Big Game 5 Tonight in Toon Town

Tonight’s the biggest game of the season for both the Hurricanes and Saskatoon Blades.

With the series now tied at two and essentially a best of three affair, the winner tonight will take a stranglehold lead and chance to win the series in game six back in Lethbridge on Monday night. Neither team has yet to win back-to-back games in this series. The Hurricanes will attempt to do that this evening here in Saskatoon. I remember talking with Blades radio voice Les Lazaruk a few hours before this series started last weekend. He told me it wouldn’t surprise him in the least if the Canes’ and Blades didn’t split in Saskatoon and then split again in Lethbridge. Well, Les hit the nail on the head. That’s exactly what happened.

Like a lot of people said at the start, special teams and goaltending would be the two things to watch in this series and so far both have been big factors. Braden Holtby has been very good in goal for the Blades while Juha Metsola has been equally as good for the Canes’, especially in the two Lethbridge wins. The power play and penalty kill have come into play a lot as well, the first two games more so than the games three and four.

Speaking of goaltending, Hurricanes Media Relation Guru Ryan Ohashi sent me a few interesting notes on these two goaltenders in head-to-head play. Metsola, last years WHL Eastern Conference Playoff MVP, has a total of 14 career WHL playoff wins and holds the edge in the Holtby/Metsola goaltending dual with a 5-3-1-0 head to head record (including the 2009 playoffs) dating back to September 29, 2007 in Saskatoon – ironically, Metsola’s first WHL win.

Going into game 5, Zach Boychuk leads the Canes' in playoffs scoring (5G, 1A). He's followed by Dwight King (1G, 4A), and Cam Braes (1G, 1A). So far in the four games in this series, Lethbridge has outshot Saskatoon by a slim margain of 98-91.

This has been a battle. No one expected one team was going to have it’s way with the other in this series. This will go six games for sure and who knows, it might even go the limit. If the Canes’ win this series, they’ll get the honour of taking on the Calgary Hitmen who will have been sitting idle for nearly 10 days waiting for their second round opponent. If the Blades win, they’ll take on Brandon and the Hitmen would get either Swift Current or Medicine Hat. Still a lot at stake as this series winds down over the next few days.

The Hurricanes are still without the services of Carter Bancks. He played the first two games of this series, but never played in the last two games. He has a “nagging” injury according to coach Michael Dyck, who referred to Bancks on our pre-game show the other night as the the Canes’ catalyst and a heart and soul kind of player, best penalty killer and one of the team’s most valuable players. That says a lot about who Carter Bancks is and what he brings to the ice each game. That’s probably why the coaches have brought Bancks to help out on the bench the last couple of games as well.

The Blades are a heck of hockey team. These guys give 110% each night. They have a good defence and solid forwards. I don’t think I can say much more about their goaltending, which pretty much speaks for itself. Both teams understand how big this game is this evening. The winner will be in the driver’s seat going back to Southern Alberta for game six Monday.

I know one thing both coaches have been harping on has been discipline. With the power plays clicking at a decent pace, staying out the penalty box could be the difference between winning and losing this series.

Game 6 Tickets On Sale!
Tickets for Game 6 in Lethbridge are on sale now. Tickets can be purchased by visiting the ENMAX Centre Ticket Office, the Yates Theatre Centre, by calling (403) 329-SEAT or online at: www.lethbridgehurricanes.com

Game time tonight from Credit Union Centre in Saskatoon is 7 o’clock. The pre-game show on CJOC at 6:30.

Talk to you then!
Pat