Gerlach ignites Blades offence, series with Raiders evened 2-2

Max Gerlach had a goal and two assists for the Blades in Game 4.

    You couldn’t keep Max Gerlach off the scoresheet forever.

    The Saskatoon Blades overage right-winger was held pointless during the first three games of a WHL Eastern Conference semifinal series against the Prince Albert Raiders. The product of Flower Mount, Texas caught fire at the right time for the Blades in Game 4 on Wednesday night.

    With the Blades trailing the Raiders 1-0 before 7,761 spectators at the SaskTel Centre, Gerlach sniped home a power-play goal into a tight space from the slot just over the left shoulder of Raiders star netminder Ian Scott to even things up at 1-1. 
    Gerlach’s tally came with 7:58 remaining in the second period.

    Just 71 seconds later, Gerlach got the puck to 17-year-old rookie centre Tristen Robins in the right slot by the Prince Albert goal. Robins fired home a shot to give the Blades a 2-1 lead.

    Gerlach picked up his second assist of the contest on a goal from rookie left-winger Kyle Crnkovic with 3:48 remaining in the third period to give Saskatoon a 3-1 advantage.

The Blades celebrate a goal from Max Gerlach (#9).

    Veteran centre Eric Florchuk scored into an empty net with 2:07 remaining in the third to seal a 4-1 Blades victory over their archrivals. Florchuk’s goal set off a big celebration among the Blades faithful, who made up about 75 per cent of that night’s crowd.
    Offensive defenceman Dawson Davidson also picked up three assists for the Blades in the offensive outburst.

    With the win, the Blades even the best-of-seven series with the Raiders 2-2. Game 5 is set for Friday at 7 p.m. at the Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert.

    Gerlach was pleased he was able to deliver on the scoreboard on Wednesday night.

    “Obviously, I am counted on to produce offence,” said Gerlach. “In a series like this with arguably the two top teams battling right now, goal scoring and chances are coming at a premium.

Dante Hannoun gave the Raiders a 1-0 lead on Wednesday.

    “I wasn’t able to contribute the first (three) of games, but helping the boys out tonight really feels good, and hopefully, we can keep going.”

    The series between the Raiders and Blades is very much a heavyweight tilt.

    The Raiders topped the WHL’s regular season standings with a 54-10-2-2 record and were rated second in the final CHL Top 10 rankings. The Blades finish fourth overall in the WHL’s regular season standings with a 45-15-8 record and earned honourable mention status in the final CHL Top 10 rankings.

    In the opening 20 minutes, the Raiders had ever opportunity to run away with the game. Overage centre Dante Hannoun put the visitors up 1-0 with a short-handed goal coming off a Blades turnover at the 11:15 mark of the first.

Ian Scott turned away 34 of 37 shots in goal for the Raiders.

    The Raiders weren’t able to build off Hannoun’s goal despite holding a 22-12 edge in shots on goal in the opening frame. Prince Albert had numerous chances to score working on four power-play chances.

    The Raiders were on a four-minute power play starting at the 16:38 mark of the second when overage Blades defenceman Brandon Schuldhaus was dinged with a tripping minor and an unsportsmanlike conduct minor.

    “I thought our first period like we took too many penalties,” said Blades head coach Mitch Love. “That was just uncharacteristic of our group.

    “You can’t put that team on the power play for almost (eight) minutes in the opening frame here, especially in a playoff game. Then we settled ourselves, got our composure and played the game five-on-five.

Nolan Maier turned away 43 shots in goal for the Blades.

    “That first period could have been over in a heartbeat. It could have been 3-0, 4-0 for them, and we are not even having this conversation about the result for our end tonight.”

    The Raiders weren’t able to expand their advantage on the scoreboard thanks to the play of star Blades netminder Nolan Maier, who made 43 saves to pick up the win in goal. Maier also had some key help from his teammates.

    Early in the second period, Blades import right-winger Kristian Roykas-Marthinsen cleared away a loose puck that sitting just before the goal-line of the Saskatoon net.

Tristen Robins scored for the Blades on Wednesday.

    “I thought we probably deserved a better fate like the first half of the game,” said Raiders head coach Marc Habscheid. “We hit some posts.

    “We hit the shaft of a stick. We missed some chances again, had lots of chances, and they just wouldn’t go in. We just have to find a way to score a few more goals.

    “We have enough skill eventually they will go in. Their goaltender played good again. Give him credit.”

    Maier said he felt engaged with the game due to the Raiders onslaught of shots in the first period.

Kyle Crnkovic had the Blades third goal on Wednesday.

    “No matter when those times come in a game, I have to be ready,” said Maier. “Luckily at the start of the game, I was able to just like jump right in.

    “I was able to get going right away, so I felt really good.”

    After the Blades weathered the Raiders opening outburst, Gerlach hit high gear for the home side, which Love was pleased to see.

    “Once he got that power-play goal like most offensive players it gives them life,” said Love. “He started to make things buzz.

    “He did a real good job there on Crnkovic’s goal of going to the net and kind of drawing some attention. It opened up Crnkovic going in there and jamming it home, so that was obviously a big goal in the hockey game.”

    Overshadowed in the Blades victory was the fact Scott had a solid game in goal for Prince Albert. He turned away 34-of-37 shots to take the setback in net for the Raiders.

The Blades and Raiders scrum it up

    Hannoun said his squad has to give Scott more offensive support than just the one goal the Raiders did score over the past two games.

    “I thought we created a lot of chances, but we just have to bear down on our next ones,” said Hannoun. “I think we just have to be stronger on our second and third opportunities.”

    Hannoun wasn’t surprised that his team is in a battle with the Blades.

    “It is playoff hockey,” said Hannoun. “Every team is going to bring their A-game, so we just have to battle hard.”

    So far in the series between the Raiders and Blades, the home team has prevailed each time out in the first four games.

The Blades faithful at the SaskTel Centre cheer on their team.

    The Raiders took the first two game at the Art Hauser Centre in Prince Albert, while the Blades won Games 3 and 4 at the SaskTel Centre.

    Gerlach believes his Blades are playing well enough they could potentially break that trend as the visitor in Game 5.

    “That is probably one thing that everyone is looking at right now,” said Gerlach. “We’ve played a lot of good hockey up there, a lot of strong hockey.

    “Game 2 definitely everyone saw that. It was just a couple minute breakdown. I think that they got some fortunate bounces, and they were able to pot a couple.

The Blades celebrate their win on Wednesday night.

    “I think if we can kind of play the way we have obviously here these two games and go in and play how we did the first 30 minutes kind of in Game 2 in their barn we will be fine.”

    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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