Barlage pumped Hurricanes bump Blades jinx

Humboldt product scores key goal in Lethbridge win

Logan Barlage (#27) celebrates scoring for the Hurricanes.

    Logan Barlage was happy his family and friends didn’t have to see him lose at the SaskTel Centre.
    The third-year centre from Humboldt, Sask., is having a breakout season with the Lethbridge Hurricanes, who have been floating in the top six of the overall WHL standings for much of the season. Despite the fact the Hurricanes are having a strong campaign, they hadn’t beaten the Saskatoon Blades in the first three head-to-head meetings between the two sides.

    Going into action on Saturday, the Blades had won five straight head-to-head meetings with the Hurricanes dating back to last season.

    That all changed on Saturday at the SaskTel Centre as Barlage scored a goal to help the Hurricanes skate away with a 4-3 victory to disappoint much of the 4,243 spectators in attendance.

    “It is good to win in front of family, and I think our team really needed this win,” said Barlage. “We’ve been talking about playing playoff hockey, and I think that we did that tonight.

Hurricanes C Logan Barlage (#27) screens Blades G Nolan Maier.

    “I am proud of the group.”

    Barlage entered the WHL on a full-time basis as a 16-year-old rookie before the start of the 2017-18 campaign with the Swift Current Broncos. The Broncos selected Barlage in the first round and fourth overall in the 2016 WHL Bantam Draft.

    He was dealt shortly before the trade deadline of his rookie campaign to the Hurricanes, because the Broncos were loading up with veteran players to go on a run that ultimately saw them win the WHL title.

    Still, Barlage hadn’t piled up the points like he had coming up through minor hockey. During his first full season in 2017-18, Barlage had seven goals and 13 assists in 71 regular season games split between the Broncos and Hurricanes.

    Last season, Barlage had 15 goals and 24 assists appearing in all of the Hurricanes 68 regular season games. Despite not lighting up the scoreboard, Barlage said he just tried to focus on his effort and not dwell on his statistics.

Logan Barlage (#27) is having a breakout campaign for the Hurricanes.

    “It was just every day you have to get better,” said Barlage, who stands 6-foot-5 and weighs 205 pounds. “You can’t really worry about the points.

    “Obviously, sometimes you do that especially in your draft year. I think this year I really learned not to worry about it, because you never know how the season is going to go. I just focus on myself and getting better every day.”

    Barlage has found his stride this season posting 18 goals and 28 assists in 47 regular season games. He said the fact the Hurricanes coaches kept their faith in him helped create the breakout.

    “I think there has been lots of opportunity for me,” said Barlage. “I get to play lots.

    “I think that comes along with it learning how to play against other top players and just how to keep working on your skills and getting better every day. I think that has been big.”

Koletrane Wilson scored a goal for the Hurricanes on Saturday.

    When Barlage plays close to home, he likes to win. Due to the fact Humboldt is about 112 kilometres east of Saskatoon, Barlage had a number of family and friends in attendance at the SaskTel Centre on Saturday night.

    For most of the first period, it looked the Blades would have a good chance to continue their winning ways over the Hurricanes.

    The Blades stormed out of the gates getting a flurry of scoring chances.

    Just moments into the game, Blades left-winger Kyle Crnkovic drove a shot off the post of the Lethbridge goal.

    Shortly after that chance, Hurricanes netminder Carl Tetachuk had to slide across his crease to stone Blades star centre Tristen Robins on a point-blank shot.

    Tetachuk proceeded to deny Robins on a drive from the right slot to prevent the Blades from scoring on a third golden chance.

Brett Davis scored twice for the Hurricanes on Saturday.

    The Blades broke through at the 5:51 mark of the opening frame when Crnkovic deflected home a shot from the left boards from Slovakian import winger Martin Fasko-Rudas to give the host side a 1-0 lead.

    The Hurricanes evened things up at 1-1 with 52.2 seconds remaining in the opening frame, when overage right-winger Brett Davis ripped home a power-play goal from the right slot to the stick side of Blades netminder Nolan Maier.

    That tally gave the Hurricanes a huge jump.

    Just 28 seconds into the second, Lethbridge right-winger Justin Hall passed the puck out from behind the Saskatoon net to Barlage, who potted his 18^th of the season to give the Hurricanes a 2-1 edge.

    Barlage admitted his goal was key in helping the Hurricanes build off the fact they tied the contest shortly before the first intermission.

    “I think it is a good momentum booster when we score goals and our team gets up for each other,” said Barlage. “When we had momentum, I think we really play off that, so I think it was an important goal.”

Kyle Crnkovic scored a pair of goals for the Blades on Saturday.

