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WHL Saskatoon Blades

Blades Erase 3-0 Series Deficit, Force Game 7

April 24, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Saskatoon Blades News Release


Saskatoon Blades' Trevor Wong on game night
Saskatoon Blades' Trevor Wong on game night
(Saskatoon Blades)

Red Deer, AB - Buckle up, Blade City. We're in for another Game 7!

Egor Sidorov recorded three points as the Saskatoon Blades won Game 6 at the Peavey Mart Centrium Sunday afternoon 5-3 vs the Red Deer Rebels.

Saskatoon opened the scoring 35-seconds into the game and jumped out to a 2-0 lead after the first period. The Rebels never led in the game as the Blades goaltending and defence clamped down the rest of the way.

Rookie goalie Austin Elliott got the nod between the pipes and stopped 35 of 38 shots for his second victory this postseason.

The Blades trailed 3-0 in the second-round best-of-seven series, but have proved everyone wrong and have a chance to go to the Eastern Conference Final Tuesday at SaskTel Centre. Saskatoon improves to 4-0 in elimination games these playoffs.

Head Coach Brennan Sonne started his top guns of Egor Sidorov, Trevor Wong, and Brandon Lisowsky up front and they made their impact felt immediately. Sidorov went around the cage of Rebels netminder Chase Coward strong on his edges before scoring a stunning one-handed goal 34-seconds in. The Vitebsk, Belarus product leads the club with eight goals in the postseason, scoring two on the powerplay in Game 5 at home. Sidorov's goal sucked the life of out of what was an electric Peavey Mart Centrium prior to puck drop.

Wong added his fifth goal of the playoffs with under four-minutes left in the opening period making it 2-0 Saskatoon. Saskatoon's alternate captain extended his point streak to six games with the tally giving him eight during that stretch. Wong leads the Blades in points with 19 in 13 postseason games after finishing top on the club in the regular season with 86.

Forward Jace Isley breathed life back into the arena putting the Rebels on the board just over five-minutes into the middle frame. The pending WHL graduate scored later in the game has two goals and six points this series.

Sidorov scored his second of the game just under halfway through the game but it all started with a great read by Wong on the powerplay. The 5-foot-9 speedster picked off a Rebels clearing attempt leading to a 3-on-0 for the Blades, leaving an easy tap-in for Sidorov just outside the crease. Sidorov earned the secondary-assist on Wong's goal giving him 18 points in 13 playoff appearances.

Edmonton Oilers prospect Jake Chiasson extended his point streak to three games with his fourth goal of the postseason. The 19-year-old Abbotsford, BC. product sniped one past Coward after Blades defenceman Spencer Shugrue pinched to put the Rebels on their heels. Chiasson has nine points in 13 playoff games this season after just three assists in six appearances last year.

WHL Player of the Year nominee Kai Uchacz brought the Rebels with two with his ninth of the playoffs. The De Winton, AB. product has goals in three straight outings for five total during that stretch, and sits at 13 points in 11 playoff games. The Blades were in a good position headed into second intermission but knew there was still work yet to be done.

Isley got his second of the game just over eight-minutes into the final 20 but Carrot River, SK's own hit the empty net near the end of the frame to seal the game for the Blue and Gold.

What's Next?

The Blades lace up for their fifth elimination game this postseason Tuesday at SaskTel Centre. It's the second straight series the Blue and Gold will play in a do-or-die Game 7, beating Regina 4-1 in Round 1.

Tickets go on sale Monday, Apr. 24th at 12:00pm.

Doors open at 5:30, and puck drop is 7:00pm.

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Images from this story

Saskatoon Blades' Trevor Wong on game night
Saskatoon Blades' Trevor Wong on game night
   



Western Hockey League Stories from April 24, 2023


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