By John K. White

This was a game of major moments. Big saves, big goals and big hits.

In the end, the Sherwood Park Saints managed a few more of those game-breakers than the Leduc Roughnecks, and the Saints live to fight another day in their 2024-2025 playoff run.

Reno Zaharia potted two goals to lead Saints scorers, including a partial break roof job to bust the 1-1 tie early in the third period.

The first period was a tight-checking feeling-out session as both teams played defence first, ending in a 0-0 deadlock.

The Saints dominated zone time in the second period but only came away with one goal. Leduc got their lone goal of the game on a clever shot from behind the net on a bank-in off of the goalie’s skate.

Speaking of goaltending, both masked men robbed shooters several times on the night. The Saints’ Ben Kraiger stopped two clear breakaways and made the save of the year on a quick kick and redirect gem. Not to be outdone, Leduc’s Walter Spila made a dramatic windmilling arm/shoulder save that left the Saints shooter in disbelief. The victim actually congratulated the tender on the AAA-stop.

Blake Will dropped one of the huge hits in the contest, and that was matched by the stellar keep-away board play by Dominic Amyotte-Lorenson.

The Saints were down five regulars thanks to a nasty flu bug and other nicks and scrapes.

PHOTO GALLERY

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Game photos by John K. White.

First of a three-shot sequence showing Reno Zaharia scoring what would prove to be the game-winning goal.

Second of a three-shot sequence showing Reno Zaharia scoring what would prove to be the game-winning goal.

Third of a three-shot sequence showing Reno Zaharia scoring what would prove to be the game-winning goal.

Leduc scores their lone goal of the game on behind the net bank-in special.

First of a three-shot sequence showing goaltender Ben Kraiger making a spectacular kick save and puck redirection into the corner.

Second of a three-shot sequence showing goaltender Ben Kraiger making a spectacular kick save and puck redirection into the corner.

Third of a three-shot sequence showing goaltender Ben Kraiger making a spectacular kick save and puck redirection into the corner.