Saskatoon Blades, Regina Pats set to renew rivalry

The Regina Pats welcome the high-flying Saskatoon Blades to the Queen City for the first game of a home-and-home series Friday evening.

Friday marks the Blades’ first trip to Regina since spending six weeks there for the 2020-21 hub season last spring.

Blades forward Kyle Crnkovic is ready to see the familiar surroundings once again.

“I’m excited. Oobviously we played there last year in the hub and were there for 60 days,” he said. “It’s good to be back in the rink and hopefully come out with two points.”

After beginning the season with a embarrassing 7-1 loss to the Moose Jaw Warriors, the Blades have won four of their last five games thanks in large part to San Jose Sharks prospect Tristen Robins and his 13 points.

Head coach Brennan Sonne doesn’t want the team to rest on its recent success.

“It’s good to feel good about yourself as a team, but it’s also important to have honest self-reflection,” Sonne said.

“When I wake up in the morning, maybe I had a light dinner the night before, I don’t see Brad Pitt. I see the reality. I’m 5-10 and need to lose 15 pounds.”

Opposite to Saskatoon, the Pats won their opening two games against Prince Albert but have since lost five straight contests.

It’s rare for a WHL team to game plan around a 16-year-old player, but not all youngsters are exceptional players like Connor Bedard. The Pats star torched the hub with 28 points in 15 games last season to garner international attention.

Sonne said Bedard isn’t the first talented player he has had the privilege of watching from behind the bench.

“There’s always good players in this league and every team has elite players. We have a few ourselves. For me, it’s important to know who’s on the ice. But I don’t think your whole time should be spent on the other team or the other players,” he said.

Sonne is expecting a gritty matchup against the workmanlike Pats.

“I think they play the right way. It is extremely aggressive. It’s a dogfight, that’s what it’s going to be. We got to be ready for the dogfight but we got to be ready to play our game,” Sonne said.

Saskatoon sits second in the East Division with nine points. Regina is tied for last in the division with four points.

Puck drop on Friday at the Brandt Centre is at 7 p.m., before the teams move to Saskatoon’s SaskTel Centre for a 4 p.m. puck drop on Sunday.

— With files from 650 CKOM’s Dallas Dahlseide