nivek_wahs
03-13-2007, 03:04 AM
http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/sports/story.html?id=1a6afef3-4abe-4b8a-b6ae-2289edd99d89
Ugly duck Blades seek swan look
Doug McConachie, The StarPhoenix
Published: Tuesday, March 13, 2007
A lot of guys, and more than a few women, are still amazed Lyle Lovett once convinced Julia Roberts to marry him. Whatever Lovett had -- and it was obviously more than skin deep -- was enough to con the American beauty into saying "I do." So what if it didn't last, Lovett at least got to the dance floor.
Which is sort of the same position the Saskatoon Blades are in today. They can hear music playing in the background. Despite their shaggy and scruffy appearance, they're three wins away from a chance of convincing the WHL and the Brandon Wheat Kings into going to the dance with them.
Three wins in this, the final week of the six-month, 72-game schedule, would make it a very interesting race to the finish line against both Moose Jaw and Prince Albert.
However, it should be noted that the if Moose Jaw were to sweep their final weekend series with the Swift Current Broncos, the Blades would be out, despite winning their finals three games.
The fact the Blades even find themselves still alive despite having just three victories in their last 10 contests and only five in their last 20 is surprising. It has been an ugly race down the stretch -- one that you don't want to talk about or remember 10 years from now -- that is unless they sneak into the post-season.
As bad as it has been for Saskatoon, Prince Albert has been even worse. The Raiders have just four wins in their past 20, making them eligible for the biggest collapse award and bringing into question the future of both Donn Clarke as general manager and Peter Anholt as coach.
And while all this nonsense has been going on, Moose Jaw has climbed back into contention with a 5-5 record in their past 10 games, 8-12 in their last 20. Those usually aren't numbers that inspire post-season confidence.
So maybe none of these clubs deserve to face Brandon in the first round of the playoffs, but in hindsight you could also argue Lovett didn't deserve to be with Roberts. (Or maybe she didn't deserve to be with him).
But Lovett married Roberts and presumably he made the best of it.
Now the Blades want some of that sweetness too.
"Making the playoffs is critical," coach-GM Lorne Molleken has repeatedly said. Playoff hockey is played at a whole new level. It is when you find out if you have got character on your team. Saskatoon found out last year how little character it had when the team folded in the second round of the playoffs against Medicine Hat, prompting Molleken to clean house and start fresh this year.
Not many following the WHL circus thought the Blades would be good enough to make the post-season. Saskatoon has just three 20-yearolds in its lineup, no 19-year-olds and just 10 returnees. With one of the youngest lineups in the league, there was a lot of speculation the Blades would be cannon fodder.
But none of that matters today. The Blades have a shot and, to a player, they believe they can do it.
Molleken also says hockey is "95 per cent mental." Perhaps that explains why Saskatoon is 5-7 against Moose Jaw, 5-8 against Swift Current and 4-4 with Regina, all teams ahead in the division.
It might also explain why the Blades have just one win in eight games against Prince Albert.
Once a team has your number, it can hang on forever. If Saskatoon had just a .500 record with the Raiders, Saskatoon would have been in the driver's seat.
At least the Blades control their own destiny and that of the Raiders as well, and could make life awfully difficult for the Warriors with a sweep to end the season. Wednesday's contest with the Warriors should be a winner -- maybe just as much for the fans.
dmcconachie@sp.canwest.com
© The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2007
Ugly duck Blades seek swan look
Doug McConachie, The StarPhoenix
Published: Tuesday, March 13, 2007
A lot of guys, and more than a few women, are still amazed Lyle Lovett once convinced Julia Roberts to marry him. Whatever Lovett had -- and it was obviously more than skin deep -- was enough to con the American beauty into saying "I do." So what if it didn't last, Lovett at least got to the dance floor.
Which is sort of the same position the Saskatoon Blades are in today. They can hear music playing in the background. Despite their shaggy and scruffy appearance, they're three wins away from a chance of convincing the WHL and the Brandon Wheat Kings into going to the dance with them.
Three wins in this, the final week of the six-month, 72-game schedule, would make it a very interesting race to the finish line against both Moose Jaw and Prince Albert.
However, it should be noted that the if Moose Jaw were to sweep their final weekend series with the Swift Current Broncos, the Blades would be out, despite winning their finals three games.
The fact the Blades even find themselves still alive despite having just three victories in their last 10 contests and only five in their last 20 is surprising. It has been an ugly race down the stretch -- one that you don't want to talk about or remember 10 years from now -- that is unless they sneak into the post-season.
As bad as it has been for Saskatoon, Prince Albert has been even worse. The Raiders have just four wins in their past 20, making them eligible for the biggest collapse award and bringing into question the future of both Donn Clarke as general manager and Peter Anholt as coach.
And while all this nonsense has been going on, Moose Jaw has climbed back into contention with a 5-5 record in their past 10 games, 8-12 in their last 20. Those usually aren't numbers that inspire post-season confidence.
So maybe none of these clubs deserve to face Brandon in the first round of the playoffs, but in hindsight you could also argue Lovett didn't deserve to be with Roberts. (Or maybe she didn't deserve to be with him).
But Lovett married Roberts and presumably he made the best of it.
Now the Blades want some of that sweetness too.
"Making the playoffs is critical," coach-GM Lorne Molleken has repeatedly said. Playoff hockey is played at a whole new level. It is when you find out if you have got character on your team. Saskatoon found out last year how little character it had when the team folded in the second round of the playoffs against Medicine Hat, prompting Molleken to clean house and start fresh this year.
Not many following the WHL circus thought the Blades would be good enough to make the post-season. Saskatoon has just three 20-yearolds in its lineup, no 19-year-olds and just 10 returnees. With one of the youngest lineups in the league, there was a lot of speculation the Blades would be cannon fodder.
But none of that matters today. The Blades have a shot and, to a player, they believe they can do it.
Molleken also says hockey is "95 per cent mental." Perhaps that explains why Saskatoon is 5-7 against Moose Jaw, 5-8 against Swift Current and 4-4 with Regina, all teams ahead in the division.
It might also explain why the Blades have just one win in eight games against Prince Albert.
Once a team has your number, it can hang on forever. If Saskatoon had just a .500 record with the Raiders, Saskatoon would have been in the driver's seat.
At least the Blades control their own destiny and that of the Raiders as well, and could make life awfully difficult for the Warriors with a sweep to end the season. Wednesday's contest with the Warriors should be a winner -- maybe just as much for the fans.
dmcconachie@sp.canwest.com
© The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2007