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When the Saskatoon Blades hopped on the bus and made their way down to Calgary to take on the Hitmen in the first round of the Western Hockey League (WHL) playoffs, they knew they had their work cut out for them.
But after dropping the first two games 4-2 and 5-1, the Blades return home down 2-0 in the best of seven series and their backs are against the wall.
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Head coach Dan DaSilva said his team hasn’t said die all year long and they won’t start now.
“This group just keeps fighting,” he said. “Last time I checked it’s still four games to lose before you’re done, so it’s only two (losses).”
Da Silva said the Blades need to simplify their game plan against the Hitmen.
“There were a few areas structurally that we could improve on,” he said. “We have to find more ways to spend time in the offensive zone, we’re defending like crazy, we go to the red line (and) dump (the puck) in and then we have to change because we’re out of gas.”
Now with the series shifting back to the Sasktel Centre in Sakatoon, where the Blades saw a ton of success winning 20 out 34 games, Da Silva said it’s good to be back.
“It’s nice to get home, get some home cooking and play in front of our fans, who I expect to be really, really loud,” he said.
Captain Ben Saunderson expressed the same sentiment.
“We’re glad to be back home (and) get some energy from our home crowd,” said Saunderson.
Blades goaltender Evan Gardner faced 81 shots in the first two games, and Saunderson said it’s important to keep Calgary out of the shooting lanes.
“Just tighten up through the neutral zone — they’re a good team, they play really fast,” he said.
“(We need) to dial in through the neutral zone and defend a little bit harder … (and) to close on them a little quicker and give (Gardner) a break.”
In the 2023 WHL playoffs the Blades found themselves down three games against Red Deer before, pulling off a comeback to win the series.
Saunderson, who was on that Blades team, said other members of that team are also pulling on that experience.
“That’s been something that will be talked about and has been touched on a little bit,” he said. “Just to never roll over and that’s something that this group won’t do.”
Puck drop for game three is at 7 pm on Tuesday.
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