Blades Complete Sweep Over Rebels With 7-0 Thumping
April 18, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Saskatoon Blades News Release
Saskatoon Blades on game night
(Saskatoon Blades)
SWEEP: The Saskatoon Blades seem to always find a way to win four straight against the Red Deer Rebels.
Saskatoon swept the Rebels in their Round 2 best-of-seven series rematch after a 7-0 victory Wednesday at the Peavey Mart Centrium in Game 4. The impressive feat comes one year after the Blades pulled off a 3-0 series comeback against the Rebels, just the third time in WHL history a team has done so. For the third time in franchise history, the Blades are headed to back-to-back Eastern Conference Finals.
Everything clicked for the Blue and Gold in Game 4. Anaheim Ducks prospect Egor Sidorov scored his second hat-trick in as many nights with two assists to go along with his first star performance. The Belarusian sniper came into games 3 and 4 in Red Deer pointless and left with six goals and two assists. Sidorov's performance gives him the lead in team scoring this postseason with ten goals and 14 points in nine games.
Rookie netminder Evan Gardner stopped all 26 Red Deer shots for his first career WHL playoff shutout. After being yanked in Game 3 for allowing four goals on 20 shots, the NHL draft-eligible goalie bounced back to improve his playoff record to 7-0. Gardner boasts a 1.66 goals-against average and .928 save percentage in the postseason.
Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick Brandon Lisowsky collected a goal and two assists for third star honours. The Port Coquitlam, BC product has two goals and four assists in his last two contests, giving him four goals and 11 points in nine games.
Defencemen Ben Saunderson and Nicholas Andrusiak each had a pair of assists in Game 4. Saunderson's up to two goals and five helpers in nine games, while Andrusiak has a trio of apples in six games.
The Blades have won eight straight games and are headed back to the Eastern Conference Final with a much-deserved rest until then. Saskatoon awaits who their opponent will be from the Moose Jaw Warriors and Swift Current Broncos series. The Warriors currently lead the series 3-1.
NEXT GAME: The Blades enjoy some much-needed rest while they await their Eastern Conference Final opponent from the Moose Jaw Warriors and Swift Current Broncos series. That series is tied 2-2.
Images from this story
 Saskatoon Blades on game night |
Western Hockey League Stories from April 18, 2024
- Rockets Force Game Five After 2-1 Victory Over Cougars - Prince George Cougars
- Blades Complete Sweep Over Rebels With 7-0 Thumping - Saskatoon Blades
- Broncos Pushed to Brink of Elimination After Loss to Warriors - Swift Current Broncos
- Rockets Take 2-1 Victory Over Cougars - Kelowna Rockets
- Warriors Take Both in Swift Current, Lead Series 3-1 - Moose Jaw Warriors
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