Blades complete epic and historical series comeback

Saskatoon posts 5-2 Game 7 win, eliminates Rebels

The Blades celebrate their Game 7 win over the Rebels on Tuesday.

The Saskatoon Blades were indeed still standing.

On Tuesday night before 9,489 spectators at the SaskTel Centre, the Blades downed the Red Deer Rebels 5-2 in Game 7 of a WHL Eastern Conference semifinal series. The win allows the Blades to take the best-of-seven set 4-3 and advance to the Eastern Conference Championship Series for the first time since 1994, when they made the WHL Championship Series and fell in seven games to the eventual Memorial Cup champion Kamloops Blazers.

The Blades will face the Winnipeg Ice in this year’s Eastern Conference Championships series. The Ice topped the WHL regular season standings with a 57-10-1 mark and were rated third in the final CHL Top 10 Rankings. Game 1 of that series is set for Friday at the Wayne Fleming Arena in Winnipeg at 6 p.m. local time.

Egor Sidorov (#19) hugs Blades mascot Poke Check.

In the series against the Rebels, the Blades lost the first three games before rallying back to win four straight contests. The Blades became just the third team in the history of the WHL dating back to the circuit’s start in 1966-67 to rally back to win a best-of-seven series having trailed the set 3-0.

“I’m just incredibly proud of the guys,” said Blades head coach Brennan Sonne. “You have to have a tight-knit group and a tonne of belief.

“You have to put your arms around each other instead of pointing fingers when you go down 3-0, and that is what we did. They put their arms around each other as opposed to pointing fingers. They were full of belief, and my God am I proud of them.”

The Spokane Chiefs, who were guided by Mike Babcock as head coach, trailed the Portland Winterhawks 3-0 before rallying to take a first round series 4-3 in 1996. The Kelowna Rockets fell behind the Seattle Thunderbirds 3-0 in 2013 before rallying back to claim that first round series 4-3.

The Rebels react to their Game 7 loss.

Both of those series deciding Game 7s ended in overtime. In the 1996 Game 7 between the Chiefs and Winterhawks, forward Darren Sinclair scored 58 seconds in overtime to deliver the Chiefs to a 4-3 victory. In the 2013 Game 7 between the Rockets and Thunderbirds, forward Tyson Baillie scored at the 5:10 mark of overtime to give the Rockets a 3-2 victory.

Current Rebels head coach Steve Konowalchuk was the head coach of the Thunderbirds in 2013 when they lost their 3-0 series lead to the Rockets. Konowalchuk would guide the Thunderbirds to a WHL championship in 2016-17 before departing to the NHL to become an assistant coach for the Anaheim Ducks.

The Blades and Rebels work their way through the handshake line.

The Blades actually rallied back from being down 3-0 in a best-of-seven series to tie it up at 3-3 for the second time in team history.

Back in 1990, Saskatoon trailed the Lethbridge Hurricanes 3-0 in a second round series in that year’s WHL Playoffs before rallying back to tie the set at 3-3. In a series deciding Game 7 in Lethbridge, the Blades fell 4-3 in overtime with defenceman Neil Hawryluk netting the winning goal for the Hurricanes. Of course, the current Blades were able to one up what the club did in 1990.

Part of the 9,489 fans in attendance cheer on the Blades. 

Going back to their first round seven game series win over Connor Bedard and the Regina Pats, the Blades have won five straight contests in this WHL post-season where they have faced elimination. Konowalchuk said the Game 7 loss to the Blades was a tough one for his Rebels to take.

“It is a hard one,” said Konowalchuk. “I thought our guys played a pretty hard game.

“I thought we played with a lot of time in their end. I thought we had some chances. They’re opportunistic, and they have some skill that doesn’t need a lot of chances.

Spencer Shugrue had a pair of goals for the Blades.

“I think that was the difference in the hockey game tonight.”

In Tuesday’s Game 7 clash, both teams had early scoring chances. Blades captain Aidan De La Gorgendiere wired a shot off the post for the hosts, and Rebels import left-winger Frantisek Formanek hit iron for the visitors.

With 7:50 remaining in the first, the Rebels broke through on the scoreboard. Star left-winger Kalan Lind got the puck to 18-year-old defenceman Hunter Mayo at the right point. Mayo skated the puck into the right faceoff circle and blew home a shot to the top left corner of the Saskatoon goal to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

Lind was playing his first contest since being carried off on a stretcher with a head injury early in the Blades 4-2 victory in Game 4 last Wednesday in Red Deer. Blades gritty right-winger Justin Lies was given a three-game WHL imposed suspension for throwing the head hit hat injured Lind. Tuesday’s Game 7 was the final game of that suspension for Lies.

Conner Roulette had two goals and an assist for the Blades.

Shortly after Mayo’s goal, the Blades pulled even at 1-1 with 5:15 remaining in the first. Blades star left-winger Conner Roulette got the puck to the left of Red Deer’s net, cut across the front of the Red Deer goal and put home a backhand shot for the equalizer.

