‘That’s why we’re playing the game:’ Maier ready for first divisional meeting with Pats

Nolan Maier is back between the pipes for the Saskatoon Blades, and there’s no other place he’d rather be.

The 19-year-old goaltender is now in his third season with the Blades, but a lower-body injury sidelined the WHL team’s starter right after the turn of the calendar.

The lower-body injury kept Maier out of action for nine consecutive games following the Blades’ 4-3 loss to the Edmonton Oil Kings on Jan. 5.

Backup rookie Koen MacInnes ended up shouldering the entire load for the Blades during Maier’s absence. The 17-year-old MacInnes fared quite well under the circumstances, posting seven wins, one loss and one overtime loss over the span.

Maier came back from his injury with a statement win. He started Friday in Moose Jaw, stopping all 20 shots fired his way for his first shutout of the season and the seventh of his career.

Maier said there were some pre-game jitters, but he overcame them in the shutout win.

“It felt really good. I didn’t know how I was going to feel. A little nervous, if I’m being honest,” he said. “It was a good result. I think there were times where we weren’t as good as we wanted to be.”

Maier followed that first game back with his first action at home in the SaskTel Centre with a tough 4-3 loss to Lethbridge on Saturday.

Maier stopped 17 of the 21 shots directed at him during the game. A tough end to the first period with a late goal was followed by another just 28 seconds into the second frame.

Just under six minutes after, Lethbridge popped another past Maier. The eventual game-winner was scored with just under five minutes to go in the second period.

Maier said it wasn’t the way he wanted to return, but the Blades’ tough schedule could share the blame in the loss.

“There’s been times where we were kind of soft (Saturday), and we weren’t making the harder play,” he said. “That was our sixth game in nine nights, so it’s a little bit of a (tiring issue) for some guys in the room.”

Regardless, Maier knows what the team needs to do moving forward into the playoff stretch drive to be successful.

“(Focusing) on what we can control, and (that’s) all we can do,” he said.

Maier’s focus quickly turned to the next task at hand — the first home meeting of the season against the Regina Pats.

The Pats come in sporting a record of 15-26-3-2 and are one spot back of the Blades in the East Division standings. There is quite the divide between the two teams in points, though, with the Blades at 25-20-2-2 on the year entering Wednesday’s matchup.

Maier said he’s ready to take on the Pats for the first time in his 2019-20 campaign.

“It’s the game of hockey. We all love it, that’s why we’re in this league and that’s why we’re playing the game,” he said.

“It’s a little bit more intense with a division rival. It’s going to be fun. We haven’t played (the Pats) at home yet, so I’m excited.”

In the teams’ first meeting of the season, the Pats got the better of the Blades on Jan. 26. Cole Dubinsky’s overtime marker 3:29 into the extra frame sealed the win for the home side in a 4-3 victory.

MacInnes stopped 18 of 22 in that outing.

The puck drop for Wednesday’s game is set for 7 p.m., at SaskTel Centre.