Late heroics halted as Saskatoon falls in overtime
SASKATOON, SK — One game at a time.
That’s the mentality the Saskatoon Blades are taking into Game 4 following a 3-2 loss in overtime to the Moose Jaw Warriors at SaskTel Centre on Tuesday night.
Atley Calvert scored the winner for the Warriors, coming midway through the first overtime frame. Moose Jaw leads the best of seven series 3-0, with Game 4 set for Wednesday night at SaskTel Centre.
The heartbreaker came after Blades forward Brandon Lisowsky scored with less than two minutes left in regulation, sending the game into extra time for the first time this series.
Jayden Wiens notched the other marker for the Blades, giving Saskatoon a 1-0 lead early in the first. The two goals came more than 50 minutes apart.
Saskatoon’s Nolan Maier impressed once again between the pipes, stopping 34 to take second star honours, including five in overtime. Carl Tetachuk earned his third straight win with 27 saves.
Calvert was joined by Eric Alarie and Martin Rysavy on the scoresheet — both goals coming in the span of seven minute overlapping the first and second periods.
COMPLETE BOX SCORE
It was just the start Saskatoon was looking for.
With Wiens parked in front of the net, Noah Boyko threw a hard pass towards the slot. Wiens’ hand-eye coordination made the game’s opening marker 3:20 into the game look easy.
Boyko –> Wong –> Wiens –> lead pic.twitter.com/uhjXotiZG4
— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) April 27, 2022
Moose Jaw knotted the game 1-1 with 1:45 to go in the first, thanks to Eric Alarie’s first of the post-season. Saskatoon dominated most of the first period, outshooting the Warriors 14-6, but left for the dressing room tied up.
4:43 into the second, the Warriors took their first lead of the game. Martin Rysavy blasted a one-timer from the slot over the shoulder of Maier to make it 2-1.
Not to be outdone, Maier rose to the challenge after Vaughn Watterodt took a debatable four-minute minor for slew footing. The WHL record holder for most career wins made several key stops, most impressively torching Alarie on a cross-ice rebound stop with his left pad.
OH MY MAIER!!!
(as we kill off a 4 minute penalty) pic.twitter.com/kUOOZtnQhq
— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) April 27, 2022
After going 6-for-6 on the penalty kill in Game 2, Saskatoon held Moose Jaw scoreless on five powerplays through 40 minutes of play. This includes four straight penalties in the span of less than 20 minutes.
Moose Jaw maintained its lead all the way until the final two minutes of play, and with Rysavy serving a four-minute penalty for boarding.
Rysavy stapled Blades defender Ben Saunderson into the side-boards, causing a roar from the Blades bench. Saunderson stood up, blood smeared on the inside of his visor, and quickly skated off to receive medical attention. Meanwhile, Rysavy watched as his team prepared for a four-minute kill.
With the net empty, Rhett Rhinehart sent a wrist shot towards the goal. The puck bobbled its way through a pile of bodies before winding up on Lisowsky’s stick for an easy tap-in, sending 3500 fans inside SaskTel Centre into a frenzy.
Moose Jaw held a mild shot advantage of 31-26 as the game went into extra time tied 2-2.
The goal that sent this game into overtime 🔥 pic.twitter.com/aVZ5jqy4bK
— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) April 27, 2022
9:40 into the extra fame, Calvert went to work.
The older brother to Blades prospect Rowan Calvert kept his stick on the ice as he positioned himself in the slot. Cordel Larson sent a pass Calvert’s direction, which caremed off his stick and behind Maier.
Saskatoon will look for its first win of the series in Game 4 on Wednesday night at SaskTel Centre.