At the 5:41 mark of the second, the Blades jumped ahead 2-1 when utility player Spencer Shugrue potted home the rebound of a shot taken by Roulette. Roulette’s midrange blast came off the boards being the Red Deer net to Shugrue at the right side of the goal, and he put in the go-ahead tally into an empty cage.

Just 1:54 later, the Rebels evened things up at 2-2 on a goal from left-winger Ryker Singer. Rebels star centre Kai Uchacz dumped the puck it to the left corner of the Saskatoon zone to give Singer a chance to get the equalizer. Singer beat the Blades defence to the puck and wire a shot close in to the left side of the Saskatoon net to the top corner right corner of the goal.

Kalan Lind had an assist returning to the Rebels’ lineup.

With 8:53 remaining in the second, Rebels captain Jayden Grubbe appeared to score on a power-play to put the visitors up 3-2, but the officials waved the goal off ruling Rebels 20-year-old right-winger Jace Isley made incidental contact with Blades netminder Austin Elliott. The ruling was upheld after a video review.

In the third, Shugrue continued to build his case for being the Blades’ “Mr. Game 7.”

At the 4:29 mark of the third, Shugrue won a puck battle against Rebels right-winger Ollie Josephson just inside the Red Deer blue-line. Shugrue pass the puck to centre Jayden Wiens. Wiens rushed down the left wing, and Shugrue skated to the Red Deer goal close to the right goalpost.

Hunter Mayo scored the Rebels first goal on Tuesday.

Wiens passed the puck across the face of the Red Deer net to Shugrue. Shugrue knocked home the puck with a backhanded tap for his second tally of the contest to put the Blades up 3-2.

In the post-season, Shugrue has scored three goals, and all those markers have come in Game 7s. The Vancouver product’s first goal came in the Blades 4-1 victory in Game 7 of a first round series against the Pats back on April 10, and he had an assist on the winning tally in that contest.

“It is obviously a great feeling,” said Shugrue about being reward with some goals for his hard work. “In Game 7, we knew we just had to stick to our systems there, and that is what we had drawn up.

“I’m happy it turned out that way.”

Ryker Singer had the Rebels second goal on Tuesday.

Just 40 seconds later, Roulette worked a give and go with Blades star import right-winger Egor Sidorov on a three-on-two rush. Roulette received a return pass from Sidorov at the lower part of the right faceoff circle in the Red Deer zone and blew home his second tally of the contest to push the Blades lead out to 4-2.

Roulette’s three-point night on Tuesday matched his production from the Blades first 13 post-season games. The Winnipeg product was pleased to contribute some offence again.

“I think just throughout the playoffs I just wanted to find my rhythm,” said Roulette. “I think I started off a little slow.

The Blades apply pressure around the Rebels net.

“Such a great team and such a great coaching staff were there to help me and push me to play my best. They are telling me every night, ‘This is your game. This is your game.’ Obviously for a night like tonight for me to finally find that rhythm and help the team out, it is a great feeling.

“I’m really honoured to be able to have a night like that. To have slow start to the playoffs as an individual, I’m looking forward to hopefully keeping this up to help the team more. I couldn’t have done it without the support from the teammates.”

Blades hard working right-winger Vaughn Watterodt rounded out the game’s scoring with an empty-net goal with 27.2 seconds remaining in the third.

The Blades celebrate a winning goal from Spencer Shugrue (#26).

Elliott stopped 23 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Blades. Kyle Kelsey turned away 23-of-27 shots to take the setback in net for the Rebels.

The Blades closed the series killing off Red Deer’s last 11 consecutive power-play chances.

The Rebels were without right-winger Jhett Larson, who turned 19-years-old in early February, due to one game league imposed suspension for receiving a fight instigator penalty in the final five minutes of a 5-3 loss to the Blades in Game 6 this past Sunday in Red Deer.

The Blades didn’t have the services of 20-year-old defenceman Blake Gustafson and 17-year-old left-winger Mikhail Volotovskii due to upper body injuries.

The series between the Blades and Rebels was expected to be a tight one, and it ultimately was. 

Jayden Wiens had an assist on the Blades winning goal.

The Blades finished fourth in the overall WHL regular season standings with a 48-15-4-1 record and were rated 10^th in the final CHL Top 10 Rankings. The Rebels finished fifth in the overall WHL standings and topped the Central Division with a 43-19-3-3 mark.

Still, the Blades prevailed in a way that they will always be remembered. Any time a team falls behind 3-0 in a best-of-seven series in the WHL Playoffs, the current Blades will be brought up with the 1996 Chiefs and the 2013 Rockets as the clubs that rallied back to win the series 4-3.

“It is pretty cool,” said De La Gorgendiere. “I don’t think it has honestly set in yet.

The Blades salute the crowd at the SaskTel Centre.

