Sports stats



WHL Saskatoon Blades

Blades Force Game 5 Friday Night at SaskTel Centre

April 20, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Saskatoon Blades News Release


Saskatoon Blades right wing Jake Chiasson and left wing Brandon Lisowsky vs. the Red Deer Rebels
Saskatoon Blades right wing Jake Chiasson and left wing Brandon Lisowsky vs. the Red Deer Rebels
(Saskatoon Blades)

Red Deer, AB - Put the brooms away, we're not finished yet.

The Saskatoon Blades kept their season alive Wednesday at the Peavey Mart Centrium winning Game 4 vs the Red Deer Rebels 4-2.

Things looked over for Saskatoon as they went into first intermission down 2-0 but goalie Ethan Chadwick was out of this world in victory stopping 34 of 36 shots, improving his playoff record to 4-1. Four different Blades stepped up on the scoresheet to storm back with four unanswered goals, three coming in the third period.

Saskatoon still has a massive hill to climb trailing 3-1 in the series, but play shifts back to Saskatoon Friday at SaskTel Centre where the Blades will look to feed off of an electric home crowd.

It was the best start the Blades had all series but couldn't build on it as forward Justin Lies received a five-minute major and a game-misconduct for checking to the head. WHL Player of the Year nominee Kai Uchacz scored 3:03 into the Rebels man-advantage to make it 1-0 for the hosts. The 2003-born center wasn't finished there.

Uchacz picked up a loose puck with 6:55 remaining in the first period and snuck it underneath Chadwick to extend their lead to two. The De Winton, AB. native now has six goals and nine points in as many games this postseason. Linemate Jace Isley collected the primary assist on both tallies giving him three points in the series after being withheld from the scoresheet in Round 1 vs the Calgary Hitmen.

First periods in the three previous games saw no goals and the first time it happens the Blades trailed 2-0.

Fighting for his WHL career captain Aidan De La Gorgendiere scored his first career playoff goal 12:09 into the middle frame on the powerplay. The 6-foot-1 blueliner rifled a shot from the point that found it's way through traffic in front of Rebels netminder Kyle Kelsey. De La Gorgendiere is having an impressive postseason with ten points in 11 games. 19-year-olds Trevor Wong and Jake Chiasson assisted on the tally to bring Saskatoon within one.

Kelsey made numerous show-stopping saves to keep the Rebels ahead 2-1, but Chadwick matched him with a save of the year candidate.

Offence hasn't been easy to come by for the Blades this series heading into Wednesday with just four. Needing a goal bad, Carrot River, SK's own Jayden Wiens tied the game 2-2 just over 4:00 into the final 20. The equalizer is Wiens fifth tally of the postseason giving him six points in 11 games.

Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Brandon Lisowsky gave Saskatoon their first third period lead of the series with a perfect shot on a breakaway. Defenceman Ben Saunderson flung a gorgeous feed up the ice to the Port Coquitlam, BC product for his third goal and seventh points of the playoffs. Lisowsky now rides a three-game points streak, a welcome sign for the Blue and Gold as they continue trying to claw back in this series.

The pride of McBride, BC. Tanner Molendyk was ranked 28th on NHL Central Scouting's final rankings ahead of the NHL Entry Draft in June and proved why. The 18-year-old blueliner notched his first career playoff goal to extend Saskatoon's lead to 4-2, earning his second point of the night in the process. In 11 games Molendyk has four points.

The Blades were held to under three goals in every game so far this series and did so in just a 4:03 span during the third period.

Red Deer sent Kelsey to the bench for the extra attacker but fearless shot blocking and defence by the Bridge City Bunch forced a Game 5 back in Saskatoon.

What's Next?

Next-Game-Apr21

Game 5 returns to SaskTel Centre Friday night as the Blades fight once again to keep their season rolling.

Puck drop is 7:00pm.

Tickets go on sale Thursday, Apr. 20th at 12:00pm.

Check out the Saskatoon Blades Statistics




Images from this story

Saskatoon Blades right wing Jake Chiasson and left wing Brandon Lisowsky vs. the Red Deer Rebels
Saskatoon Blades right wing Jake Chiasson and left wing Brandon Lisowsky vs. the Red Deer Rebels
   



Western Hockey League Stories from April 20, 2023


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central