Armstrong “Hulks up” for Blades

Scores hat trick and OT winner in Game 3 against Raiders

Easton Armstrong (#27) scores the OT winner for the Blades.

PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. - Easton Armstrong was 1980s Hulk Hogan, and his Saskatoon Blades followed his lead.

On Tuesday night at the Art Hauser Centre, Armstrong and the Blades took on their archrivals the Prince Albert Raiders in Game 3 of a best-of-seven first round series in the WHL Playoffs. Like a 1980s Hulk Hogan match in the WWE, Armstrong and the Blades came out on fire.

Armstrong, the Blades star overage left-winger from Los Angeles, Calif., scored twice to push the Blades out to a 2-0 lead holding a 16-4 edge in shots on goal in the opening 20 minutes. Like a Hulk Hogan 1980s match, the opponent then takes control of the situation.

Easton Armstrong celebrates scoring the OT winner for the Blades.

The Raiders outscored the Blades 3-1 and shots on goal were even 17-17 over the next two periods. With 5:38 remaining in the third, Raiders 18-year-old centre Aiden Oiring slipped in the equalizer from just off to the right of the Saskatoon net to force a 3-3 tie and ultimately overtime.

At that point in a 1980’s Hulk Hogan match, Hogan “Hulks up,” hits his foe with three straight punches, either body slams or knocks his foe to the canvas with a foot to the jaw and proceeds to hit the leg drop for the win.

Armstrong and the Blades proceeded to “Hulk up” having 58 seconds of power play time to work with at the start of the extra session. Just 23 seconds into overtime, Blades captain Trevor Wong centred a pass from the left boards in the Prince Albert zone to Armstrong in front of the Raiders net. Armstrong deflected the winner past Raiders star netminder Max Hildebrand to give the Blades a 4-3 victory and a 2-1 lead in the series.

The Blades mob Easton Armstrong after he scores his OT winner.

With the Blades playing on the road in a rink where they are seen as the most hated visiting club, it felt like a victory by 1990s Hulk Hogan when he was leading the NWO in WCW. The standing room crowd of 2,930 spectators in the 2,580 seat Art Hauser Centre rained down boos.

The reaction was like 1990s Hulk Hogan in the NWO getting away with hitting an opponent in the head with a chair shot to pick up the victory.

Of course, the gathering of Blades supporters that made their way to the game were elated with the result. Had that outcome happened at the Blades home rink in the SaskTel Centre, the celebration would have been like a 1980s Hulk Hogan win in the WWE with Elton John’s “I’m Still Standing” playing in place of Rick Derringer’s “Real American.”

Easton Armstrong had a hat trick for the Blades on Tuesday.

Outside of the comparisons to the unreal world of professional wrestling, Tuesday’s game was a huge win for the Blades and a heartbreaker for the Raiders. 

The Raiders had to come away lamenting their errors and missed chances which could have easily reversed the result of the Game 3 clash and given the Prince Albert side that much more belief and extra gas in trying to manufacture a major post-season upset.

The Blades finished first overall in the WHL’s regular season with a 50-13-2-3 record and were rated sixth in the final CHL Top 10 rankings. The Raiders entered the WHL Playoffs as the eighth seed in the Eastern Conference with a 31-32-2-3 mark.

Krzysztof Macias had the Raiders first goal on Tuesday.

While the Blades controlled play in the opening 20 minutes, they build their 2-0 lead on two gaffs by Raiders players.

At the 5:56 mark of the second, Raiders veteran left-winger Niall Crocker put a blind backhand pass from the right boards down across his own blue-line, and the puck was picked off by Armstrong. Armstrong zipped into the Prince Albert zone and tucked home his second of the post-season to put the Blades up 1-0.

Just over three minutes later, the Blades were pressing in the Prince Albert zone on the forecheck. Blades star import right-winger Egor Sidorov was pressuring Raiders overage defenceman Jacob Hoffrogge.

Ryder Ritchie had the Raiders second goal on Tuesday.

Hoffrogge lost the puck to Armstrong, who was positioned at the right side of the Prince Albert net. Armstrong quickly popped his second of the contest to give the Blades a 2-0 at the 9:03 mark of the opening frame.

Late in the first, the Raiders almost got a traction moment. Blades 19-year-old defensive-defenceman John Babcock gave away the puck in his own zone to Raiders star 20-year-old left-winger Sloan Stanick. Stanick wasn’t able to cash in on the gift sliding a shot past the Saskatoon net.

Early in the second, Raiders 19-year-old import left-winger Krzysztof Macias came through with a big traction moment for his side. Macias broke into the Saskatoon zone down the right wing, cut around the Blades defence and the front of the Saskatoon net and popped home his first of the post-season to cut the Blades lead to 2-1 at the 2:51 mark of the frame.

Aiden Oiring had the goal that forced overtime on Tuesday.

The host side proceeded to even the score 2-2 at the 11:32 mark of the second on the power play. Stanick had the puck on the left wing boards, and he passed it across the front of the Saskatoon net to Raiders star 17-year-old right-winger Ryder Ritchie by the right wing boards. Ritchie wired home his second of the post-season for the equalizer.

Before the second period ended, the Blades went back out in front off another Raiders turnover. Raiders captain Eric Johnston had the puck behind his own icing line and was pressured by Armstrong.

Johnston put a blind backhand pass up the right wing, which was picked off by Blades captain Trevor Wong. Wong quickly fired home his first of the playoffs to put the Blades in front 3-2 with 2:47 remaining in the second.

Sloan Stanick had two assists for the Raiders on Tuesday.

Before Oiring potted his equalizer, the Raiders had a number of big chances to hit the scoreboard before that moment. Offensive-defenceman Justice Christensen was stopped alone right in front of the goal by Blades breakout rookie netminder Evan Gardner.

Ritchie proceeded to fire a drive off the post, Johnston was denied by a Gardner glove save on a screen shot attempt, and Gardner made a key pad save off Macias.

After Oiring tied the game, Stanick was hit with a tripping call with 62 seconds remaining in the third. 

The Blades power play that had been scoreless in five attempts to that point in the contest was due. 

Trevor Wong scored the Blades third goal on Tuesday.

The sixth time with the man advantage was the charm with Armstrong getting his well-executed winner in overtime.

Hildebrand turned away 31 shots to take the extra time setback in net for the Raiders. Evan Gardner stopped 18 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Blades.

Stanick had a pair of assists for the Raiders. Ritchie had a helper to go with his goal.

The Raiders were 1-for-5 on the power play, and the Blades were 1-for-6 with the man advantage.

The two squads go at it again in Game 4 on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Art Hauser Centre.

The thrill of sudden victory belonged to the Blades on Tuesday.

There could still be a long way to go in this rivalry series, and we will see who next will step into the hero’s role like Armstrong did on Tuesday night for the Blades.

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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