“It is obviously going to be really special. Like Sonne said to us in the room there, we’re going to remember this for the rest of our lives until we can’t remember anything anymore. It is just awesome.”

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Rebels rally, have brooms on ready in series with Blades

Dwayne Jean Jr. (#22) celebrates a win with his Rebels teammates.

RED DEER, Alta. – The Saskatoon Blades scored first only to find another side to Red Deer Rebels’ grit.

On Tuesday at the Peavey Mart Centrium, Blades star centre Trevor Wong scored at the 5:04 mark of the second period to give the visitors a 1-0 edge over the host Rebels in Game 3 of a WHL Eastern Conference semifinal series. At the time of Wong’s goal, the Blades were in control of play in the contest.

The momentum didn’t last.

The gritty Rebels lived up to a team tradition of electing to not know the meaning of the work “quit.”

Dwayne Jean Jr. scored the winning goal Tuesday for the Rebels.

Before the second period ended, depth players in import right-winger Frantisek Formanek and centre Dwayne Jean Jr. netted singles for the Rebels to give them a 2-1 lead. Star left-winger Kalan Lind, who turned 18-years-old in January, scored into an empty net with 45.8 seconds remaining in the third to seal a 3-1 victory that came to the delight of almost all the 4,654 spectators in attendance.

The win allowed the Rebels to take a commanding 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven set. They will try to close out the series in Game 4 set for Wednesday at 7 p.m. at the Peavey Mart Centrium.

Trevor Wong scored to give the Blades a 1-0 lead in the second.

If the Blades are able to survive elimination from the WHL Playoffs on Wednesday, the two clubs will go at it in Game 5 on Friday at 7 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon.

Jean Jr. said his Rebels are pleased to be up 3-0 in the series but expect getting the fourth win against the Blades will be the toughest test they’ve faced in the series.

“I wouldn’t say we are comfortable right now,” said Jean Jr., whose tally was his first career WHL post-season goal. “We still have another game.

“It is all about tomorrow. I know all the guys in there want to do it in four, but we just have to come in with the same mindset we have been the last three.”

Kyle Kelsey made 22 saves for the Rebels on Tuesday.

Tuesday’s game started with a bang with Blades right-winger Vaughn Watterodt hammering Rebels defenceman Matteo Fabrizi hard into the boards but getting a hitting from behind minor penalty in the process.

Red Deer had a huge chance to go ahead on the ensuing power play, when Lind had the puck in close at the left side of the Saskatoon net. Lind had two point blank chances to score, but he was stoned by Blades netminder Austin Elliott.

The Rebels thought they netted the game’s first goal at the 3:48 mark of the first. Jean Jr. drove a shot that banged quickly off the post creating the illusion the puck had gone into the net.

The goal judge turned on the red light, and the host side appeared to be up 1-0. The play went to a video review where it was determined the puck did not go into the Saskatoon net.

Austin Elliott makes one of his 23 saves for the Blades.

The opening 20 minutes was fairly evenly played with the Rebels holding a slim 8-7 edge in shots on goal.

Rebels head coach Steve Konowalchuk wasn’t surprised with how tightly contested things were. He said all three games in the series have been tough and his squad has had to earn the 3-0 series lead.

“They are hard fought games,” said Konowalchuk. “They’re battles.

“You have to fight for your scoring chances. You have to just keep playing hard every shift. They play hard every shift.”

At the start of the second, it appeared the Blades were set to go on a roll. At the 5:04 mark of the frame, Wong, who was positioned in front of the Red Deer net, collected a rebound of a shot taken by linemate Brandon Lisowsky and put a backhander past Rebels netminder Kyle Kelsey. The 1-0 lead marked the first time the Blades were ahead in the scoreboard all series.

Blades HC Brennan Sonne passes on directions to his players.

Saskatoon continued to apply pressure. By the 7:25 mark of the frame, they were outshooting the Rebels 5-0 in the period.

The first Rebels shot of the stanza came at the 8:30 mark. Just like that, the momentum switched. The Rebels in their traditional fashion battled back.

At the 9:46 mark of the second, Rebels star import offensive-defenceman Christoffer Sedoff blew into the offensive zone on a rush creating a two-on-one situation in tight on the Saskatoon net. Sedoff passed the puck across the face of the Saskatoon net to Formanek, who tapped home the equalizer at the right side of the Blades goal to create the 1-1 tie.

Frantisek Formanek scored the Rebels first goal on Tuesday.

With 3:35 remaining in the second, the Rebels jumped ahead 2-1, when Jean Jr. chipped home a puck from a bad angle at the right side of the Saskatoon net. Jean Jr. was pumped about netting his first career post-season goal and the winning tally.

Away from the rink, fate has been handing challenges to the forward’s family. Jean Jr., who is from the Chipewyan Prairie Dene First Nation located in northeast Alberta just south of Fort McMurray, started the season playing five games with the Tri-City Americans in Kennewick, Wash.

