Blades post-season bound for first time since 2013

Saskatoon edges Ice 4-3 in shootout to clinch WHL playoff spot

The Blades celebrate locking up a WHL playoff berth.

    The drought is over.

    The Saskatoon Blades are finally back in the WHL playoffs.

    They made sure their post-season clinching game had lots of drama too.

    On Saturday night, the Blades downed the Kootenay Ice 4-3 after a tiebreaking shootout before 4,334 spectators at the SaskTel Centre to officially lock up a playoff berth for the first time since 2013. Saskatoon took the tiebreaking session 1-0 to win the regular season clash.

    The Blades clinched a playoff berth with their win combined with the fact the Prince Albert Raiders downed the visiting Brandon Wheat Kings 7-1 at the Art Hauser Centre on Saturday night.

    For Blades captain Chase Wouters, the clinching victory was a long time coming. 

Blades captain Chase Wouters is pumped to go to the WHL playoffs.

    The veteran centre, who turned 19-years-old earlier this month, was selected by the Blades in the first round and 18^th overall in the 2015 WHL Bantam Draft.

    He is skating through his third full season with Saskatoon club and saw his squad just miss the post-season in each of the past two years thanks to some late season slumps.

    Following the Blades win on Saturday, Wouters had a bit of tingly feeling knowing a playoff berth has been secured.

    “It is kind of something I looked forward to ever since I got drafted to Saskatoon when I was 14,” said Wouters, whose team sits third overall in the WHL with a 38-14-8 mark. “I guess it is just a pretty surreal like feeling knowing that we are going to be able to play in them this year.

    “It is something we’ve been talking about all year. It has been a goal since the start. It is pretty important to our group here to be able to play in the playoffs.”

Kyle Crnkovic had the shootout winner for the Blades.

    Saskatoon built a 3-1 lead after two periods only to see the Ice rally to force overtime with two third period goals.

    After a scoreless overtime frame, Blades rookie left-winger Kyle Crnkovic, who turned 17-years-old earlier this month, was the only player to score in the shootout. He deked and slid a backhand shot between the legs of Ice netminder Jesse Makaj.

    Crnkovic was excited about the fact the Blades, who are rated 10th in the CHL’s Top 10 rankings, clinched a playoff berth.

    “It is an awesome group of guys,” said Crnkovic. “I think we’ve worked for it, and we’ve earned it.

    “It is going to be an awesome time. To bring the team to the playoffs and all the fans, they deserve it. It should be a fun time.”

    The Blades broke the Ice at the 6:57 mark of the opening frame when import right-winger Kristian Roykas-Marthinsen banged home a gritty goal from the front of the Ice net.

    Saskatoon extended its edge to 2-0 with 5:40 remaining in the opening frame on a sweet play off an offensive zone faceoff. On the play, Wouters won the draw back to defenceman Brandon Schuldhaus.

Gary Haden (#14) celebrates scoring a goal with Chase Wouters.

    Schuldhaus quickly fed “Uncle” Gary Haden with a backdoor pass, and he buried his 28^th goal of the season.

    The Ice didn’t go away. With 1:39 remaining in the first period, Kootenay right-winger Jaeger White wired a midrange shot to the top left corner of the Saskatoon goal to cut the Blades lead to 2-1.

    The Blades extended their lead to 3-1 at the 5:05 mark of the second, when veteran defenceman Reece Harsch wired home his fourth goal of the season.

    It seemed the Blades were going to cruise to victory holding a 3-1 edge after 40 minutes and a 31-17 advantage in shots on goal.

Dorrin Luding makes a glove save for the Blades.

    While Saskatoon was controlling play, Blades first year head coach Mitch Love didn’t think his players were at their best in those frames and being a bit off became more obvious in the third and overtime.

    “I didn’t think we played a great hockey game tonight,” said Love. “Guys are aware of that.

    “We have some things we have to tighten up. At the end of the day for the city and for the organization, it is a big day to get back in the playoffs and see what happens.”

    Before joining the Blades this season, Love spent the previous seven seasons on the staff of the Everett Silvertips. The Quesnel, B.C., product started with the Silvertips as an assistant coach and strength and conditioning coach. 

Jaeger White sniped home a goal for the Ice.

    He finished his time in Everett as an assistant coach and an assistant to the general manager.

    The Silvertips have never missed the playoffs since their inaugural campaign in 2003-04.

    During his post-game media scrum on Saturday, Love said he was focused on correcting what the Blades did wrong and looking to find ways to help the Saskatoon players continue to improve.

    When asked if he was just conditioned to always expecting to be in the post-season from his time in Everett, Love smiled and stepped out of the focused coach zone for a bit.

    “There are a few guys in the room who obviously haven’t played a playoff game in their career,” said Love. “It is awesome for them.

