Ayres, Blades win capped busy week a year ago today

COVID-19 pandemic changed North American world days later

David Ayres signs the Wall of Fame at Wendel Clark’s.

It was an afternoon where conversation drifted to how good the menu was at Wendel Clark’s Classic Bar and Grill.

Of course, that is going to naturally happen during a social moment during a press conference on the grounds of that establishment located in the northern part of Saskatoon.

At 2 p.m. on Friday, March 6, 2020, the Saskatoon Blades were holding a press conference introducing David Ayres to the local media. Ayres at that time has become famous for hitting the ice with the Carolina Hurricanes on Feb. 22, 2020 as an emergency backup goaltender.

The media row at the David Ayres press conference.

He picked up a regular season victory as the Hurricanes downed the host Toronto Maple Leafs 6-3 at the Scotiabank Arena. Ayres, who was 42-years-old at the time, became the first emergency backup goaltender to earn an NHL regular season win.

He was in Saskatoon on March 6, 2020 to be a guest at the Blades home game against the Regina Pats that night at the SaskTel Centre. The contest against the Pats would be the Blades WHL Suits Up to Promote Organ Donation game, and the host side would wear special Hockey Night in Canada themed jerseys for that clash.

David Ayres answers questions during his press conference.

Ayres took part in the a ceremonial faceoff before that game.

He had a kidney transplant in 2004, which has allowed him to live his life to the fullest. His mother, Mary, was the donor.

Knowing all those facts, it was fitting to have Ayres in town as a special guest for that Blades contest. Ayres would hang around in Saskatoon to be a special guest at the next night’s NLL regular season game where the host Saskatchewan Rush dumped the Vancouver Warriors 17-7.

The Blades press conference to introduce Ayres on March 6, 2020 had people in attendance from every one of Saskatoon’s media outlets, which was something that doesn’t normally happen. Everyone’s schedules broke in a way that a sizable media attendance was possible.

David Ayres (#90) takes part in the ceremonial faceoff.

As another side bonus, everyone in Saskatoon’s media circles get along with each other fairly well. The presser allowed for some short catch up visits.

At that time, everyone in the building was unaware how the world in North America was going to change due to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. Restrictions and shutdowns would start taking place to battle the COVID-19 pandemic just five days later on March 11, 2020.

During the Blades press conference on March 6, 2020, there were no worries about COVID-19. In some more relaxed moments at that presser, media members were discussing how good the food was at Wendel Clark’s, because a couple of the media members had eaten there previously.

David Ayers, right, is pictured with a minor hockey team.

Aside for the social aspect, the gathering was focused on Ayres’ feel good story. He would sign the Wall of Fame at Wendel Clark’s before departing to get ready for the festivities at that night’s Blades game.

For myself, I was just living in the moment focusing on my tasks during a busy day and wrapping up a busy week. That night’s Blades game was going to finish a stretch for myself where I would cover three WHL games over four days in two different centres.

The busy stretch started with an 8-3 Raiders home win in Prince Albert over the Calgary Hitmen on March 3, 2020.

People lined up at the SaskTel Centre to meet David Ayres.

For me, it was common to work busy stretches on the WHL circuit like that. I am also totally in my zone when that happens, so I was feeling really upbeat on that March 6, 2020 day.

Little did I know, that day would be the last time I saw some of the Saskatoon media members who were at the Ayres press conference and the Blades game in person to this very day.

After posting pictures of Ayres on social media, I planned to run a short little write up about him underneath my story about the game between the Blades and the Pats. The Blades could officially lock up a WHL playoff berth with a win that night.

Bernie Burtney, right, receives a WHL Distinguished Service Award.

I planned to write a longer length column on Ayres the next day.

As is my usual custom for WHL game nights, I got dressed in my suit and tie and headed out to the SaskTel Centre.

When I got to the rink, I found out I had to add another tidbit to my post for that night. Blades off-ice official Bernie Burtney was named a recipient of the WHL Distinguished Service Award.

WHL commissioner Ron Robison was in the building that night to present Burtney with his award. I made certain to get a picture of that presentation and add a short write up about it after the short write up about Ayres on my post.

Spencer Welke makes one of his 37 saves in goal for the Pats.

The game itself between the Blades and the Pats turned out to be a goalie dual. Early in the second, the Blades took a 1-0 lead on a goal coming from rookie centre Colton Dach.

It seemed like that tally would be the difference in the contest.

The Pats evened the score at 1-1 with 43.5 seconds remaining in the third period on a wild sequence of events.

A point shot from Pats defenceman Ryker Evans deflected up high into the air as a maze of bodies engulfed the crease area of the Saskatoon goal causing a net scramble.

During the scamble, Pats right-winger Riley Krane ended up on top of Blades netminder Nolan Maier, and Maier’s catching glove got caught in Krane’s skate. When the puck came down, Pats left-winger Logan Nijhoff backhanded home the equalizer that forced a 1-1 tie.

Nolan Maier made 32 saves in goal for the Blades.

The goal held up after a video review.

The Blades wouldn’t be denied victory. Just 74 seconds into overtime, the host side scored on the power play to pull out a 2-1 win and officially lock up a WHL playoff berth.

Blades left-winger Kyle Crnkovic converted a backdoor pass from linemate Tristen Robins to net the winner to the delight of most of the 4,478 spectators in attendance.

Maier stopped 32 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Blades. Spencer Welke turned away 37 shots to take the extra time setback in goal playing as an associate player call up.

Both of the Pats regular goaltenders at that time were out of the lineup with injuries.

Colton Dach scored the Blades first goal.

For a hockey game that had a 2-1 final score, there were a lot of details to pack into a game story.

I was still in an upbeat mood following the contest, and I remember joking around with Maier during post-game media interviews.

After I finished my post that night, my mind drifted to the possibilities about what could happen in the WHL playoffs.

I had no idea that would be the Blades last home game to this very day. That would also be the last WHL game I would work at the rink in person to this very day.

The Blades were on a road trip when the 2019-20 WHL season was first paused before the rest of the campaign was ultimately cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Kyle Crnkovic celebrates his OT winner for the Blades.

The WHL has only recently gotten back into action with teams in the Central Division playing a shortened 24 game regular season. 

At the moment, all the league’s 22 teams are slated to each play 24 regular season games with competition limited to in division play.

The seven teams that make up the WHL’s East Division including the Blades will be playing all their regular season games in a bubble environment at the Brandt Centre in Regina beginning this coming Friday.

The Blades open their schedule taking on the Swift Current Broncos at 4 p.m. Saskatchewan time on Saturday, March 13.

The Blades celebrate their OT victory.

While the WHL continues to get back into action, it will still be awhile before game days can play out again like they did for the Blades last home game on March 6, 2020.

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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