SASKATOON-3 PRINCE ALBERT-2
Meaningless game or not this was still Blades vs Raiders, one of the best rivalries in the Western Hockey League. The Prince Albert Raiders have already locked up first place in the Eastern Conference and now a match-up with the Red Deer Rebels. The Saskatoon Blades have locked up second in the division and will play the Moose Jaw Warriors in round one next Friday. But nevertheless, bragging rights still must mean something, as both teams dressed all their regulars (Dante Hannoun is injured for PA) .
“Even though it was the last regular season game it felt like a playoff game, we knew that coming in. Two of the biggest contenders in the league this year and we feel we’re just as good as them (if not better) so we knew it was going to be a pretty tough matchup and I think we played pretty well and obviously deserved the win,” said Blades Forward Max Gerlach.
Before the game started 20 year olds Max Gerlach, Brandon Schuldhaus and Dawson Davidson were honored as graduating players. In the first period it took just 1:21 for the Raiders to get on the board. Spencer Moe won the faceoff right to Parker Kelly who beat Nolan Maier with his 35th of the season. The Blades were able to reply just over four minutes later. Some good pressure by the line of Chase Wouters, Max Gerlach and Gary Haden lead to a puck getting to Schuldhaus at the point and he got the puck on the boards and fired it over the shoulder of Raiders goalie Ian Scott. The back and forth chippy style game continued the rest of the period. With 36 seconds left Riley McKay was able to get Justin Nachbaur to retaliate and the Blades headed to the power play. Kirby Dach had a good chance just as the buzzer sounded, although the Raiders continued their undisciplined play as captain Brayden Pachal cross-checked Dach in the face. Shots at the end of one were 11-8 Saskatoon.
The Blades started the second period on a five on three and it took just 37 seconds. Kirby Dach and Nolan Kneen switched up top then Dach went across to Davidson who hit Ryan Hughes backdoor and he had the easy tap-in to put the Blades up 2-1. The Raiders had two power-plays in the period and almost two whole minutes of zone time on the one, but Nolan Maier stood tall and the Blades bent but didn’t break. The Raiders held the shot advantage in the period, 13-9.
In the third period, Kirby Dach set up Randen Schmidt backdoor who was stopped by Ian Scott then was pushed into Scott for a questionable goaltender interference call. The Raiders made quick work of the power play as Noah Gregor was able to get a shot off six seconds into the man advantage and tie the game. Just over a minute later Spencer Moe boarded Kristian Roykas-Marthinsen and it was the Blades turn for the power play. But just 16 seconds in a scramble in front led to Chase Wouters getting cross-checked by Zack Hayes and the Blades got their second lengthy five-on-three. A Ryan Hughes fanned one-timer ended up on the stick of Kirby Dach who hit the post, but Max Gerlach was there to clean up and get the eventual game winner. The shots in the game finished 32-30 for Saskatoon.
“I liked our guys willingness to stay with things even though there was a few breakdowns at time that we wanted to tighten up. A lot of the mistakes we made really gave them life in terms of their offense. When you’re doing that against the best scoring team in the league, you can’t do that and think you’re going to survive but that’s something for our guys to work on,” said Blades head coach Mitch Love on what to clean-up for tomorrow’s rematch.
Announced attendance was 9188 and the 50/50 went for over $62,000. The two teams go at it again tomorrow night for one final tune-up before the playoffs.
