Blades stave off elimination with Game 4 victory over Warriors

The Saskatoon Blades are still breathing after a 5-3 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors in Game 4 of a best-of-seven WHL playoff series at SaskTel Centre on Wednesday night.

Moose Jaw had a chance to sweep Saskatoon, something Saskatoon managed to do the last time the two teams played in the playoffs back in 2019.

Blades goaltender Nolan Maier made several key stops down the stretch and was ecstatic about sending the series back to Moose Jaw for Game 5 on Friday night.

“It was everything for us. It was our season on the line and for us 20-year-olds, it was our career that was going to be finished,” Maier said.

Blades head coach Brennan Sonne credited Maier’s play, especially down the stretch to close things out.

“(The Warriors) had a bunch of chances there in the third that were point blank that he stood tall on. He’s a very important player for us and he’s kept us in every game this series,” Sonne said.

Warriors head coach Mark O’Leary is already looking ahead to Game 5 of the series and looks forward to playing in front of the home fans in Moose Jaw.

“I think we’ll be better. We’re back at home which is obviously a positive. (In Game 4), I don’t think we played the way we wanted to. It will be good to have a day off, just reset, and right back to work,” O’Leary said.

Even though the Warriors were unable to earn the sweep, O’Leary says they are pretty happy with how the first four games have gone in the series.

“Before the series started, I think if we had been given a 3-1 lead, we would’ve taken it,” he said. “Our guys have dug in here so far, but we have to close it out.”

Saskatoon got off on the right start with two tallies in the first frame. Egor Sidorov struck first, followed by a late goal by Kyle Crnkovic with 13 seconds left to put the Blades up 2-0.

Moose Jaw would cut the lead in half midway through the second period with a Maximus Wanner goal from the point.

However, the Blades would quickly push the lead back to two goals after a 2-on-0 goal scored by Noah Boyko made it 3-1.

Despite trailing by two goals once again, Moose Jaw continued to claw back.

Wanner scored his second goal of the night late in the second period before Ryder Korczak found the back of the net to knot the game at 3-3 early in the third period.

Saskatoon stuck with it on the offensive end. Rhett Rhinehart capitalized off a Warriors change and found the top corner behind Carl Tetachuk to retake the lead 4-3.

The Blades relied on Maier the rest of the way, as he made 11 of 12 stops in the third period to shut down the Warriors’ offence.

Crnkovic would add an empty-netter, making the final 5-3 Saskatoon.