    The Hurricanes expanded their edge to 3-1 just under six minutes later with a short-handed goal by Davis. Davis got the puck in his down zone, blew past Blades right-winger Colton Dach who was manning the left point, zipped into the Saskatoon zone and put his second of the contest past Maier.
    Shortley after that tally, Blades feisty left-winger Riley McKay and Hurricanes right-wigner Nick Dorrington engage in a fight that mainly turned into a hugging match.

    With 4:52 remaining in the second, the Hurricanes surge continued as overage defenceman Koletrane Wilson fired a point shot through a screen to put the visitors up 4-1.

A group of young fans get into the action at the SaskTel Centre.

    Barlage said the whole surge resulted from the fact his team scored in the final minute of the first period and inside the first minute of the second.

    “We came in feeling good about the period,” said Barlage, who turned 19-years-old last month. “Then we go back out there and score a couple and get the lead.

    “I think that was ultimately why we won.”

    Before the second ended, the Blades got some traction and Crnkovic banked a shot from the left corner of the Lethbridge zone off Davis into the Hurricanes goal with 52.4 second remaining in the frame. That tally cut the Lethbridge lead to 4-2.

    Just 90 seconds into the third, the Blades trimmed the Lethbridge lead to 4-3 executing a perfect two-on-break. Right-winger Zach Huber broke down the right wing with the puck, fed a pass across the face of the Lethbridge goal to Dach, who netted his eighth goal of the season.

Hurricanes D Alex Cotton (#28) is stopped by Blades G Nolan Maier.

    McKay had a chance to net the equalizer on a breakaway during a power play for the Blades, but he was denied by Tetachuk. The Hurricanes held on from that point.

    Tetachuk stopped 26 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Hurricanes (30-12-2-5). Maier turned away 17 shots to take the setback in goal for the Blades (25-20-2-2).

    Due to the fact the Hurricanes have three players in their 19-year-old years to go with their three overagers, Barlage, who is technically in his 18-year-old season, said his squad could still be considered a younger major junior team.

    Going forward, Barlage said his squad needs to keep striving to reach playoff intensity.

The Hurricanes celebrate their win on Saturday.

    “I think we just have to keep on playing hard,” said Barlage. “I think that is one thing I need to work on my game, and I continue to work on.

    “Since we have a young team, I think we just need to play that hard hockey and get ready for playoffs.”

    The Hurricanes return to action on Wednesday when they travel to Red Deer to take on the Rebels.

    The Blades get back at it on Wednesday when they host the Regina Pats at 7 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre.

    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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Blades outgun Hurricanes 6-4, pass first test after playoff clinch

Hurricanes LW Taylor Ross, left, battles Blades C Kirby Dach for the puck.

    In their first outing after locking up a playoff berth, the Saskatoon Blades showed they are ready to march on with the rest of the season.

    Last Saturday, the Blades clinched their first playoff berth since 2013 downing the Kootenay Ice 4-3 after a tiebreaking shootout. On Tuesday, the Blades faced a major test in their first regular season outing since securing their post-season berth hosting the playoff battle hardened Lethbridge Hurricanes at the SaskTel Centre.

    The Hurricanes entered the contest riding a three-game winning streak, boasting a roster that contains some exceptional offensive talent and are in a heated race for first place in the WHL’s Central Division.

Riley McKay had two assists for the Blades on Tuesday.

    Lethbridge has lots of post-season experience on their side too having advanced to the Eastern Conference Championship series in each of the past two seasons.

    If any extra intrigue needed to be added, Tuesday’s game featured a battle between two highly touted prospects for the next NHL Entry Draft in Blades centre Kirby Dach and Hurricanes centre Dylan Cozens. Both could possibly be first round selections.

    When the dust settled, Dach and his line including right-winger Ryan Hughes and left-winger Riley McKay had a huge night helping the Blades skate to a 6-4 victory before 3,083 spectators. 

    Hughes had two goals and two assists, Dach had a goal and two assists, while McKay had a pair of helpers. All three were a plus-one in the plus-minus department.

The Blades celebrate a goal from Ryan Hughes (#53).

    Cozens was limited to one assist and a plus-one rating despite a very energetic effort.

    The Blades improved to 39-14-8 with the win, while the Hurricanes fell to 32-18-5-5.

    Over the course of a long hockey season, good teams ultimately have to pick up wins in very different ways. Against the Hurricanes, the Blades offence hit high gear to pull out victory.

    Still, the Blades did encounter adversity, which will happen in games against good opponents. Good opponents will find ways to make plays, and it is key to have a good response when high quality opponents make good plays.

    The Hurricanes struck first just 2:20 into Tuesday’s contest. While working on the power play, Hurricanes centre Jake Leschyshyn hit linemate Nick Henry with a backdoor pass, and Henry buried his 24^th goal of the season to give Lethbridge a 1-0 lead.

Dylan Cozens had an assist for the Hurricanes.