    “They are going to get that experience. We have a lot of guys that we have brought in here throughout the year that have had playoff experience.

    “This is my eighth consecutive season of playoff hockey, so I may look like I’m not that excited tonight, but I am. I’m a hockey coach, and I am always looking to be better the next day. I’m excited for our guys.”

Bradley Ginnell had a goal for the Ice.

    The Ice came with a huge push back in the third. Ice left-winger Bradley Ginnell scored with a spin around shot with 9:55 remaining in the third, and Kootenay rookie centre Jakin Smallwood potted the equalizer with 6:44 remaining in the third to force a 3-3 tie and overtime.

    The Blades almost didn’t make it to the shootout had it not been for the play of netminder Dorrin Luding. He made a glove save on a dangerous shot from White and later stopped the overager on a breakaway.

    In the final seconds of overtime, Luding had to stone Ice defenceman Marco Creta on a dangerous chance to allow the contest to progress to a shootout.

    That set the stage for Crnkovic to come through with his heroics in the shootout.

    Luding made 34 saves over 65 minutes and stopped all three shooters he faced in the shootout to pick up the win in goal for the Blades. Makaj turned away 38 shots over 65 minutes and turned away two of three shooters in the shootout to take the extra time setback in the Ice net. Kootenay saw its record move to 11-38-7-3.

Kyle Crnkovic (#16) celebrates scoring his shootout winner.

    Luding, who split last season between the Silvertips and Seattle Thunderbirds, said it was big for the Blades to return to the post-season.

    “It is a great accomplishment for us,” said Luding, who was traded by the Thunderbirds to the Blades last June. “I think we’ve made such large strides, and we can only make larger ones.

    “I think the sky is the limit for us.”

    The Ice return to action on Sunday, when they travel to Moose Jaw to face the Warriors at 4 p.m. at Mosaic Place.

Blades mascot Poke Check enjoys a celebration moment with the fans.

    The Blades resume play on Tuesday, when they host the Lethbridge Hurricanes at 7 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre.

    Going forward, Love said the Blades have to keep finding ways to get better and keep progressing.

    “We have to again just go back to work,” said Love. “It is nice we have an “x” across our name in the standings, but we have a tough opponent coming in here on Tuesday, and we have to be ready for that.”

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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White’s third-period winner puts Blades on Ice

Jaeger White had the winning goal for the Ice on Thursday.

    Jaeger White believes he hit the jackpot when it comes to playing with potential linemates as an overage player in the WHL.

    The 20-year-old Medicine Hat product was traded from his hometown Tigers to the Kootenay Ice on Aug. 14. With the ice, White has found himself playing right wing on a forward line centred by 17-year-old star Peyton Krebs, who is targeted to be a possible high selection in next year’s NHL Entry Draft.

    The two combined for a highlight reel goal in a Thursday WHL regular season clash between the Ice and the host Saskatoon Blades at the SaskTel Centre. With the two sides locked in a 2-2 tie in the third period, Krebs and White broke into the Blades zone on a rush.

    Krebs slide a pass across the face of the Saskatoon net to White, who promptly buried his ninth goal of the season to give the Ice a 3-2 at the 9:32 mark of the frame.

The Ice celebrate White’s winning goal.

    With 64 seconds to play in the third, Krebs blasted home and insurance marker to give the Ice a 4-2 victory before 3,802 spectators.

    “Obviously, I am really fortunate to play with Peyton (Krebs),” said White, who has nine goals and six assists appearing in all 16 of the Ice’s regular season games in the current campaign. “He has unbelievable skills.

    “I try to just keep it simple out there and do the right things for him. We found some success so far this year.”

    Scoring the winning goal helped White out on his individual game. Entering play on Thursday, he was held pointless in each of the Ice’s three previous outings.

    “I’ve been in a little bit of a slump, so that was obviously a big goal and good for my confidence,” said White. “To get the two points and help the team out is nice.”

    The Blades drew first blood in Thursday’s clash, when feisty left-winger Riley McKay forced a turnover on the forecheck in the offensive zone. The puck found its way to Blades centre Tristen Robins behind the Ice net.

Jaeger White (#21) had a strong game on the forecheck.

    Robins centred a pass to the front of the net to Kristian Roykas-Marthinsen, and the Norwegian import right-winger quickly buried his sixth goal of the season to give the Blades a 1-0 lead at the 11:45 mark of the first period.

    The Ice tied things up at 1-1 just 46 seconds later. On rush down the right wing, Krebs sent a shot on the Saskatoon goal off a spin move, and right-winger Nick Bowman potted the equalizer on the rebound.

    While White is Krebs’ linemate, the veteran winger said he hasn’t needed to pass on any advice to sophomore centre.

