Canes @ Blades Game 1 Tonight

Hi from Saskatoon!

Tonight the Lethbridge Hurricanes will take on the Saskatoon Blades in game one of the WHL’s Eastern Conference quarter final. This best of 7 series gets going at 7pm, with the pre-game show on CJOC at 6:30.

The Hurricanes are defending their Eastern Conference Championship of a year ago. The team left Lethbridge yesterday and arrived in Saskatoon just after 6 pm last night. The Canes’ practiced at the Enmax Centre before loading the bus. There’ll be a short practice today before the puck drops tonight.

The Blades won the season series 3 games to one, but Lethbridge won the last meeting 2 weeks ago 4-3, in what was a very well played game by the Canes here in Saskatoon. If Lethbridge plays like they did in that game, this should be a very entertaining first round series.

At this time it still isn’t known if goaltender Juha Metsola will start tonight’s game. I spoke with him before we left yesterday and he told me he’s feeling much better. I think that’s great news for Lethbridge as Metsola, who is a big piece of the puzzle for the Canes’ going into the playoffs. Juha was clearly the difference in the Hurricanes great playoff run last year and there is hope and excitement that he can do it again this year. Metsola suffered an injury last weekend in Cranbrook.

This Hurricanes team is pumped for the post-season. Yes, things didn’t go as hoped in the regular season, but with that now in the past the focus here and now is on Saskatoon and taking game one.

I’ve always felt the odd games in series are most important. For the Hurricanes they would love nothing more than to get this series started off on the right foot in game one.

There’s no question though this will be a battle. The Blades are a great team. They finished the season with 103 points and one of the best records in the WHL. Saskatoon has rock solid goaltending in Braden Holtby who’s been one of the best in the league this year. One key for the Hurricanes will be getting as much traffic in front of Holtby as possible. Special teams will be crucial too. The Canes’ power play will play an important role and talking with head coach Michael Dyck a few days ago, getting more consistency from the penalty kill will be equally as key.

I think both teams have dynamic offenses. The Blades don’t really have any big names, but they get contributions from everywhere, that's one of the reasons they’ve been so successful. I have a true respect for what Saskatoon has accomplished this season and I know the Hurricanes feel the same going into this series. I would assume the Blades are aware of what the Canes’ can do and what talent and fire power they have. I think the last game these two teams played a few weeks ago was a good indication of what this series is going to be all about.

As for defence, both teams are fairly strong on the back end. Saskatoon’s defensive corps has amazing plus-minus numbers and holds the edge I think there. Colin Joe, Stefan Elliot, and Ryan Funk will lead the Blades in that department. Lethbridge will heavily rely on Ben Wright, Luca Sbisa, and Mitch Versteeg to lead the way on the back end.

This series could very well be won and lost on goaltending. With the potential for a lot of offence, I would think both coaches likely do not want to get into a run and gun style of hockey in this series.

The Hurricanes were lead offensively against Saskatoon in the regular season by 3 players, Kyle Beach (2G 1A), Dwight King (2G 1A), and Cam Braes (1G 2A). For the Blades, Derek Hulak has managed 4 points, all goals, against Lethbridge during the regular season.

Unlike going into the playoffs last year, this Hurricanes team is a lot more experienced with the feeling of playoff hockey this time around. Perhaps for those that went the distance with Lethbridge a year ago, they will be as eager as ever to get back there again. I know everyone involved with the Hurricanes right now is very excited for this “new” season to get started.
This will be no walk in the park for either team. A first round battle royale!

Game two of this series goes Saturday night at 7 in Saskatoon.