    Just 49 seconds later, the Blades evened things up at 1-1, when left-winger Kyle Crnkovic fired home the rebound of a shot taken by linemate Eric Florchuk into an open cage.

    The Blades jumped out in front 2-1 just 74 seconds into the second period on a power-play goal from “Uncle” Gary Haden, who converted a feed from the left corner boards from Dach.

    Saskatoon extended its edge to 3-1 at the 12:19 mark of the second, when captain Chase Wouters banged home a power-play goal from the front of the Lethbridge net.

    The host side could have gone up by three, but Blades right-winger Cyle McNabb was robbed on a scoring chance in front of the Lethbridge goal by the glove hand of Hurricanes netminder Carl Tetachuk.

    The Hurricanes mounted a push back scoring twice in a span of 2:57 around the midway point of the third. Jake Elmer and Logan Barlage scored in that surge to force a 3-3 tie.

Jake Elmer had a goal for the Hurricanes on Tuesday.

    Just 19 seconds later, the Blades answered back, when Hughes one-timed a set up pass from McKay to give the hosts a 4-3 lead.

    Hughes and McKay teamed up to give Dach a chance a lone in front of the Hurricanes just over two minutes later, and Dach dangled and deked to beat Hurricanes netminder Carl Tetachuk to increase the Blades advantage to 5-3.

    The Hurricanes wouldn’t go away. With 3:57 remaining in the third, Hurricanes overage left-winger Taylor Ross took a drop pass from Elmer and wired his 31^st goal of the season past Blades netminder Nolan Maier to cut Saskatoon’s advantage to 5-4.

    Hughes scored a long empty-net goal to seal the win for the host side with 91 second remaining in the third.

Blades C Kirby Dach (#77) battles Hurricanes C Dylan Cozens.

    Maier made 35 saves to pick up the win in goal for the Blades. Carl Tetachuk turned away 23 shots to take the setback in net for the Hurricanes.

    With the loss, Lethbridge fell four points behind the Edmonton Oil Kings (35-18-4-4) for top spot in the Central.
    Lethbridge has a game in hand on Edmonton.

    The Hurricanes head to Prince Albert on Wednesday to take on the WHL leading Raiders at 7 p.m. at the Art Hauser Centre.

    Saskatoon will continue to fine tune its game and try to finish as high in the WHL standings as possible.
    The Blades have sat inside of the top five in the league for most of the campaign.

    They hold second in the East Division with a 10 point standings lead over the Moose Jaw Warriors (34-17-6-2).
    Moose Jaw has two games in hand on Saskatoon.

    The Blades return to action on Friday, when they host the Regina Pats at 7 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre.

The Blades celebrate their victory on Tuesday.

    They will aim to make their journey through uncharted waters memorable for this generation of the team.

    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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Heckling part of life in major junior hockey

Raspberry treatment can hurt worse depending on situation

Giorgio Estephan in action for the Hurricanes in the 2017 WHL playoffs.

    For as long as major junior hockey has existed or junior hockey for that matter, heckling has been part of the game, and it will be part of the game for the foreseeable future.

    Depending on the situation, the raspberry treatment can hit deeper to the core.

    When the Swift Current Broncos and Lethbridge Hurricanes advanced to meet each other in the best-of-seven WHL Eastern Conference championship series, one of the big plot lines that came to mind revolved around a blockbuster trade the two teams made with each other on Jan. 9, which was one day before the WHL’s trade deadline.

    In that deal, the Hurricanes sent star overage captain Giorgio Estephan, star 19-year-old netminder Stuart Skinner and winger Tanner Nagel, who turned 20 in late January, to the Broncos.

    In exchange, the Broncos sent overage star netminder Logan Flodell, rookie centre Logan Barlage, who turned 17 in early January, sophomore centre Owen Blocker, who turned 18 in late March, sophomore defenceman Matthew Stanley, who turned 20 in early February, a first round selection and a third round selection in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft and a future conditional second round pick in the 2021 WHL Bantam Draft to the Hurricanes.

    The on ice battle has been intriguing. The Broncos entered the series as favourites having finished second overall in the WHL’s regular season with a 48-17-5-2 record, while the Hurricanes were 16^th overall with a 33-33-6 mark.

    The Broncos lead the series 3-2 taking all three games held in Swift Current by a one-goal margin each time out. The Hurricanes won both contests held in Lethbridge by respective 5-1 scores. Game 6 is set for Monday at the Enmax Centre in Lethbridge with a 7 p.m. local time start.

    The other main compelling story has been the fact Estephan and Skinner have been the targets of heckles during the games held in Lethbridge. Social media lines have contained sizable debate about the treatment both players have received in their former WHL home rink on whether it is warranted or not.

Stuart Skinner in action with the Hurricanes in 2017.

