No one said playoffs would be easy. After winning their first home playoff game on Tuesday, the Saskatoon Blades were defeated 5-2 by the Edmonton Oil Kings on Wednesday, and the series is tied 2-2.
No one said playoffs would be easy.
After winning their first home playoff game on Tuesday, the Saskatoon Blades were defeated 5-2 by the Edmonton Oil Kings on Wednesday, and the series is tied 2-2.
As the game started, it was as if the Blades were picking up right where they left off the night before. Carrying over their momentum from the previous game, the Blades controlled the game at the outset, surpassing the Oil Kings in shots, puck possession and offensive zone time.
Despite the Blades clicking early in the game, it was Edmonton that opened the scoring with a goal from Miroslav Holinka. The goal brought an abrupt shift in momentum, as the Blades suddenly struggled to gain puck possession and set up plays. It was a battle, but Kazden Mathies managed to get Saskatoon on the board and tie the game, 1-1.
Late in the period, a puck-over-glass penalty to Hunter Laing would give Holinka the chance to score his second of the night on the power-play and end the period 2-1 in favour of the Oil Kings.
Neither team seemed to really have a foothold as the game moved into the second period. That changed when Lukas Sawchyn of the Oil Kings opened scoring for the period, increasing Edmonton’s lead to two and once again putting the Blades on their heels.
A slashing call to David Lewandowski five minutes into the period did not help matters, and Saskatoon was faced with an important penalty kill. The Blades were successful and seemed to gain a bit of momentum from the penalty kill as well.
That momentum would build throughout the period and culminate in Laing knocking one in off a cross-crease pass from Tristen Doyle in the last five minutes, making it a one-goal game.
In the last minute of the period, a sprawling Evan Gardner made a stellar save against Gavin Hodnett. Still, he was unable to get back in position for the rebound, and Holinka scored his third of the night to end the second with Edmonton in the lead 4-2.
In the third period, a double-minor penalty to Andrew O’Neill gave the Blades a much-needed opportunity, but their power-play was unable to capitalize. As play entered the final 10 minutes of the game, things did not look good for the Blades. Saskatoon had trouble maintaining control of the puck and setting up in the offensive zone while the Oil Kings had time on their side. In the dying minutes, Gardner headed to the bench to give the Blue and Gold an extra attacker, but it was not enough. Adam Jecho would score on the empty net, and the Blades lost the game 5-2.
The series is now tied 2-2 with Game 5 in Edmonton on Friday night.