After deaths in his family, he approached Americans management with a wish that he would like to be closer to home. The Americans obliged and dealt him to the Rebels. The challenges due to fate on the family front continued, so netting the winner in Game 3 against the Blades had extra meaning for Jean Jr.

Christoffer Sedoff had a big assist on the Rebels first goal.

“I had my mom here,” said Jean Jr. “I haven’t got to see her much.

“My dad has been in the hospital. Just to have her here and score my first playoff goal with her here is unbelievable. I just have to say that I love her, and that was for her.”

By the end of the second, the Blades momentum faded as the Rebels held a 15-13 edge in shots on goal at the conclusion of 40 minutes of play.

In the third, both clubs had great scoring chances, but Kelsey and Elliott stood their ground. Lind proceeded to seal things with his empty-netter with 45.8 seconds to play.

Rebels LW Kalan Lind shields the puck on a rush.

Kelsey stopped 22 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Rebels. Elliott turned away 23-of-25 shots to take the setback in net for the Blades.

Konowalchuk was pleased by the response of his players when they got behind.

“I thought our guys kept playing,” said Konowalchuk. “That is important.

“You just keep playing and try not to change your game. You try not to ride the emotional roller-coaster. I thought our guys kept playing after that.”

Going into the series, neither team was expected to get out to a 3-0 lead. 

Vaughn Watterodt (#18) looks to make a pass for the Blades.

The Blades finished fourth in the overall WHL regular season standings with a 48-15-4-1 record and were rated 10^th in the final CHL Top 10 Rankings. The Rebels finished fifth in the overall WHL standings and topped the Central Division with a 43-19-3-3 mark.

Like he did after his Rebels won Game 1 and 2 in Saskatoon, Konowalchuk was already talking about focusing on his team’s next game.

“We have to reset for tomorrow, but it is nice to get a win,” said Konowalchuk. “We just have to enjoy this for a real quick little bit here, but then, we have to be ready for tomorrow.”

NOTES – In the history of the WHL dating back to the circuit’s start in 1966-67, only two teams have rallied back to win a best-of-seven series having trailed the set 3-0. The Spokane Chiefs, who were guided by Mike Babcock as head coach, trailed the Portland Winterhawks 3-0 before rallying to take a first round series 4-3 in 1996. The Kelowna Rockets fell behind the Seattle Thunderbirds 3-0 in 2013 before rallying back to claim that first round series 4-3.

The Rebels celebrate their Game 3 win on Tuesday.

Saskatoon trailed the Lethbridge Hurricanes 3-0 in a second round series in the 1990 WHL Playoffs before rallying back to tie the set at 3-3. In a series deciding Game 7 in Lethbridge, the Blades fell 4-3 in overtime with defenceman Neil Hawryluk netting the winning goal for the Hurricanes.

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Rebels all business in 5-2 win over Blades in Game 2

Red Deer leads WHL Eastern Conference semi 2-0

The Rebels celebrate a goal from captain Jayden Grubbe (#9)

Poised, businesslike and hard-working.

It was type performance one comes to expect out of the Red Deer Rebels when they are at their best under the ownership of Brent Sutter. Sutter serves as the team’s general manager and president, while the performance of the players is under the tutelage of veteran head coach Steve Konowalchuk, who currently has the Rebels playing up to a lofty traditional standard.

On Sunday playing before 6,156 spectators at the SaskTel Centre, the Rebels built a 4-0 lead and downed the host Saskatoon Blades 5-2 in Game 2 of a WHL Eastern Conference semifinal series holding a 20-16 edge in shots on goal. With the win, the Rebels now hold a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven set. They took Game 1 of the series 3-1 on Friday.

The Blades clear away the puck during a net scramble.

Games 3 and 4 are set for Tuesday and Wednesday respectively at 7 p.m. both nights at the Peavey Mart Centrium in Red Deer.

On Sunday, the Rebels were keenly focused on their systems play and pretty much suffocated the life out of the Blades and the enthusiasm of the host side’s fans in the building. Red Deer clogged up the centre ice zone taking away the Blades tendency to go for stretch passes. Saskatoon found it tough sledding to go up ice.

In the defensive zone, the Rebels played with poise and had good spacing. The Blades players were often kept to the outside and seemed to second guess what they wanted to do when it came time to pass the puck.

Ben King had a goal and three assists for the Rebels on Sunday.

In the offensive zone, the Rebels set up a strong forecheck that kept the Blades pinned for numerous stretches in their own zone. When the Rebels had the puck in the offensive zone, they moved it around with confidence and shot it with purpose once it was in a prime scoring area.

Seeing how well the Rebels played shouldn’t come as a surprise from a club that is coached by Konowalchuk. Konowalchuk had a lengthy NHL career as left-winger with the Washington Capitals and Colorado Avalanche from 1992 to 2006, and he served as the head coach of the Seattle Thunderbirds for six seasons from 2011 to 2017. He guided the Thunderbirds to a WHL championship in his final season with the club in 2016-17.

