Blades, Warriors live up to billing in playoff preview

The Saskatoon Blades and Moose Jaw Warriors had fans salivating for post-season hockey Sunday as the Blades skated to a 5-3 win in a preview of their Western Hockey League (WHL) first round playoff series.

With both teams unable to move anywhere in the standings, Sunday’s game was essentially for bragging rights heading into the game one of the series on March 22 at Saskel Centre.

Neither team seemed to care as Sunday’s game had all the makings of a playoff classic.

“Everything is out the door now against those guys,” Love said. “Us winning five games out of six in the regular season means sweet F all.”

It was the Warriors starting the scoring as Daemon Hunt’s shot from distance beat a screened Nolan Maier 6:36 into the game.

The Warriors were able to double up their lead when Tristin Langan snapped a quick shot past Maier at the end of the period to take a 2-0 lead into the first intermission.

“The one thing that we talked about after the first period was ‘we’re going to be faced with this in a couple weeks for real,'” Love said of his effort to claw his team back in the game. “I was kind of interested in the character in terms of staying to the plan and staying the course.”

Saskatoon was able to gain some life when Max Gerlach fired home a wrist shot from the top of the slot 20 seconds before Langan answered back, scoring his 50th goal of the season.

Dawson Davidson would get the game to within one goal with a quick shot off the face off. The goal came just minutes after Davidson took a hit to the head from Dalton Hamaliuk in the second period that left the 21-year-old crouched on the ice.

Entering the third period down a goal, Saskatoon’s Gary Haden was able to tie the game on his 30th goal of the season as he deflected a pass between the legs of Moose Jaw goaltender Brodan Salmond.

“We didn’t get out to the start we wanted,” Haden said. “But I think it showed good resiliency battling back against a team we’re going to meet in the first round and hopefully setting a tone for the first round of the playoffs.”

Gerlach was able to convert his 40th of the season a little more than three minutes later, and chase Salmond from the game in the process, after he was left all alone in front as Moose Jaw attempted to clear its own zone.

Haden would ice the game with an empty-net goal late in a game that was filled with intensity.

“It’s playoff hockey, baby,” Haden said following the game. “It’s going to be greasy, it’s going to be gritty and I think that’s as close as we’re going to get to playoff hockey, so I’m excited to go.”

Saskatoon went 1-for-6 on the power play while Moose Jaw was 0-for-2 with the man-advantage.

Ice Chips

Blades rookie defenceman Aidan De La Gorgendiere left the game midway through the second period with an upper-body injury. Love said he will be evaluated by doctors on Monday.

Sunday’s game ended in with a lengthy shouting match with Warriors defenceman Jett Woo at the centre of it. Both teams stayed on the ice jawing at each other until the refs were finally able to make both teams leave the ice.