Darren Steinke

Blades blow two-goal lead, down two games in series with Raiders

PRINCE ALBERT-3 SASKATOON-2

Prince Albert leads series 2-0

Game 2

Hockey games can change a lot in two minutes. In order to win a series in which you are the road team, you need to win at least one game to get the series. The Saskatoon Blades looked like they were on their way to securing the win thanks to a much better effort than Game 1 but this game changed with 26 seconds left in the second period with a goal that gave the Raiders life and changed the outcome of the game.

“It was the reason the score was the way it was tonight verse Game 1. We just competed and worked harder, we took two minutes and 40 seconds off in the hockey game and that was the difference,” said Blades head coach Mitch Love (Courtesy: saskatoonblades.com).

In the first period the Blades had a much better start. The teams played four-on-four just 52 seconds in as Riley McKay and Brett Leason got into it during a line change. The teams then traded chances on the penalties but nothing came on them.

Dante Hannoun (photo-raiderhockey.com)

The Blades got a four-on-one a little later but a slow developing play hindered the Blades chances to score. Dante Hannoun then tripped up Gary Haden which got a diving gesture from Raiders Head Coach Marc Habscheid but the Blades were unable to make anything of it until just as Hannoun was about to step out of the box.

The game’s first goal was netted by a top prospect for the 2019 NHL Draft. Kirby Dach picked up the puck around centre ice and beat Leason then made a nice move to get around Brayden Pachal and tucked it by goalie Ian Scott to make it 1-0 just four seconds after the penalty ended.

Nolan Maier had a strong period with his best stop coming on a cross-crease one-timer. The Raiders had a power play but could barely enter the zone. Saskatoon got the only goal of the period and the Raiders led in shots 10-8.

The feisty affair continued in the second period. Brandon Schuldhaus took a penalty just 16 seconds in as he caught Leason with a high stick. The Raiders power play continued to struggle as they once again did not generate much.

Prince Albert then got caught with too-many men a few minutes later and the Blades made them pay. A Dawson Davidson point shot sneaked through Scott and Eric Florchuk was able to put the puck home for his first playoff goal which put the Blades up two.

Near the end of the period, McKay continued his penalty troubles taking his sixth minor in two games. Simultaneously as McKay stepped out of the box Aliksei Protas found Zach Hayes and he beat Maier over the glove to finish the period at 2-1 for the Blades.

Well, in the third period the game changed completely. The Blades struggled to clear the puck for what seemed to be an eternity. Once they were able to, it led to a line change which is when Hannoun was able to find some space and score on Maier to tie the game.

Just 28 seconds after the goal, Spencer Moe was sprung loose on a partial breakaway, Dawson Davidson caught him and went to lift the stick, the refs though he got too much and called Davidson for the slash.

Nine seconds into the power play, Sean Montgomery found a loose puck in-front of the net and slid it through the legs of Maier for the eventual game winner. Saskatoon had two power play chances in the third but were unable to capitalize, the best chance coming off Ryan Hughes stick as he got loose and hit the post.

“We’ve played some good hockey at home this year I think it’s going to be an energetic building with our fans and their fans. Just like PA, they won their home games we got to go home and try to win our games and we’ll see what happens after that,” Love said (courtesy: saskatoonblades.com).

Game 3 goes in Saskatoon on Tuesday night. The Blades will look to avoid falling into a three nothing hole.