Jhett Larson had a goal and two assists for the Rebels on Sunday.

Following that WHL title, Konowalchuk moved on to the NHL as an assistant coach with the Anaheim Ducks in 2017-18 and served as a scout for the New York Rangers from 2018 to 2021. He was brought back to the WHL by Sutter on June 8, 2021 to serve as the head coach of the Rebels.

Konowalchuk is the type of bench boss Sutter had been looking to pass the head coaching roll to after holding that job title for the majority of the time he owned the Rebels since buying them in 1999. Konowalchuk’s teams traditionally play with good structure, discipline, poise and tenacity, which made him a perfect fit to be the Rebels head coach.

Jayden Grubbe had a goal and two assists for the Rebels on Sunday.

On Sunday against the Blades, the Rebels showed how strong they can be when they are focused on being their best. Even with their strong outing on Sunday, the Rebels are always looking for ways to improve and get better.

The opening 20 minutes started in a more tight checking fashion as the two sides were tied 4-4 in the shots on goal department.

Early in the second, Rebels captain Jayden Grubbe had a great chance to score close in on the right side of the Saskatoon net, but he was robbed by the glove hand of Blades netminder Austin Elliott. That was just a sign of the avalanche of momentum to come.

Hunter Mayo chases down a loose puck for the Rebels.

The Rebels broke through on the scoreboard at the 7:53 mark of the second. While working on the power play, Grubbe and defenceman Mats Lindgren got the puck over to star 20-year-old left-winger Ben King, who was positioned above the left faceoff dot.

King took his time and roofed home a power-play marker to give the Rebels a 1-0 lead. After that tally, the Rebels were off and running.

Just seconds later, Rebels centre Craig Armstrong drove a shot from the front of the Saskatoon net off the crossbar. The visitors didn’t dwell on the near miss.

The Rebels struck again 1:49 after King’s goal. On a rush into the Saskatoon zone, right-winger Jhett Larson and King combined to get the puck to star import offensive-defenceman Christoffer Sedoff, who was speeding down the left wing. Sedoff blew home a shot to the top right corner of the Saskatoon goal to give the Rebels a 2-0 lead.

Christoffer Sedoff had a goal for the Rebels on Sunday.

With 7:50 remaining in the second, Grubbe won a board battle in the left corner of the Saskatoon zone. He proceeded to get the puck to Larson at the top of the left faceoff circle. Larson fired home a shot to give the Rebels a 3-0 lead.

After that goal was scored, you could hear a pin drop in the Blades home rink.

Follow that Rebels tally, the Blades pulled Elliott. Elliott stopped 9-of-12 shots fired his way to take the setback in the Saskatoon net. Ethan Chadwick turned away 4-of-6 shots playing the rest of the way in relief.

The Rebels kept on coming in the third. At the 3:38 mark of the frame, rookie left-winger Carson Birnie fired home a midrange shot to give the visitors a 4-0 advantage.

Carson Birnie had a goal for the Rebels on Sunday.

The Blades got on the scoreboard at the 9:48 mark of the third with a power-play goal from star left-winger Brandon Lisowsky to cut the Red Deer lead to 4-1.

Grubbe added a goal just under three minutes later to round out the game’s scoring to give the Rebels a 5-1 edge. With 5.9 seconds remaining in the third, Blades 19-year-old defenceman Charlie Wright scored on a four-on-three power play to round out the 5-2 final in favour of the Red Deer side.

The Rebels forward unit of King, Grubbe and Larson had a banner night. King finished with a goal and three assists, while Grubbe and Larson each posted a goal and two assists.

HC Steve Konowalchuk has the Rebels playing in strong form.

Blades star centre Trevor Wong picked up helpers on both Saskatoon goals.

Kyle Kelsey stopped 14 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Rebels.

Going into the series, few would have expected the Rebels to win the first two contests on the road in Saskatoon. The Blades finished fourth in the overall WHL regular season standings with a 48-15-4-1 record and were rated 10^th in the final CHL Top 10 Rankings.

The Rebels finished fifth in the overall WHL standings and topped the Central Division with a 43-19-3-3 mark.

The Blades took three out of the four regular season encounters between the two sides. In the two regular season clashes played at the SaskTel Centre, the Blades claimed a 6-2 win on January 7 and a 5-2 triumph on March 1.

Trevor Wong had a pair of assists for the Blades on Sunday.

In the post-season, it would have been viewed as big for the Rebels to get a split in the first two games in Saskatoon. Red Deer’s 3-1 win in Game 1 could have gone either way. For the Rebels to follow up with an impressive 5-2 win in Game 2 on Sunday, it was head turning.

To make matters worse for the Blades, their captain and star overage offensive-defenceman Aidan De La Gorgendiere didn’t play the third period. The Blades have also been without steady 20-year-old defenceman Blake Gustafson for the first two games of the series with an undisclosed injury.

