With Halloween falling one day before the Saskatoon Blades‘ home date with the Seattle Thunderbirds, it was fitting that the player attracting the most attention is the one wearing a mask.
But the only treat Logan Flodell wants is a win over his former team.
“It’s kind of hard to explain. You want to get out there. I wish the game was tonight,” he said.
READ MORE: Saskatoon Blades shut out Prince Albert Raiders 1-0
Tuesday’s game is the first time the Blades will face the Thunderbirds since acquiring Flodell from the T-birds on Sept. 17. The net minder is eager to show his old club exactly what they’re missing.
“I’m happy to be here but I guess…you want to show them that you’re a good goalie,” the 19-year-old Regina native said.
“I think so far this year I’ve done a job of showing people that I can be a starting goaltender.”
The numbers back up Flodell’s assertion. After recording his second shutout of the season in a 1-0 win over the Prince Albert Raiders over the weekend, the netminder leads the WHL with a .940 save percentage and his 1.99 goals against average is second only to the 1.97 posted by Everett’s Carter Hart.
READ MORE: Saskatoon Blades goalie Logan Flodell CHL goaltender of the week
Of the Blades seven wins this season, Flodell is credited with six.
“You know he’s been really big for us. Without him we’re probably still in good shape but it just gives our group confidence and when your group has confidence you can win games,” Blades head coach, Dean Brockman, said.
However the Blades goaltender won’t be the only player taking the ice with a little extra motivation on Tuesday. Seattle defenceman Anthony Bishop went the other way in the Flodell deal and he admits it’s a bit strange seeing his old teammates so soon after being traded.
“I’ve been communicating with them through texts and Facebook and all that but on the ice you’ve just gotta worry about yourself and I guess no friends on the ice is how it goes,” he said after arriving in Saskatoon Monday afternoon.
When all is said and done, only one of the two players will emerge with a win against his old friends.
“You always circle it on your calendar but we’ve been focusing on the last couple games. We’ve been playing really well … so I think we’re gonna have a good game tomorrow night,” Flodell said.
The Blades and Thunderbirds face off on Tuesday at 7 p.m. CT.