    As far as Hurricanes fans are concerned, there are some that say Estephan and Skinner shouldn’t be heckled and others are fine with what has gone down.

    I remember a visit I once had with former Saskatoon Blades owner Jack Brodsky. He told me that the fans paid money for the ticket, and if they don’t like the product they see on the ice, they have a right to “boo” or voice their displeasure with the product. The context of that visit did focus on the hometown fans being critical of the home team.

    For myself, I am good with fans booing or heckling players on the ice. I realize the players can range in age from the 15-year-old call up to the overager that just celebrated his 21^st birthday. Major junior is supposed to help prepare players for life in the professional ranks, and dealing with hecklers is part of that training too.

    If you don’t learn how to deal with that in rinks with 5,000 spectators, how do you deal with that in professional rinks with 18,000 spectators?

    Historically in major junior hockey, there have been players who have relished being the villain in opposition rinks like Sean O’Connor when he played for the Moose Jaw Warriors, Tanner Shultz when he played for the Blades or Derek Dorsett when he played for the Medicine Hat Tigers. They are looking forward to the hecklers on the road.

    Of course, there is a line. Fans shouldn’t do anything that physically harms a player, yell something derogatory based on race or scream you wished a certain player was dead.

    In the case of Estephan and Skinner, it feels like an unwritten code of respect has been broke. Of course, hockey is full of unwritten codes.

    Both were selected in the WHL Bantam Draft by the Hurricanes and played in Lethbridge for an extended time. Estephan, who was picked fourth overall in the 2012 WHL Bantam Draft, was with the Hurricanes for four-and-a-half seasons, and Skinner, who was selected 17^th overall in the 2013 WHL Bantam Draft, played there for three-and-a-half seasons. They were in Lethbridge long enough to establish lifelong connections.

    On top of that, both joined the Hurricanes during a dark era, when the team missed the playoffs for six consecutive seasons from 2009-10 to 2014-15. After the Hurricanes went 12-55-2-3 in the 2013-14 season, it seemed a death watch was surrounding the team. The Hurricanes existence in Lethbridge was called into question at times.

Giorgio Estephan in action for the Broncos in this year’s WHL playoffs.

    Lethbridge was not a prime destination in the WHL, and it seemed like players that were there couldn’t wait to leave.

    Things started to change when the Hurricanes hired Peter Anholt as the club’s assistant general manager before the start of the 2014-15 campaign. The veteran coach and hockey executive became the team’s head coach and general manager halfway through that campaign.

    Before the start of the 2015-16 season, he stepped back as head coach and made the inspired move to hire Brent Kisio for that role.

    On the players’ front, Estephan and Skinner were part of a group along with former Hurricanes captain Tyler Wong who wanted to be part of the solution in turning the team around. They played a huge part in helping the Hurricanes top the Central Division in 2015-16 with a 46-24-1-1 record.

    In 2016-17, they helped the Hurricanes post a 44-21-4-3 mark to sit seventh overall in the league. They helped the Hurricanes win two seven game series in the playoffs to advance to the WHL Eastern Conference championship series falling to the Regina Pats in six games.

    Wong graduated after that campaign, and Estephan and Skinner worked to assist a reloading Hurricanes club during the first half of this past season. They were not asking to be traded, and when an opportunity to make the deal with the Broncos came about, the Hurricanes gained players that could help in the present along with players and assets to be of aid in the future.

    Both Estephan and Skinner are pretty good persons too.

    Skinner sounded off on the Hurricanes fans following the Broncos 5-1 loss in Lethbridge in Game 4 last Wednesday. For everything they did in Lethbridge, the fan heckles Estephan and Skinner received in their playoff return to Lethbridge felt at least uncomfortable.

    Fans have the right to boo and give the raspberries to who they want, but in this case, it feels wrong. It feels like an unwritten hockey code was broken.

Stuart Skinner in action for the Broncos in this year’s WHL playoffs.

    In another case, netminder Tyler Brown backstopped the Pats into the WHL Championship series last year, where they fell in six games to the Seattle Thunderbirds. He was dealt by the Pats to the Blades in a blockbuster trade on Jan. 10.

    Brown had been the target of distain from a sizable group of Pats fans on social media and sports talk radio, when the team hovered around .500 for the first half of the season. When Brown returned to Regina with the Blades on Jan. 24, he was given a standing ovation and a video tribute.

    Of course, the big difference was Brown never did play against the Pats in the post-season.

    When the playoff series between the Broncos and Hurricanes wraps up, here is hoping the Lethbridge fans that got on both Estephan and Skinner remember what they did do for the Hurricanes and tip the cap to both whey they return to Lethbridge in the future.

    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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    If you like what you see here, you might want to donate to the cause to keep independent media like this blog going. Should you choose to help out, feel free to click on the DONATE button in the upper right corner. Thank you for stopping in.