Bears and hats fill SaskTel Centre as Blades earn 10th straight win

The Saskatoon Blades extended their winning streak to 10 after a 3-1 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders on Tuesday night.

It was a packed house as fans came out in droves to watch the Blue and Gold come out of the holiday break. Tuesday was the team’s teddy bear toss night, which saw hundreds of stuffed animals flying over the glass after the Blades’ first goal.

That moment came in the later half of the first period, courtesy of Vaughn Watterodt on a second chance backhand that found the back of the net after his first attempt hit the post.

Always great to watch the bears fly over the glass. Thanks to @MoArnelien for the video. pic.twitter.com/mL0YYvw6IG

— steve seto (@steveseto) December 28, 2022

With just under a minute left in the first, Watterodt scored his second goal of the game to put the Blades up 2-0.

The game then switched from bears flying onto the ice to ball caps, as Watterodt completed his hat trick in the second period with a short-handed goal to give Saskatoon a three-goal lead.

Carter Anderson scored for the Raiders with just over a minute left in the third to end Austin Elliott’s hopes of sealing the night with a shutout.

The Blades will close out the 2022 season in Winnipeg this weekend, with two games against the Ice.