2019 Playoff Preview: E2)Saskatoon Blades vs E3)Moose Jaw Warriors

E2)Saskatoon Blades vs E3)Moose Jaw Warriors

For our playoff previews, we start out in the East Division. The second-seeded Blades return to the playoffs and draw the third-seeded Warriors.

Game Visitor Home Date Time
1 Moose Jaw @ Saskatoon Friday, March 22 7:00
2 Moose Jaw @ Saskatoon Saturday, March 23 7:00
3 Saskatoon @ Moose Jaw Tuesday, March 26 7:00
4 Saskatoon @ Moose Jaw Wednesday, March 27 7:00
5 * Moose Jaw @ Saskatoon Friday, March 29 7:00
6 * Saskatoon @ Moose Jaw Saturday, March 30 7:00
7 * Moose Jaw @ Saskatoon Monday, April 1 7:00

 

Franchise playoff history: Last played in the 1st round in 2003. Moose Jaw won 4-2

They also played each other in the round robin back in 1986. Both teams advanced to the next round.

2018-19 head-to-head: Saskatoon won the season series 5-1.  Max Gerlach led Saskatoon with 8 points, Tristin Langan led Moose Jaw with 9 (in 5 games).

Saskatoon points leaders: Dawson Davidson 75, Gerlach 74, Kirby Dach 73, Ryan Hughes 69, Gary Haden 65

Moose Jaw points leaders: Langan 113, Justin Almeida 111, Brayden Tracey 81, Josh Brook 75, Jett Woo 65

Max Gerlach (photo-Nichole Hansberger)

2018-19 season:

-Saskatoon – For the first time since 2013 the Saskatoon Blades will be members of the Western Hockey League playoffs. The Blades have been amongst the league’s best teams in the second half of the season.

Since January 13th Saskatoon has just two regulation losses, one coming in the last game of the season to PA. Ten different Blades had at least ten goals this year highlighted by Max Gerlach’s 42 while Gary Haden and Ryan Hughes (SAS/POR) hit 30. Balance is what describes this Blades team, Mitch Love has no problem playing any of his top three lines or top two defense pairings against anybody from another team.

The power play was 10thin the league and both units are balanced. The penalty kill was fifth in the league and the Blades took the third least penalties in the whole league, only Moose Jaw and Medicine Hat took less. The Blades won 23 games at home and 22 on the road. Many will question the experience of this Blades teams but in the past two years general manager Colin Priestner has completely remade the Blades top four defense (who all have playoff experience) and the top two lines to focus on building around Kirby Dach and Chase Wouters, who are the only players in the top six to have not played in a WHL playoff game.

Tristin Langan (photo-David Zammit)

-Moose Jaw – Top heavy is the best way to describe the Moose Jaw Warriors. Tristin Langan, Justin Almeida, Brayden Tracey, Josh Brook and Jett Woo combined for 150/234 Warriors goals… which is over 64% of the Warriors’ offense. The top guys get basically the full two minutes on any power play and that has lead to a 27.5% efficiency which is good for third best in the WHL.

On the penalty kill, the Warriors were amongst the most discipline teams in the league, only the Medicine Hat Tigers were shorthanded less. The Warriors were a far better team on the road than at Mosaic Place, Moose Jaw won 24 times on the road compared to just 16 times at home. Langan, Almeida, Brook, Woo, Tate Popple, Matthew Benson and Adam Evanoff are the only Warriors left from last years team that won 52 games.

Kirby Dach (photo-Andy Devlin/Edmonton Oil Kings)

Storylines to watch:

For the Blades it will be how do their centremen play in the playoffs. None of Kirby Dach, Chase Wouters, Eric Florchuk or Tristen Robins is born before 2000 and the only one to play a playoff game is Florchuk who played just two for Victoria when he was 16.

This group will have their hands full going up against Tristin Langan and Josh Brook/Jett Woo…. it is difficult to find a shift where one of the Warriors top two defensemen is not on the ice. The Blades have acquired plenty of playoff experience on the backend; Dawson Davidson, Nolan Kneen, Brandon Schuldhaus and Reece Harsch have combined for 95 post-season games. There will be pressure riding on 18-year-old Nolan Maier to catch fire at the right time.

Adam Evanoff (Andy Devlin)

For Moose Jaw, the biggest question is: Can they get any production outside of their top line and top two defensemen? It will be interesting to see how hard head coach Tim Hunter rides those five and how they respond. This series will arguably be decided whether or not Moose Jaw gets anything from guys like the Taphorn twins, Carson Denomie, and Tate Popple.

The other story for Moose Jaw is who will be in goal? The numbers suggest Adam Evanoff as his .916 save percentage is higher than Brodan Salmond’s .906 although Salmond did play more minutes. Salmond did not play particularly well against the Blades in his last two starts.

How they match up:

This series essentially comes down to who gets the most out of their depth players. It’s evident at this point that Moose Jaw’s top line will get their points but when the game tightens up in the playoffs, will that be enough? The numbers point to Saskatoon having an advantage at five on five play. It could also come down to discipline, as we have seen down the stretch, the refs put their whistles away at this time of the year. Between two of the least penalized teams in the whole league.

DubNetwork prediction: Saskatoon in five.