ROUND 3 GAME 6 PREVIEW | Blades visit Moose Jaw with chance to advance to WHL Final
EASTERN CONFERENCE FINAL | ROUND 3 GAME 6 | Saskatoon Blades (11-3) @ Moose Jaw Warriors (10-4)
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Tonight
The Saskatoon Blades (11-3) can punch their ticket to the WHL Final with a win this afternoon at the Moose Jaw Events Centre in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Final against the Warriors (10-4). The Blue and Gold hold a 3-2 series lead after a 5-4 overtime win in Game 5 at SaskTel Centre on Friday. Four-of-the-five games in this series have gone to overtime, Saskatoon collecting all three of their wins in the extra frame. The last time the Blades made the WHL Final was in 1994 when the team lost to the Kamloops Blazers in Game 7.
Who to Watch
Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Fraser Minten scored a pair of goals in Game 6 to help lift Saskatoon to a 3-2 series lead. The 19-year-old centre opened the scoring early in the first period and was the overtime hero near the end of the first overtime. Minten also scored the overtime winner in Game 2 at home against the Warriors. The Vancouver, BC native has the most playoff experience out of any Blade on the roster with 41 appearances, owning eight goals and six assists in 14 games this year.
HOW YA DOING, #BladeCity!!??@MapleLeafs pic.twitter.com/v3RPcB79AH
— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) May 4, 2024
Bow down to Fraser Minten 🙌@MapleLeafs pic.twitter.com/A8ehBG42c9
— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) May 4, 2024
Washington Capitals prospect Alexander Suzdalev dished three helpers in Game 5 against the Warriors. The three-point performance tied a single-game career-high for the 6-foot-3 winger in the playoffs. Suzdalev has four goals and nine assists in 14 playoff games this season.
Alternate captain Charlie Wright scored a powerplay goal and an assist in Game 5 against Moose Jaw. The pending WHL graduate leads the Blades backend with four goals and 12 points in 14 games this postseason, five more points than his previous career high. The Olds, AB product is +11 these playoffs with his steady and calm performance shutting down the opposition.
Chucky blows the roof off of @SaskTelCtr!!!!!@TheWHL pic.twitter.com/CjIIN7lmME
— Saskatoon Blades (@BladesHockey) May 4, 2024