Blades Stun Oil Kings in Game 7 Overtime to Advance to Round 2
WHL Saskatoon Blades

Blades Stun Oil Kings in Game 7 Overtime to Advance to Round 2

Published on April 7, 2026 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Saskatoon Blades News Release


Edmonton, AB - The Bridge City Bunch are headed to Round 2 of the Western Hockey League (WHL) Playoffs presented by Nutrien!

The Saskatoon Blades ousted the Edmonton Oil Kings 4-3 in Round 1 of the postseason after a 3-2 overtime victory in Game 7 on Monday at Rogers Place in Edmonton. The victory marked the first time in franchise history Saskatoon's won a series deciding Game 7 on the road.

"We never wavered," said Blades Head Coach Dan DaSilva, "We knew that, you know, if we stuck to our game plan, stuck to the way we needed to play, that we'd have success. Yeah, it's easy to get off track when things start going awry, but our guys did a good job getting things back on the rails."

20-year-old alternate captain Rowan Calvert was the overtime hero for the Blue and Gold 7:23 into the extra frame. The Moose Jaw, SK native deflected the puck around Oil Kings netminder Parker Snell to punch Saskatoon's ticket to the next round. Calvert finished the game with a goal and an assist. The veteran winger assisted on forward Cooper Williams' game-tying goal with 5:08 remaining in regulation to make it 2-2. Game 7 marked the second consecutive game in the series Williams tied the game late in the third period to force overtime.

Calgary Flames draft pick Hunter Laing finished with a pair of helpers on the night, while Edmonton Oilers draft pick David Lewandowski notched two powerplay points with a goal and an assist.

Columbus Blue Jackets prospect Evan Gardner stopped 30 of 32 Oil King shots to improve his 2026 postseason record to 4-1-2-0. The third-year netminder is now 6-5 all-time in his postseason overtime career.

The Blades are on a collision course with the Eastern Conference's top Prince Albert Raiders. It's the first series between the Highway 11 rivals since 2024 when the Blades eliminated the Raiders in five games in Round 1. The last time these teams met in Round 2 was a 4-2 series victory for Prince Albert in 2019.

The series begins in Prince Albert at the Art Hauser Centre on Friday, Apr. 10 followed by Game 4 the following night. The series shifts to SaskTel Centre for Game 3 on Tuesday, Apr. 14 with Game 4 the following night. Puck drop for both games is 7:00pm.

Single game tickets for games 3 and 4 at SaskTel Centre go on sale Tuesday, Apr. 7 at 10:00am!

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Western Hockey League Stories from April 7, 2026


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