    White first began playing in the WHL on a full-time basis as a 16-year-old with the Lethbridge Hurricanes in the 2014-15 campaign. He has been a journey man in the major junior ranks being a member of six different teams and hitting the ice to play for five of those squads.

Cameron Hausinger had two assists for the Ice on Thursday night.

    “I am always there, if he (Krebs) needs someone,” said White. “He is a super intelligent kid.

    “He is mature beyond his years. I’m there when he needs me, but for the most part, he is a pretty smart kid. He has a good head on him.”

    With 14.1 seconds remaining in the second period, the Blades jumped back out in front 2-1, when left-winger Gary Haden knocked home a loose puck in the crease of the Ice goal.

    Just seconds after that goal, Blades netminder Nolan Maier stoned Ice centre Brett Davis on a chance from in front of the Saskatoon goal.

    Thursday’s game derailed for the hosts in the third period. At the 6:02 mark, Meier tried to pass the puck down the boards in his own zone.

Peyton Krebs had a goal and two assists for the Ice on Thursday night.

    The puck landed on the stick of Ice right-winger Cameron Hausinger. Hausinger passed the puck in front of the Saskatoon goal to linemate Brad Ginnell, who fired home his fourth goal of the season to force a 2-2 tie.

    Ginnell’s goal kicked the Ice into high gear resulting in the tallies from White and Krebs that followed. Hausinger picked up his second assist of the contest on Krebs’s goal.

    “I thought we had an unbelievable third period and overall a good game,” said White, who had a strong game on the forecheck. “Obviously, that is a good team over there.

Peyton Krebs, left, and Duncan McGovern celebrate the Ice’s win.

    “We were really proud of our effort tonight.”

    Maier made 27 saves to take the setback in goal for the Blades (9-6-2). Duncan McGovern stopped 32 shots to pick up the win in the Ice (6-7-2-1) net.

    The Ice face a big challenge on Friday, when they travel to Prince Albert to face the WHL leading Raiders (15-1). The Raiders have been the top rated team in the CHL Top 10 rankings for the past three weeks.

    Going forward, White is happy he has found a home for his overage season with the Ice.

    “It is nice to finish off the year and play as a 20-year-old,” said White. “I am really happy to finish it out with Kootenay.

    “We have a good team here, a lot of guys that want to be here and succeed. For sure, we are going to push for playoffs.”

    The Blades return to action on Friday, when they travel to Moose Jaw to take on the Warriors (6-4-3).

Clark out of Four Nations Cup with leg injury

Emily Clark waves to the SaskTel Centre crowd.

    One look at Emily Clark and it was obvious that she wouldn’t be available to play for Canada at the Four Nations Cup women’s hockey tournament.

    The 22-year-old Saskatoon product is a forward on Canada’s senior national women’s hockey team and helped Canada win a silver medal at the Winter Olympics held last February in PyeongChang, South Korea. Clark took part at a pre-game ceremony at the Saskatoon Blades contest on Thursday night at the SaskTel Centre sporting a walking boot on her left leg.

    The skilled forward suffered a left leg injury while playing for the University of Wisconsin Badgers women’s hockey team of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Clark’s injury occurred in the opening minutes of a Badgers 4-2 home win on Oct. 13 against the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs.

    Hockey Canada announced on Thursday that Clark and forward Sarah Potomak, who is from Aldergrove, B.C., would be unable to play in the Four Nations Cup due to injury.
    Kristin O’Neill, who is from Oakville, Ont., and Jamie Lee Rattray, who is from Kanata, Ont., will replace Clark and Potomak on the Canadian roster for the Four Nations Cup, which will run in its entirety at the SaskTel Centre.

    Clark is an alumna of the Saskatoon Stars female midget AAA hockey team.

    The Four Nations Cup opens on Tuesday with Finland taking on the United States at 12 noon, and Canada will take on Sweden at 7 p.m. The four-team tournament runs through to Nov. 10.

    Canada will face Finland in pre-tournament game on Sunday in Prince Albert at 6 p.m. at the Art Hauser Centre.

Back in the Express with Four Nations Cup advancer

    I was back in the pages of Saskatoon Express this week with a cover story to advance the Four Nations Cup hockey tournament.

    The Four Nations Cup is an annual elite women’s hockey tournament that features the senior national teams from Canada, the United States, Finland and Sweden. It starts on Tuesday and runs through to Saturday, Nov. 10 with all games being held at the SaskTel Centre.

    The Four Nations Cup itself started in 1996 as the Three Nations Cup featuring Canada, the United States and Finland. The event became the Four Nations Cup in 2000, when Sweden joined the field.

    My Express story on that event can be found by clicking right here.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.

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Feeling connected calms the mental health seas

Ryan Holfeld, left, and myself during a social time.