Saskatoon has the potential to get back in the series. The Blades lost the first two games of their first round series at home to Connor Bedard and the Regina Pats before rallying for a 4-3 series victory.

The Rebels celebrate their Game 2 win on Sunday.

With that said, the Rebels are a different beast. They are sound defensively and benefit from having a touch more experience than the Pats had.

On the surface, it is going to be much bigger challenge for the Blades to comeback in the series against the Rebels than it was to rally against the Pats.

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Rebels down Blades with 3-1 textbook road win in Game 1

Saskatoon will try to even Eastern Conference semi on Sunday

The Rebels celebrate a third period goal from Jace Isley.

The Red Deer Rebels made the Saskatoon Blades look like they were fighting their way through quicksand.

On Friday playing before 6,823 spectators at the SaskTel Centre, the Rebels clogged up the centre ice zone and sealed off the passing lanes in the defensive zone to grind out a 3-1 victory over the host Blades in Game 1 of a best-of-seven WHL Eastern Conference semifinal series. Game 2 is set for Sunday at 4 p.m. at the SaskTel Centre, where the Blades will be looking to get on even terms before the series shifts to Red Deer for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday respectively.

Rebels head coach Steve Konowalchuk said he thought his team would be in a tight battle, and that was how Friday’s game materialized.

Christoffer Sedoff had a goal and an assist for the Rebels.

“We knew it would be a tough game, and it was a tough game and goes right to the end,” said Konowalchuk. “It is sure nice to get the first win, but it is back to work and try to reset for next game.

“Our team I thought had some composure. They’ve got a good power play. They usually don’t’ give a lot of power play chances, so we have to be smart on our end as well.”

Blades head coach Brennan Sonne said his team played good at times but a better effort was needed overall.

“We didn’t start on time,” said Sonne. “I didn’t like our start.

“I didn’t like the first period. We had good spurts in the second and third. (We were) not consistent enough however and not enough guys really raising their level tonight.”

Tyler Parr returned to the Blades lineup from injury on Friday.

Early in the first period, Rebels captain Jayden Grubbe had a breakaway on the Saskatoon goal. The 19-year-old skilled centre snapped a shot off the goalpost.

Shortly after killing off a Rebels power play, Blades winger Tyler Parr was stopped close in after taking a shot from the right side of the Red Deer net. Parr was playing his first game after missing 48 contests between the regular season and post-season due to an upper body injury. Sonne was pleased with Parr’s performance on Friday.

“We just love Parrsy (Parr),” said Sonne. “He is a workhorse, such a good kid (and) just brilliant.

“It was huge having him back. He was awesome.”

Jhett Larson had the Rebels first goal on Friday.

With 9:21 remaining in the first, there was a bit of confusion when play was stopped in the Red Deer end. The officials were trying to determine if the Rebels were guilty of a high-sticking infraction from a linesman observation, when Blades utility player Spencer Shugrue went down. Shugrue proceeded to finish the game.

The stoppage to discuss the possible penalty lasted about 10 minutes, included video review and saw the officials place Rebels import right-winger Frantisek Formanek in the penalty box and then let him out of the box a couple of minutes later. Formanek looked visibly confused through that whole situation.

When play resumed with no penalty being called, an announcement went up in the building that there was no penalty for high sticking, because a Blades player high sticked himself.

Jace Isley was credited with the Rebels second goal on Friday.

The opening 20 minutes was a feeling out frame with the Rebels holding a 7-5 edge in shots on goal.

Red Deer broke through on the scoreboard at the 4:28 mark of the second, when Rebels right-winger Jhett Larson, who turned 19-years-old in early February, fired home a shot from in front of the Saskatoon net. Larson’s tally came on the Rebels ninth shot on goal in the contest and he converted a beauty drop setup pass from Rebels import offensive-defenceman Christoffer Sedoff.

“It is certainly always nice to get the first goal,” said Konowalchuk. “They block shots, and they do a good job protecting their house.”

Following the Rebels goal, Blades netminder Austin Elliott made a trio of big saves to ensure the Blades made it to the first intermission only down one goal. First, Elliott made a right pad stop on Rebels left-winger Ben King close in on the left side of the Saskatoon net.

Jake Chiasson had the Blades lone goal on Friday.

Elliott proceeded to rob Sedoff with a glove stop. A short time later, Elliott made a left pad stop on a point shot from Rebels defenceman Hunter Mayo, who fed the puck through a screen.

“I think both teams came out ready to go, and it was a tight game,” said Grubbe. “There wasn’t a lot of chances back and forth.

“For the most part, it was pretty tight and getting in shot lanes. Around the net, there wasn’t a lot besides kind of special teams there where it opened up a little bit. I think it was a good start to the series.”

