Game 1 settled in overtime
Saskatoon Blades Captain Chase Wouters scored early in overtime as they took Game 1 over the Moose Jaw Warriors 3-2 as SaskTel Centre.
There was plenty of emotion throughout the first period as the players fed off the excitement of their opening game in the playoffs.
Space was tight in the period as the teams looked to minimize the quality scoring chances. The teams combined for 25 shots on net, Moose Jaw also hit two posts in the period, but the game remained scoreless after twenty minutes.
Three minutes into the second period the Warriors broke the scoreless tie.
With the puck in sticks in the Saskatoon high-slot, Luke Ormsby grabbed it and skated quickly to the right circle for a shot. The rebound came to the top of the Blades crease where Kaeden Taphorn hammered in his 1st of the playoffs.
Ninety seconds later, Josh Brook led a rush up the ice and across the Saskatoon line. Brook took the puck to between the Blades circles and then dropped it off to a trailing Eric Alarie, the 2018 1st round pick snap a shot over the glove of Nolan Maier to make it 2-0.
Saskatoon was able to respond just after the seven-minute mark when Max Gerlach scored a power-play goal.
The Blades pressed throughout the third period, they outshot the Warriors 10-2 in the frame and were able to tie it at two at 11:48 on a goal from Riley McKay.
Three minutes into the extra period, Saskatoon’s Chase Wouters came down the Warriors left boards and put a backhand towards the net that beat Brodan Salmond to give the Blades the Game 1 win.
Game 2 of this 1st round playoff series goes Saturday in Saskatoon, catch all the action on Country 100 with James Gallo and Marc Smith starting with the PreGame Show at 6:40pm.
