief review.

The net coming off the ice wasn’t the contentious issue for Love.

“It’s disappointing that game, as well as it was played by both teams, was decided by a missed offside call… and their third goal was an icing that was missed by the linesman, ” Love said. “It’s frustrating because our guys played a really hard hockey game against a very hard team.”

In the midst of a crucial four-games in five-nights stretch, Saskatoon entered the night hoping to make up ground against East Division rivals but had to settled for losing for the second time in six games since the WHL trade deadline.

The Blades remain fourth in the division — five points back of third place —  and continue to cling to the final wildcard position in the Eastern Conference.

Saskatoon went 0-for-6 on the power play, worsening their scoring woes while adding to Sebastian Cossa’s 31 saves on the night.

“We missed some opportunities, but our team deserved a better fate tonight,” Love said.

With his older brother watching on in the crowd, Colton Dach started the scoring with rush down the ice that ended in a shot whizzing past Cossa’s ear and into the net.

Evan Patrician scored his first as a member of the Blades in the second period with a change-up wrist shot that got by Cossa’s glove.

The 2-0 lead only lasted 22 seconds as Jalen Luypen rounded the Blades net and roofed a shot over Koen MacInnes for a 2-1 score after two periods.

The Blades will face the Regina Pats on Sunday in the first meeting of the season for the provincial rivals. Filling in for injured Nolan Maier, Koen McInnes is expected to make his eighth straight start in net.