The Blades came out with a good push back in the third. Blades star import right-winger Egor Sidorov had a great scoring chance one-timing a rocket shot from the right slot that Rebels netminder Kyle Kelsey, who has been sensational in the post-season, got his blocker on.

Kyle Kelsey made 23 stops in goal for the Rebels.

Kelsey proceeded to stone Blades 19-year-old defenceman Charlie Wright who pinched down low to the right side of the Red Deer net for a huge scoring chance.

With 6:41 remaining in the third, the Rebels pushed their lead out to 2-0 thanks to a positive bounce goal. Rebels 20-year-old winger Jace Isley jetting down the right wing, cut across the face of the Blades goal and put a shot of the right post of the Saskatoon net.

The puck proceeded to sit loose in the crease of the Saskatoon goal. Blades 18-year-old defenceman Ben Saunderson scrambled to clear the puck away from the net but inadvertently deflected it off Elliott’s skate into his own goal to give the Rebels their two-goal edge.

The Blades didn’t go away. With 2:27 remaining in the third, they pulled Elliott for an extra skater.

Austin Elliott makes one of his 17 saves in goal for the Blades.

Blades star left-winger Jake Chiasson collected the rebound from a Sidorov shot at the left side of the Red Deer net and put the puck into an empty cage to cut the Rebels lead to 2-1 with 1:52 remaining in the third. The hosts were unable to find the equalizer as Sedoff rounded out the win with a long range empty net goal with 4.1 seconds remaining in the frame.

Grubbe was pleased his squad was able to take the series opener.

“I think for us it was just important to get off to a good start here,” said Grubbe. “You want to ideally get one on the road at least.

Ben Saunderson had some back luck on Friday night.

“It is good to get the first one here to start off and then go from there.”

Elliott turned away 17-of-19 shots to take the setback in net for the Blades. Kelsey stopped 23 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Rebels in a battle of rookie netminders.

Both squads had three power-play chances, but were not able to score with the man advantage.

Looking forward to Game 2, Sonne said he will be looking for three things from his players.

“Our start needs to be a lot better,” said Sonne. “We need to start on time with everyone.

Rebels D Mats Lindgren fends off Blades RW Vaughn Watterodt.

“We need to get forechecking. I really didn’t think we did enough on the forecheck. I think everyone just to a man has to make sure they are being their best selves, which you really can’t say that about tonight.”

Konowalchuk said his team needs to reset for Game 2 expecting the Blades to come with a stronger effort.

“I think our guys know that,” said Konowalchuk. “I think the other team knows that.

“It is a series. We have to reset, and that would be the message. It is just you know what - let’s go back to work and put this one behind us.

“It is going to be tough for next game.”

The Rebels celebrate their win on Friday.

NOTES – Blades 20-year-old defenceman Blake Gustafson was out with an undisclosed injury and center Josh Pillar, who turned 21-years-old in February, was out for an undisclosed reason. The Rebels were without veteran defenceman Marek Schneider, who turned 20-years-old in February, for an undisclosed reason.

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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Ice and Rebels on fire early in WHL campaign

Matthew Savoie is one of the Ice’s best known stars.

The Winnipeg Ice and Red Deer Rebels are the slam dunk teams to beat in the WHL’s Eastern Conference.

Actually, a strong case can be made that they are the teams to beat in the entire WHL, but the Seattle Thunderbirds, Portland Winterhawks and Memorial Cup hosting Kamloops Blazers in the Western Conference might have something to say about that.

Still, the Ice and Rebels have been impressive in the early going. On Saturday at the Wayne Fleming Arena in Winnipeg, the Ice downed the visiting Tri-City Americans 5-4 for a 10^th straight win to improve to 15-1.

While the Ice were taking care of the Americans, the Rebels were in Moose Jaw overcoming a 2-0 lead by the host Warriors to pull out a 4-2 victory at the Moose Jaw Events Centre. 

The win allowed the Rebels to open the 2022-23 campaign with a 15-0 mark, and their 15 straight wins is a franchise record for consecutive victories. The old record of 14 straight wins was posted by the Rebels in the 2001-02 campaign.

The Ice are currently rated second in the CHL’s Top 10 rankings, while the Rebels are rated third.

Between the Ice and Rebels, the Ice have had slightly the more remarkable start. The Winnipeg side opened the campaign playing 13 straight games on the road posting a 12-1 record.

Captain Jayden Grubbe has 18 points for the Rebels this season.

The extended road swing was necessary, because major infrastructure work was being completed at the Wayne Fleming Arena on the University of Manitoba campus. Earlier this year, the U of M received federal funding to replace the ice plant, the heating, ventilation and air conditioning system for the Max Bell Centre, which the Wayne Fleming Arena is a part of.

Saturday was the third contest of a 10-game home stand for the Ice. The Americans, who fell to 7-9, gave the Ice a good battle. The hosts overcame an early 1-0 deficit, burst out to a 5-2 lead and held on for the 5-4 win.

