Flodell stands tall as Blades blank Prince Albert

Logan Flodell stole the show with a 31 save shutout as the Saskatoon Blades blanked the Prince Albert Raiders 2-0 Thursday night.

Jesse Shynkaruk broke the deadlock in the second period and Josh Paterson added the insurance marker in the third period for the Blades (3-2). The victory gives Saskatoon eight straight wins at home against Prince Albert.

“It always feels good to win and we really gutted it out,” said Blades head coach Dean Brockman.

“It’s our closest rival so that always adds to it.”

Brockman also sang the praises of his goaltender Flodell – who three games into his Blades tenure carries a 2-1 record with a 2.00 goals-against-average and a .939 save percentage.

“He played well again tonight and he is who he is and that is why we brought him here.”

Flodell was quick to take the attention off himself, and before getting a shaving cream pie in the face said his defensemen made it easy for him.

“The guys played great in front of me to take away the shots near the house,” he said.

.@BladesHockey goalie @loganflodell gets the shaving cream pie after a shutout tonight against Prince Albert. pic.twitter.com/PDY5kTtnPg

— Ryan Brandt (@Ryan_Brandt) October 7, 2016

While all the attention was on the Blades goaltender, the game was also a special one for the newly acquired Kolten Olynek. The over-age forward signed with Saskatoon on Wednesday after being released by the Raiders.

“That was an emotional game for me,” Olynek said, after facing his old team just one day after being released.

“The first period was weird and at the face-offs I had guys saying hi and saying that they missed me.”

“Like I said all along, I’m a Saskatoon Blade now and I put it out there for the blue jersey’s now … It felt good, it brought me back to my childhood days when I came to the rink at five and six years old. Finally being able to put this jersey on after four long years in this league was pretty special.”

Following the win, Saskatoon continues a three-game home-stand on Saturday against Portland (7:05 p.m.) and Edmonton on Sunday (2:05 p.m.)