The Saskatoon Blades are looking to extend their winning streak to six games when they take on the Red Deer Rebels on Friday.
A number of things are working well for the Blades right now, including their second line.
The line of Braylon Shmyr, Josh Paterson and Chase Wouters was put together just prior to Christmas.
The trio found instant chemistry, racking up 35 points during the team’s current five-game win streak and are having fun playing together.
“All three of us are really good playmakers, I think that’s what makes us have really good chemistry,” said Shymr, who is the most recent Western Hockey League’s player of the week.
“We always try to find each other on the ice, Patty (Paterson) he always seems like he is in front of the net and that’s where he gets his goals.”
Blades assistant coach Ryan Keller said with other teams focusing on Cameron Hebig, having another line scoring adds to the team’s success.
“I don’t know if you want to call it secondary scoring, but scoring from all over,” Keller said.
“Heb’s (Hebig) is our big gunner and teams come in and take notice of him and try to isolate him and take him away from us, so when you have these other guys stepping up, it makes them second-guess that and makes these guys a big threat.”
The Blades will be without three players heading into their match with the Rebels.
Forward Caleb Fantillo is expected to be out another two to four weeks with a lower body injury while forward Kirby Dach is listed as day-to-day with an upper body injury.
Defenceman Libor Hájek will also miss the game as he plays with the Czech Republic at the World Junior championships.
Friday’s game is the first of three games in three nights for Saskatoon. After Red Deer on Friday, the Blades take on the Kootenay Ice at home Saturday then travel to Brandon to take on the Wheat Kings on Sunday.
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