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WHL Saskatoon Blades

Blades Lose Game 3 of Eastern Conference Championship, Face Elimination

May 3, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Saskatoon Blades News Release


Saskatoon Blades' Vaughn Watterodt and Aidan De La Gorgendiere in action
Saskatoon Blades' Vaughn Watterodt and Aidan De La Gorgendiere in action
(Saskatoon Blades)

Saskatoon, SK - The Saskatoon Blades fell 5-1 Tuesday at SaskTel Centre in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Championship vs the Winnipeg ICE.

Forward Justin Lies scored the lone goal for Saskatoon in the second period, but an early 3-0 deficit after 20-minutes of play was too much to overcome.

The Blue and Gold trail 3-0 in the best-of-seven series for a second-consecutive round and will need to recreate history once again.

Buffalo Sabres prospect Matthew Savoie ruined the party early getting the ICE on the board 2:46 into the game on the powerplay. The Blades found themselves trailing for the third straight game in the first with Savoie's team-leading 11th of the playoffs.

Just under halfway through the frame forward Zach Benson extended the ICE's lead by two. The top prospect for the upcoming NHL Entry Draft in June owns four goals and 11 points this postseason.

ICE forward Evan Friesen made it 3-0 before period's end with his fourth of the postseason. The Winnipeg, MB. product has six points in 11 playoff matchups.

Pending WHL graduate Connor McClennon netted his fourth of the series and the ICE's fourth of the game 1:13 into the second. The Philadelphia Flyers draft pick netted a hat-trick in Game 2 helping give him ten tucks and 18 points this postseason.

Flin Flon, MB's own Justin Lies got the Blades on the board just over four-minutes later with his second goal in as many games. The 6-foot-2 winger scored the Blue and Gold's opening tally in Game 2 and ripped home his third of the postseason in Game 3. Lies got a look on the first line with Toronto Maple Leaf draft pick and alternate captain Trevor Wong and didn't waste the opportunity. The 19-year-old has four points in 14 playoff games.

21-year-old forward Owen Pederson added one more for the ice with 34-seconds left in the game to make it 5-1. The Stony Plain, AB. product has four goals and ten points in 13 playoff games.

What's Next?

The Blades have their backs against the wall once again facing elimination for a sixth time this postseason Wednesday at SaskTel Centre.

If this Blades team has proved anything to people throughout this playoff run, it's that you can never count them out.

Game 4 is scheduled for 7:00pm with doors opening at 5:30pm.

Check out the Saskatoon Blades Statistics




Images from this story

Saskatoon Blades' Vaughn Watterodt and Aidan De La Gorgendiere in action
Saskatoon Blades' Vaughn Watterodt and Aidan De La Gorgendiere in action
   



Western Hockey League Stories from May 3, 2023


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