Fraser Minten overtime heroics ties series with Warriors

It sure felt like the script was flipped for Game 2 on Saturday night in Saskatoon between the Blades and Warriors.

After trailing 2-0 after the first period, the Blades found a way to overcome that deficit and win 3-2 in overtime after a Fraser Minten goal off a beautiful pass backdoor from Lukas Hansen.

The best-of-seven series is now tied at 1-1.

“It’s great, it’s why you play all year, for opportunities and moments like that. (It’s) an unreal feeling,” said Minten post game after what he called the biggest goal of his young hockey career. “I just saw space up that left side and just tried to get up as quick as I could and Hansen made a great pass and (I) just tried to get it on net.”

For the first 30 minutes of the game, the play mostly dictated by the Warriors.

They were first to pucks, skating fast and creating chances, at times pushing the Blades to their heels. Atley Calvert and Kalem Parker scored the two goals for the Warriors, but it felt like they could’ve had five goals in the first period if it wasn’t for some unlucky breaks and solid saves from Evan Gardner.

Five minutes into the second period, Parker and Vaughn Watterodt were sent to the box for offsetting minors. Shortly after, the referee called what could be described as a questionable tripping call on Moose Jaw’s Cosmo Wilson and that sent Saskatoon to a 4 on 3 power play.

On the man advantage, Tanner Molendyk found the back of the net with Minten setting the screen in front to make it 2-1.

Five minutes later, the Blades carried that momentum and Brandon Lisowsky tapped an easy shot in after Egor Sidorov pulled off a between the legs move to create the rebound which knotted things up at 2-2.

Lisowsky admitted he didn’t think there was going to be a chance like that when he was driving the net.

“Sidorov is one of the move skilled guys I’ve ever seen, so he’s going to make that play. I definitely didn’t think he was going to do that,” Lisowsky chuckled.

After no scoring in the third and some back and forth hockey, the game would go into overtime and Minten would eventually end it.

Despite his team giving up a two goal lead, Warriors head coach Mark O’Leary didn’t think his group played a bad game.

“They got a power play and they had four power plays tonight and we had two – so I think that was a big part of why they were in our end more,” O’Leary said. “I don’t think anything changed with our game – I thought we played hard and we played a great game. There were times in the game when they were pressing and I thought we did a real good job inside home plate, but I didn’t think there was a time when they took the game over – I thought it was a pretty even game.”

O’Leary didn’t want to comment on officiating or any of the specific penalties called against his team.

He added this game was an example of what this series is going to be and felt his team handled the momentum swings well.

“It’s two really good teams and it’s the ability to handle those swings. At no point when we were up 2-0 did we think the game was had by us – we know what we’re up against – we know they can score goals and tonight was a heck of a hockey game,” he explained.

Blades head coach Brennan Sonne nearly echoed those words after the game.

“The series has come as advertised, hasn’t it? It’s close, it’s elite, it’s fast, it’s competitive. I’m proud of the guys for sticking with it,” he said. “You don’t go anywhere by not digging in and you have to stick with it and they did. There were events that allowed that to happen – some massive saves, big kills, them hitting posts, but (we) got the job done.”

Sonne credited his locker room and assistant coach Dan Da Silva for helping get things back on track in the first intermission. He thought in the second period his team finally felt like how they should look like.

“We felt like in that second period, the Blades,” he said.

With the series heading to Moose Jaw for Game 3 on Tuesday, both teams are eager to get some rest and prepare for what should be another emotional set of games.

The Blades will get Easton Armstrong back as his suspension from Round 2 against Red Deer is officially over.

Sonne is excited to get one of his top players back in the line up.

“I think he’s going to provide some energy,” Sonne said.

Game 3 is scheduled for 7 p.m. in Moose Jaw. Game 4 will take place at the same time on Wednesday.

The Blades victory means Game 5 will go Friday night back in Saskatoon.