Blades create their own “Miracle at the Brandt Centre”

Saskatoon rallies for 4-3 OT victory over Pats in Game 3

The Blades begin to celebrate an OT winner from Egor Sidorov (#19).

REGINA, Sask. – The Saskatoon Blades looked dead and buried.

At the 9:39 mark of the third period in Game 3 of a best-of-seven WHL first round playoff series, the host Regina Pats appeared to be on the cusp of taking a 3-0 lead in the set. Pats 17-year-old phenom centre Connor Bedard poked the puck down the ice, split a pair of Blades defenceman and jetted off on a breakaway.

The North Vancouver, B.C., product snapped home a shot glove side on Blades netminder Ethan Chadwick to give the Pats a 3-1. Bedard assisted on the Pats first two goals to be sitting on a sensational three-point night.

Connor Bedard had a goal and two assists for the Pats on Tuesday.

The sellout crowd of 6,499 spectators nearly blew the roof off the Brandt Centre with their cheers after Bedard gave the Regina side a two-goal edge.

Just 53 seconds later, Blades star import right-winger Egor Sidorov drove home a power-play goal to cut the Pats lead to 3-2. With 1:59 remaining in the third, Pats defenceman Parker Berge took a tripping penalty to put the Blades on the power play once again. With 27.2 seconds remaining in the third, Blades star left-winger Brandon Lisowsky jammed home a power-play goal from the front of the Regina net to even the score at 3-3 and force overtime.

Connor Bedard scores to put the Pats up 3-1.

At the 5:19 mark of overtime, Sidorov got the puck deep in the Regina zone, drove around Pats star import defenceman Stanislav Svozil, cut across the front of the Pats goal and tucked home the winner to give the Blades a 4-3 victory. The Brand Centre that had once been rocking a short time ago had all the life sucked out of it, and you could hear a pin drop after Sidorov’s overtime tally.

The win allowed the Blades to get back into the series as they cut the Pats lead in the best-of-seven set to 2-1. Game 4 is set for Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Brandt Centre.

The sellout Brandt Centre crowd celebrates Connor Bedard’s goal.

“It feels good to win,” said Sidorov, who two goals were his first two tallies of the series. “It doesn’t matter how many goals I score.

“It means we won. I will try and do my best for a win.”

Sidorov said he is actually already starting to get focused for Game 4 on Wednesday.

“It doesn’t matter where we win in overtime or the three periods,” said Sidorov. “It is fine.

Egor Sidorov’s first goal cut the Pats lead to 3-2.

“We won, and it is history already. Tomorrow is the next game, and we will play hard like today.”

The Blades entered the series as favourites having finished fourth overall in the WHL standings with a 48-15-4-1 record and were rated 10^th in the final CHL Top 10 Rankings. The Pats finished sixth overall in the Eastern Conference with a 34-30-3-1 mark.

The Pats claimed the first two games of the series in Saskatoon including a 6-1 win in Game 1 on Friday and a 6-5 overtime triumph in Game 2 on Sunday. For the longest time, it looked like the Regina side was going to keep the good times rolling.

Brandon Lisowsky scored with 27.2 seconds in the third to force OT.

Just 2:32 into the opening frame, Svozil potted the rebound from his own shot to give the Pats a 1-0 edge.

At the 12:21 mark of the first, Blades hard-working centre Jayden Wiens scored on the power-play to even the score at 1-1.

Regina jumped back out in front 2-1 just 64 seconds later. Jetting down the left wing in the Saskatoon zone on a two-on-one break, Bedard fed a pass across the front of the Blades net to import right-winger Alexander Suzdalev, who popped home his first of the post-season to the hosts their one-goal edge.

Trevor Wong had three assists for the Blades on Tuesday.

With 3:55 remaining in the first, Bedard appeared to give the Pats a 3-1 advantage after driving home a midrange shot to the top right corner of the Saskatoon goal. The goal went to a video review and it was disallowed due to the Saskatoon net being dislodge on the right post after being knocked ajar by Chadwick.

The Pats had a 14-9 edge on shots on goal after 20 minutes and a 21-18 advantage in shots on goal after 40 minutes. As the game went on, the Blades started to carry the play more. In the third period and overtime, the visitors had a 19-3 edge in shots on goal.

The two squads played through a scoreless second period thanks to Chadwick making a huge glove save on a right slot shot from Bedard to set up the dramatics in the third period and overtime.

Egor Sidorov scored the OT winner for the Blades.

“I think we played good for two periods,” said Svozil. “The last period, we took stupid penalties.

“That overtime goal that was a little unlucky. We lost, so it is not good. We know it is 2-1, and tomorrow is the next day and the next game.

“We have to do it for tomorrow.”

Blades head coach Brennan Sonne thought Tuesday’s game when his players started to play with more belief.

“We weren’t playing with like confidence, swagger or mojo early,” said Sonne. “As the game got going more and more and more by the third period and especially in overtime that was just us.

Ethan Chadwick makes one of his 21 saves for the Blades.

“That was the confidence we needed to play with the mojo, the swagger and the enthusiasm. Guys were into it on the bench, especially in overtime. That is what we need to continue to do.”

Chadwick made 21 stops to pick up the win in goal for the Blades in his first career post-season start. Drew Sim turned away 33 shots to take the setback in net for the Pats.

Star centre Trevor Wong had three assists for the Blades on Tuesday after being held pointless in the first two games of the series. The Blades converted on 3-of-4 power-play chances on Tuesday after going 0-for-6 with the man advantage in the first two games of the series.

Blades HC Brennan Sonne chats to his players during a timeout.

During the regular season, the Blades had the fourth best power play in the WHL converting on 73-of-265 chances for a 27.5 per cent success rate.

The Pats failed to score on three power-play chances on Tuesday.

“They’ve got good players on power play,” said Svozil. “They are so smart.

“We have to be ready for everything. We tried Sidorov’s shot, and he fakes it. We have to be ready for everything.”

Sonne was pleased to see his team get back in the series. When asked if justice was served after the Blades won Game 3 after having a strong effort in Game 2 and coming up short on the scoreboard, Sonne chose not to over think things.

“It is hockey, and breaks happen and bounces happen and bad luck happens,” said Sonne. “That is what is so fun about sport.

The Blades celebrate their OT win on Tuesday.

“Would I use the words ‘justice served?’ Probably not. I would just say more it feels good to comeback in a game and play Blades hockey especially in the third and overtime.”

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