Riders' O'Day believes positive steps taken in 2024
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Work has now begun on evaluating the roster ahead of the 2025 season.
The Saskatoon Blades have found themselves in familiar territory, down 0-3 in a best-of-seven series in the WHL playoffs.
It came on Tuesday night when they dropped a 5-1 decision to the Winnipeg Ice in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference championship.
For the second straight series, the Blades will have to win four straight in order to advance. Saskatoon lost the first three games to the Red Deer Rebels last series.
Blades head coach Brennan Sonne knows they are in a tough spot against the top team in the WHL during the regular season.
“You can’t take a shift off against them; (they’re a) very talented team. So you have to be all heart, all 20 guys, all 60 minutes,” Sonne said after the game.
Saskatoon got a tough lesson in that department when Winnipeg scored two minutes into the game on the power play. Matthew Savoie banged in a rebound for his 11th goal of the playoffs.
“We’re always trying to get off to as fast as a start as we can and get the momentum on our side. I thought we did a good job of that today, just playing defence first and capitalizing on our chances,” Savoie said.
The goals didn’t stop there for the Ice as Zach Benson and Evan Friesen each found the back of the net in the first period to give Winnipeg a 3-0 lead after the first.
Another penalty by Saskatoon gave Winnipeg another man advantage to open the second and the Ice made no mistakes.
Connor McClennon also scored his 11th goal of the playoffs on the power play after a nice pass from Benson, making it 4-0 Winnipeg. That goal tied McClennon with Jarret Stoll for second place on the all-time points list for Ice history.
Connor McClennon ties Jarret Stoll for second place on the Ice all time points list.
4-0 Ice. #WHLPlayoffs
— steve seto (@steveseto) May 3, 2023
“He’s grown into a really good player,” Ice head coach James Patrick said.
“I’ve had him for five years and he’s a great kid, great character kid, who competes real hard. When he started in this league he was a goal scorer and he’s learned to play a really good all-around game.”
The mountain was too high to climb for the Blades to make a comeback, but Justin Lies was able to get one past Ice goaltender Daniel Hauser to break the chance at a shutout in the second period.
Saskatoon gets on the board as Justin Lies scores his third of the playoffs.
4-1 Ice. #WHLPlayoffs
— steve seto (@steveseto) May 3, 2023
Saskatoon has also been battling injuries throughout the playoffs — like many teams — having forward Egor Sidorov and defencemen Ben Saunderson and Blake Gustafson out of Game 3.
There was also a moment early in the third period where the Blades almost lost Lies after he took an awkward fall and play had to be stopped in order to help him off the ice.
But according to Lies, he’ll be ready for Game 4.
“Honestly, I had the worst cramp. Just a really bad cramp, I couldn’t move my leg so that’s it, I’ll be ready to go,” he said.
Sonne said there was no update if Saunderson or Gustafson would be available for Game 4.
Owen Pederson scored with 30 seconds left in the game to make it a 5-1 final.
Even though Winnipeg is one win away from moving on to the next round, the players are aware of what the Blades did against Red Deer.
“I think the whole league has taken notice; we certainly have. (I) respect the hell out of them for what they accomplished being down three-nothing, the way they played coming back,” Patrick said.
“I continually remind my team of that. We’re just taking it one game at a time.”
Savoie echoed the same message from his head coach, knowing the Blades’ season is on the line.
“You have to respect this team and what they’ve done in the playoffs so far. The adversity they’ve gone through is pretty impressive,” Savoie added.
Although the Blades have found themselves in another deep hole to dig themselves out of, Sonne did find some positives in their game.
“I’m just encouraged there’s no quit,” said Sonne, noting there was some pushback in the second period after the team was down 3-0 in the game.
Sonne also said they don’t have to look too far back from being down 3-0 in a series.
“We’ve definitely had a lot of practice,” he said. “But for us, we still get to come to the rink tomorrow. We’re still together, the strength of our team is heart and no quit and how close they are. And when you get in these situations, it gets tested immensely.”
The Blades’ coach added they’ve passed that test a few times already this season.
“As long as you’re breathing, you’re fighting. And we’re still breathing, so we’re going to keep fighting,” Sonne said.
Lies says the guys in the locker room are taking that sentiment to heart and they’ll be ready Wednesday night.
“The mindset is just go out and work hard. Fight to keep this together, fight for another day, another road trip with the boys. No one’s quitting in there,” Lies said.
“Everyone’s tired, everyone’s hurt, everyone’s sore, just (give) everything you’ve got.”
Game 4 will take place at SaskTel Centre on Wednesday night with puck drop at 7 p.m.