Blades to face Pats for the last time in regular season

The Saskatoon Blades will host the Regina Pats for the last time in the regular season Friday, and they’ll be playing in front of another sold-out crowd.

Even though the Pats beat the Blades 4-2 on Sunday, Saskatoon head coach Brennan Sonne said he knows his players will be facing a better-rested version of the Pats this time around.

“Regina was really tired. You could see that. You could see that they simplified their game quite a bit, and I just think they’ll have way more jump,” Sonne said. “I’d expect a more aggressive Regina.”

Although it will be a loud game with a lot of eyes on Pats captain Connor Bedard, who’s widely expected to be picked first in this year’s NHL draft, Sonne said the Blades know they have to stick to their game plan and they know the rising star isn’t the only player to keep an eye on.

“We have to play the way that we do on any given night,” Blades forward Jake Chiasson said.

“There’s so many talented players around this league that don’t get as much hype as Bedard, but it’s the same preparation for those players.”

The Blades have become one of the top teams in the Western Hockey League and sit on the verge of 100 points in the regular season. But as much as good as it does to celebrate those moments, Sonne said the team’s focus is on this weekend’s games.

Saskatoon’s final regular-season game will be played Saturday on the road versus the Moose Jaw Warriors.

“We’re trying to get our game 100 per cent playoffs-ready against Regina, and then we’ll cross the Moose Jaw bridge when we get there,” Sonne said.

The Blades could meet up with the Pats again fairly soon.

The way that the standings sit now, if the Blades win Friday, they’ll play the Pats in the first round of the playoffs. But if Regina wins its final two regular-season games and Lethbridge loses both without picking up a single point, Saskatoon will face Lethbridge instead.

Chiasson said the team isn’t worrying about that too much right now.

“The most important thing is we’re ready to play whoever is in front of us,” he said. “You’ve got to go through a number of teams to ultimately reach your goal.”

“What I’m trying to accomplish is just being at our best and enjoying the moment and getting used to playoff-style hockey,” Sonne added.

Last Sunday’s game saw record-setting attendance as Saskatoon fans lined up to see Bedard in action, and there’s a good chance that record could be broken again Friday.

Puck drop is set for 7 p.m., with doors opening at 5:30 p.m.