ROUND 2 GAME 2 PREVIEW | Blades eye 2-0 series lead over Rebels
WHL PLAYOFFS | ROUND 2 GAME 2 | Saskatoon Blades (5-1) vs Red Deer Rebels (4-2)
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The Saskatoon Blades have a chance to take a 2-0 series lead over the Red Deer Rebels!
Game 2 of the best-of-seven second round series gets underway today at SaskTel Centre with a 4:00pm puck drop. The Blades beat the Rebels 4-1 in Game 1 on Friday, and the 8000+ Bridge City Faithfull in attendance did a great job reminding the visitors whose house it is!
DOORS OPEN @ 6:00PM
Doors are scheduled to open at 3:00pm today. More sections have opened in the upper bowl as another large crowd is expected for Game 2. Fans are encouraged to arrive early in order to proceed through security without delay and miss none of the action.
ORIGINAL 16 FOUNDERS LOUNGE OPEN ALL GAME
The Original 16 Founders Lounge will be open all game long. The bar in the lounge will stay open after the game so you can enjoy refreshments while watching the live post-game show with Les Lazaruk and Adam Ehrmantraut.
PROGRAMS
Programs are available for just $1 at the top of Section E so you can follow along your favourite Blade throughout the night.
GUARANTEED $25,000 JACKPOT BOTH GAMES
Our JP’s Synthetic Turf and Construction 50/50 jackpot is a guaranteed $25,000 for games 1 and 2. You can purchase tickets online ANYWHERE in Saskatchewan on the day of the game when our 50/50 link goes live at 9:00am.
*Must be 19+
Tonight
The Saskatoon Blades (5-1) and Red Deer Rebels (4-2) lock horns for Game 2 of their best-of-seven second round series in the WHL Playoffs. The Blades look to go up 2-0 in the series tonight at SaskTel Centre. Saskatoon took Game 1 on Friday 4-1, marking the first time the organization won the opening game of a series since 2019 against the Moose Jaw Warriors in Round 1.
The Blades dropped their first game of the playoffs in Round 1 against the Prince Albert Raiders but have won five straight since.
Who to Watch
Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Fraser Minten exploded with two goals and an assist in Game 1 vs the Rebels. The 6-foot-2 centre opened the scoring in the first period, following it up with a powerplay tally in the second. Minten has five points (3G, 2A) in his last two games and seven points (3G, 4A) in six games this postseason.
Minten gets the Blades first goal of Round 2!#WHLPlayoffs | #FeedingTheFuture | #SASvsRD pic.twitter.com/etkwmIyPay
— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) April 13, 2024
BOW TO MINTEN!!!!@MapleLeafs | #LeafsForever pic.twitter.com/W36l1SfGFI
— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) April 13, 2024
Rookie netminder Evan Gardner is a perfect 5-0 in his WHL postseason career. The NHL draft-eligible goalie stopped 16-of-17 shots in Game 1 on Friday, collecting his fifth win of the playoffs. The reigning WHL Goalie of the Month has won his last 14 starts dating back to Jan. 31st against the Regina Pats. Gardner is also the East Division finalist for both WHL Humanitarian of the Year and WHL Rookie of the Year.
If you haven't heard of Evan Gardner, here you go#NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/X2W8iY0Qtt
— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) April 13, 2024
Rosetown, SK’s own Vaughn Watterodt scored his first goal of the postseason in Game 1 against the Rebels. Watterodt’s goal in the second period stood as the game-winner, giving him a goal and an assist in six games these playoffs.
Watterodt fishes in the crease for his first of the postseason!#WHLPlayoffs | #FeedingTheFuture | #SASvsRD pic.twitter.com/Dn8DTkGOMk
— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) April 13, 2024