Blades clinch playoff spot in front of electric home crowd

The Saskatoon Blades are going back to the WHL playoffs.

In front of the largest home crowd this season consisting of 7,523 fans, the Blades snapped Connor Bedard’s point streak while defeating the Regina Pats 3-1 Friday night at the SaskTel Centre.

It felt like a playoff game with so much at stake for both teams. While the Blades clinched a playoff spot, Regina is currently in a dogfight for one of the final spots up for grabs.

Blades Head Coach Brennan Sonne says snapping Bedard’s 21-game point streak took a full team effort.

“With any elite player, you do the opposite of what you’d think. You actually get on them harder, you don’t give them any time,” Sonne said on how his team handled Bedard defensively.

“He’s an elite player so you have to be aware of (him) every time he’s on the ice. When he gets loose, it’s dangerous.”

Bedard felt he didn’t create enough scoring chances for him and his linemates tonight.

“I thought they created a lot more than we were able to. Today, I don’t think I created enough and I can put that on myself,” Bedard said.

Saskatoon was in control, for the most part, outshooting Regina 44-24.

Egor Sidorov, Marek Schneider and Tristen Robins were the respective goal scorers for the Blades.

It was Schneider’s first as a Blade this season for the local Prince Albert product.

“I was yelling for the puck and next thing you know, it pops right into the slot and I put everything I had into it,” Schneider said.

Blades goaltender Ethan Chadwick earned his sixth win of the year in goal, stopping 23 of 24 shots.

Nolan Maier had a rare night off for the Blades, as the Yorkton-born goaltender is just two wins shy of tying the WHL record.

Maier has 118 career victories in a Blades uniform and has a chance to make history with just eight games remaining on the schedule. 

Saskatoon will face Moose Jaw Saturday night, while Regina begins a three-game home stand against the Brandon Wheat Kings.

The Blades are just one point back of the Warriors, as the two teams appear to be in a battle for home ice in a potential playoff series.

Regina remains four points back of Swift Current for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, however, have two games in hand on the Broncos.

The Blades and Pats will meet one last time this season on March 30th.