nivek_wahs
03-15-2007, 04:03 AM
http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/sports/story.html?id=6e275338-97a8-4fe4-9867-1f81ba3f94c6&k=56820
Blades staying alive
Saskatoon keeps playoff hopes alive: weekend series against Raiders looms large
Cory Wolfe, The StarPhoenix
Published: Thursday, March 15, 2007
His team had just won the biggest game of the year, but as the buzzer sounded Wednesday, Saskatoon Blades coach Lorne Molleken quietly ducked into the tunnel and disappeared.
There's still work to be done.
Facing a must-win situation to keep their playoff hopes alive, the Blades beat the Moose Jaw Warriors 3-1 in front of 5,189 patrons at Credit Union Centre.
"We're in a playoff battle right now," Molleken told reporters. "Our focus and resolve were tremendous. The guys did a real good job in a lot of areas.
"Now we keep going." The Blades crept to within two points of the Prince Albert Raiders -- who lost 2-1 to Regina -- for the East's final playoff berth. Moose Jaw (27-49-3-0) also remains in contention, sandwiched between the Raiders (26-38-3-3) and the Blades (26-40-2-2).
Saskatoon and Prince Albert cap the regular season with a home-and-home series starting Friday at Art Hauser Centre. Moose Jaw has a home-andhome with Swift Current.
"We had a chance to knock Saskatoon out of the race (Wednesday) and we gave them life again," said Warriors captain Steven Gillen.
A revitalized power play -- with goals by Joe Logan and Brad Cole -- propelled Saskatoon to victory.
Entering Wednesday's game, the Blades had scored on just two of their last 45 power-play chances.
"(Wednesday) was like Game 7 of the playoffs for us," said Blades goaltender Braden Holtby, who made 17 saves.
"We had to win no matter what -- no ifs, ands or buts. That's how we approached it and if we had some bad bounces, we couldn't control that." After a scoreless first, the teams traded quality chances in the first five minutes of the middle frame. Warrior forward Matt Isbister had a clearcut breakaway from the blue-line in after Logan was stripped of the puck at centre ice. However, Holtby gave Moose Jaw's 15-goal man little to shoot at and Isbister fired the puck right into Holtby's breadbasket.
Moments earlier, Warriors goaltender Joey Perricone got his pad on a dangerous shot from Saskatoon's leading scorer, Ryan Menei.
The Blades finally broke the ice with a power-play goal 13:58 into the second period as Logan jumped up from his point position and converted a long, back-door pass from Menei.
Saskatoon's power play clicked again -- this time 4-on-3 -- less than four minutes later. Cole had plenty of time and space to spank a slapshot past Perricone.
Derek Hulak put Saskatoon ahead 3-0 early in the third before Gillen got one back for Moose Jaw.
Blades winger Rastislav Konecny saw his first action since Jan. 5 when he broke his jaw in Brandon. Although the Slovakian import didn't show up on the scoresheet, he looked comfortable on a line with Colton Gillies and Walker Wintoneak. That unit was particularly effective on the cycle in the first period when Saskatoon outshot Moose Jaw 14-7.
Overall, the Blades had a 34-18 advantage in shots.
"This game doesn't matter if we don't win the next two," said Holtby.
BLADE BITS: Blades C Justin McCrae (groin) missed a sixth straight start . . . Warriors RW Jordan Knackstedt, a Saskatoon product, had his points streak stalled at 14 games . . . Prior to Wednesday's game, the Blades paid tribute to play-byplay man Les Lazaruk, who called his 1,000th WHL game last week in Cranbrook, B.C.
cwolfe@sp.canwest.com
BLADES GAMES REMAINING:
Both against the Prince Albert Raiders
Friday, 7:30 p.m. in Prince Albert
Saturday, 7:05 p.m.
Credit Union Centre
© The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2007
Blades staying alive
Saskatoon keeps playoff hopes alive: weekend series against Raiders looms large
Cory Wolfe, The StarPhoenix
Published: Thursday, March 15, 2007
His team had just won the biggest game of the year, but as the buzzer sounded Wednesday, Saskatoon Blades coach Lorne Molleken quietly ducked into the tunnel and disappeared.
There's still work to be done.
Facing a must-win situation to keep their playoff hopes alive, the Blades beat the Moose Jaw Warriors 3-1 in front of 5,189 patrons at Credit Union Centre.
"We're in a playoff battle right now," Molleken told reporters. "Our focus and resolve were tremendous. The guys did a real good job in a lot of areas.
"Now we keep going." The Blades crept to within two points of the Prince Albert Raiders -- who lost 2-1 to Regina -- for the East's final playoff berth. Moose Jaw (27-49-3-0) also remains in contention, sandwiched between the Raiders (26-38-3-3) and the Blades (26-40-2-2).
Saskatoon and Prince Albert cap the regular season with a home-and-home series starting Friday at Art Hauser Centre. Moose Jaw has a home-andhome with Swift Current.
"We had a chance to knock Saskatoon out of the race (Wednesday) and we gave them life again," said Warriors captain Steven Gillen.
A revitalized power play -- with goals by Joe Logan and Brad Cole -- propelled Saskatoon to victory.
Entering Wednesday's game, the Blades had scored on just two of their last 45 power-play chances.
"(Wednesday) was like Game 7 of the playoffs for us," said Blades goaltender Braden Holtby, who made 17 saves.
"We had to win no matter what -- no ifs, ands or buts. That's how we approached it and if we had some bad bounces, we couldn't control that." After a scoreless first, the teams traded quality chances in the first five minutes of the middle frame. Warrior forward Matt Isbister had a clearcut breakaway from the blue-line in after Logan was stripped of the puck at centre ice. However, Holtby gave Moose Jaw's 15-goal man little to shoot at and Isbister fired the puck right into Holtby's breadbasket.
Moments earlier, Warriors goaltender Joey Perricone got his pad on a dangerous shot from Saskatoon's leading scorer, Ryan Menei.
The Blades finally broke the ice with a power-play goal 13:58 into the second period as Logan jumped up from his point position and converted a long, back-door pass from Menei.
Saskatoon's power play clicked again -- this time 4-on-3 -- less than four minutes later. Cole had plenty of time and space to spank a slapshot past Perricone.
Derek Hulak put Saskatoon ahead 3-0 early in the third before Gillen got one back for Moose Jaw.
Blades winger Rastislav Konecny saw his first action since Jan. 5 when he broke his jaw in Brandon. Although the Slovakian import didn't show up on the scoresheet, he looked comfortable on a line with Colton Gillies and Walker Wintoneak. That unit was particularly effective on the cycle in the first period when Saskatoon outshot Moose Jaw 14-7.
Overall, the Blades had a 34-18 advantage in shots.
"This game doesn't matter if we don't win the next two," said Holtby.
BLADE BITS: Blades C Justin McCrae (groin) missed a sixth straight start . . . Warriors RW Jordan Knackstedt, a Saskatoon product, had his points streak stalled at 14 games . . . Prior to Wednesday's game, the Blades paid tribute to play-byplay man Les Lazaruk, who called his 1,000th WHL game last week in Cranbrook, B.C.
cwolfe@sp.canwest.com
BLADES GAMES REMAINING:
Both against the Prince Albert Raiders
Friday, 7:30 p.m. in Prince Albert
Saturday, 7:05 p.m.
Credit Union Centre
© The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2007