Connor Dale, who is a 17-year-old rookie centre, netted his first two career WHL goals for the Ice. Winnipeg received singles from Ty Nash, Connor McClennon and Vladislav Shilo. Jake Sloan had a pair of goals for the Americans, who received singles from Ethan Ernst and Adam Mechura.

Dawson Cowan, who is another 17-year-old rookie, made 28 saves to pick up the win in goal for the Ice. Nick Avakyan turned away 29 shots to take the setback in net for the Americans.

Winnipeg’s best known stars in Matthew Savoie, Zach Benson, McClennon and Owen Pederson didn’t have to carry the day to help their side get a win. Savoie, McClennon and Pederson each had one assist in the victory, while McClennon’s tally was his only point of the contest.

Ice star defenceman Ben Zloty and captain Carson Lambos didn’t register any points against the Americans. Zloty had an even rating in the plus-minus department, while Lambos was a plus-two. Winnipeg’s roster is so deep that Zloty and Lambos just have to be steady to allow their side to pull out a win.

Zach Benson can pile up the points for the Ice.

Ice star 18-year-old goalie Daniel Hauser was given a rare night off. Hauser has won all 11 contests he has appeared in this season posting a 2.35 goals against average, a .920 save percentage and one shutout.

The Ice are paced behind the bench by an outstanding head coach in James Patrick, who is a former standout NHL defenceman.

The Rebels in their 15-0 start have won eight contests at home and seven on the road. They are in pursuit of a really old WHL record for most consecutive wins to open a season.

The record for most consecutive wins to open a season currently sits at 22 victories, and it is held by the 1967-68 Estevan Bruins. The Bruins won the league title that season.

Against Moose Jaw on Saturday, the host Warriors jumped out to a 2-0 lead on a first period tally from star 17-year-old centre Brayden Yager and a power-play goal at the 3:06 mark of the second frame from 19-year-old steady centre Atley Calvert.

Kai Uchacz and Jase Isley each scored twice to help the Rebels rally back to victory. Uchacz potted his second marker into an empty net.

Connor Ungar, who is in his 20-year-old season and is a former member of the Rebels, turned away 24-of-27 shots to take the setback in goal for the Warriors, who fell to 9-6.

Kalan Lind is one of the Rebels highly skilled younger players.

Kyle Kelsey, who is an 18-year-old rookie, stopped 21 shots to pick up the win in the Red Deer net.

Uchacz, Isley and Kelsey are a trio of older players who are having breakout seasons with the Rebels. Uchacz is a 19-year-old centre who has 15 goals and four assists so far this season. Uchacz’s 15 tallies are already a career high.

Isley, who is a 20-year-old centre, has nine goals and five assists so far this season for the Rebels. He needs just 12 more points to equal his career high for points in a season.

Kelsey has won his first 10 career games in goal for the Rebels posting a 1.80 goals against average, a .935 save percentage and one shutout.

Red Deer 19-year-old captain Jayden Grubbe has four goals and 14 assists, and he needs 17 points to match his career high. Kalan Lind, who is a 17-year-old centre, has two goals and 13 assists in attempting to follow up a strong 16-year-old campaign.

Import Finish defenceman Christoffer Sedoff is having another strong campaign leading all Rebels blue-liners with 16 points coming off one goal and 15 assists. Hunter Mayo, who is an 18-year-old defenceman, is finding his groove offensively posting seven goals and three assists.

The Rebels are having all their success with the limited services of star 20-year-old centre Ben King. King has appeared in just five games netting five goals and five assists.

Carson Lambos ensures things stay calm in the Ice’s back end.

The Vernon, B.C., product was taken in the fourth round and 107^th overall in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft by the Anaheim Ducks, and he was returned to Red Deer in early October after getting a lengthy training camp stay with the NHL club. 

King was injured in the Rebels 3-0 home ice victory over the Prince Albert Raiders on October 22 and is listed as being out indefinitely with a lower body injury.

The Rebels are hoping King could potentially be back in six to eight weeks from the time he was injured.

For the longest time, Rebels general manager and owner Brent Sutter seemed to be challenged when it came to finding someone take over the head coach title he also held with the club. 

Before the start of the 2021-22 campaign, Sutter was able to bring on Steve Konowalchuk to be the head coach in Red Deer.

Konowalchuk guided the Seattle Thunderbirds to a WHL title in 2016-17 as head coach, and he is showing he is still one of the best bench bosses in major junior hockey.

Now, things are going to get even more interesting in the young WHL campaign. The Ice and Rebels are both off until Tuesday, when they will face each other at the Wayne Fleming Arena at 7 p.m. Winnipeg time. The two sides will go at it again on Wednesday at the same venue with the same local start time.

Hunter Mayo is breaking out offensively for the Rebels.

Those two contests are can’t miss heavyweight tilts. If one side is able to sweep both games, that club will be viewed as the team to beat in the Eastern Conference.

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.