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WHL Saskatoon Blades

Gameday: Blades vs Rebels at 7:00pm CST

April 21, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Saskatoon Blades News Release


We're still here!

The Saskatoon Blades face elimination tonight at SaskTel Centre in Game 5 of their best-of-seven second-round series against the Red Deer Rebels.

Head Coach Brennan Sonne and crew forced another meeting between the two clubs Wednesday at the Peavey Mart Centrium in Red Deer with a 4-2 victory, making it a 3-1 Rebels series lead. Things looked bleak for Saskatoon trailing 2-0 after the first period but stormed back thanks to three goals in a 4:03 span during the third.

The Blades proved they can handle adversity well after trailing 2-0 in the series against the Regina Pats, recording back-to-back 4-3 overtime comeback wins to tie the series before winning Game 7. It's not an ideal position for the Blue and Gold but will give everything they have to keep their family and season alive.

Who to Watch

19-year-old netminder Ethan Chadwick was unbelievable in victory Wednesday night. The former Saskatoon Contact denied 34 of 36 shots for his fourth victory this postseason. Chadwick didn't flinch following two goals allowed in the first, standing tall with notable key stops including a save-of-the-year candidate in the second period.

Four different Blades scored for the Bridge City Bunch in Wednesday's do-or-die Game 4. Captain Aidan De La Gorgendiere brought his club back within one on the powerplay during the middle frame for his first career playoff goal. The pending WHL graduate is fighting to keep his career alive contributing ten points in 11 games this postseason. The carrot man himself Jayden Wiens tied the game in the third for his fifth goal and sixth point of the postseason. Not long after Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Brandon Lisowsky netted the game-winning goal on a breakaway giving him three goals and seven points in his second trip to the spring dance. Lisowsky is riding a three-game point streak with five total in his last six games. Providing insurance was NHL draft-eligible defenceman Tanner Molendyk with his first career playoff goal and his fifth point this postseason.

Three Blades were listed on NHL Central Scouting's final rankings list ahead of the NHL Entry Draft in June. Molendyk was ranked 28th, eight spots higher than where he placed in January's midterm rankings list. Forwards Egor Sidorov and Vaughn Watterodt were the other two members named on the list. Sidorov ranked 81st, five spots higher than where he landed on the midterm rankings. The Vitebsk, Belarus native is second on the club with 12 points this postseason and first in goals with five. Sidorov was the club's leading goal-man during the regular season potting 40 in 53 games, the first Blade to do so since Max Gerlach in the 2018-19 campaign. Rosetown, SK's own Watterodt cracked the list for the first time in his career at 210. The 5-foot-11 winger has eight points in 11 playoff games this year, seven coming in Round 1 vs the Regina Pats.

Vancouver, BC's own Trevor Wong recorded two assists in Game 4 adding to his team-lead of 11. Wong loves dishing apples on the powerplay leading the WHL with eight on the man-advantage. The former Kelowna Rocket also boasts the most points on the club with 15 in 11 outings with five points on a current three-game point streak.

Check out the Saskatoon Blades Statistics



Western Hockey League Stories from April 21, 2023


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