    When he coached the Medicine Hat Tigers, Willie Desjardins often told his players one of the best places to be was at the rink.

    For me, that can expand to the football field, a basketball court, volleyball court, soccer pitch or even a UFC octagon ring. The reason those places are the best places to be are the people that are there.

    The athletes, coaches, trainers, staff, facility attendants and even the fans in the stands make those places enjoyable.

    In my life, I have found the athletes, coaches and staffers to be the most genuine and real people I know. It is the main reason I continue to be a regular at the Rutherford Rink and the Physical Activity Complex on the University of Saskatchewan campus, Saskatoon Minor Football field and so far a handful of WHL rinks.

    Since November of 2012, I have known I have had issues dealing with anxiety. The issues rose due to a mental health issue I discovered in my workplace at the time, which was the Medicine Hat News, and that resulted in a whole host of spinoff problems.

    There is still a stigma around mental health issues, and they are unfortunately still treated as the elephant in the room in too many circles.

    From the start of my mental health journey, the one constant group of forward thinking backers I have had have been the young athletes that have played either in the WHL, the Canadian Interuniversity Sport ranks or the Canadian Colleges Athletic Association. I have found they have always been the most open minded and genuinely positive in helping on the mental health front.

    I remember talking about a few of these young adults with former Medicine Hat College Rattlers men’s volleyball head coach Steve Russell during a coffee chat, and he said their support on the mental health front is fitting because these are our future leaders.

    If I tried to make a list of all the people I have leaned on, I fear I might leave someone out.

    The first group of people that knew about what I was going through included Tigers grads Brennan Bosch, Ryan Holfeld and David Schlemko. From Bosch and Holfeld, the group quickly expanded to the members of the 2012-13 University of Saskatchewan Huskies men’s hockey team. Bosch and Holfeld were in the middles of their CIS careers with the Dogs at that time.

    The early list also included Talayna Tremblay and Kelsey Konihowski, who were both still with the Medicine Hat College Rattlers women’s volleyball team at the time. All of five of those people were key in helping me make my initial steps forward.

The Hilltops win in the Canadian Bowl was a good time.

    Since those beginnings, the list has greatly expanded. Over the past eight months the conversations haven’t been about mental health, when I have been at sporting venues or visiting my friends that are involved in high-level sports. The visits mainly revolve around regular talks you have every day on a variety of topics.

    When I am in those moments, I feel most normal. Actually, I usually don’t even think about my anxiety battles until I am home or I am spending time alone.

    Connectivity is the main reason I remain around the sports scene.

    That connectivity can be viewed at an obvious time like when the Saskatoon Hilltops won their 18^th Canadian Junior Football League title back on Nov. 7, 2015. I think everyone that was at Saskatoon Minor Football Field that day felt connected to what went on at that Canadian Bowl championship game.

    Connectivity also comes during a more quiet time like last Sunday at the Agriplace Arena. After watching the Saskatoon Stars fall 3-2 to the Prince Albert A & W Bears in a Saskatchewan Female Midget AAA Hockey League game, I spent a lengthy time visiting with University of Saskatchewan Huskies women’s hockey team members Kaitlin and Morgan Willoughby and their mother, Dinah.

    Our conversation ventured through all sorts of subjects including mutual friends, memories from sports and the Edmonton Oilers from Wayne Gretzky’s days.

    This season, I decided I would get my Canadian Hockey League pass in order to work a little more on the major junior circuit again. In those travels, I have felt a renewed connectivity to a vast network of people I got to know covering the WHL as a beat reporter for 15 seasons. Even Red Deer Rebels head coach, general manager and owner Brent Sutter smiled when he saw me during pre-game before his squad took to the ice to face the Saskatoon Blades at the SaskTel Centre. (Side note: Sutter does smile and he does so more than you think).

Being on the WHL trail allowed me to have a great visit with Jaeger White.

    On Saturday night, I had a great visit and talk with Brandon Wheat Kings centre Jaeger White, who is the step son of current Medicine Hat Tigers head coach and general manager Shaun Clouston. I’ve known White since his bantam hockey days, and I was impressed with how mature he was during our talk that I almost forgot he is 17-years-old.

    Connectivity is the thing for me that makes all the bad stuff with anxiety wash away.

    Actually, the more connected someone with a mental illness feels connected with their community and surroundings the better off he or she will be. As this is Bell Let’s Talk day, I hope everyone remembers how powerful connectivity can be.

    When you have visits with someone who is battling a mental illness, the talk doesn’t necessarily have to be about that subject. It can be about any topic of mutual interest.

    The key is to visit and to visit in person, because those visits can go a long way to improving your overall mental health.

    If you have any comments you would like to pass along about this post, feel free to email them to stankssports@gmail.com.