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One victory is all that separates the Saskatoon Blades from the second round of Western Hockey League playoffs.
A road trip to Alberta didn’t faze the Blades in Game 5 of Eastern Conference quarter-finals on Friday night, earning their biggest win of the season so far 4-2 over the Oil Kings.
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Saskatoon scored three goals from the second period onwards, limited Edmonton’s chances late to pick up the win at Rogers Place and take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.
After a 5-2 victory for Edmonton in Game 4 on Wednesday night, it was a slower start for both sides until the final few minutes of play in the first frame.
Oil Kings star Miroslav Holinka, who has terrorized the Blades all series, stole the puck from Saskatoon defenceman Kaden Allan at centre ice with 5:33 left on the clock.
Streaking down the wing, Holinka sniped the puck on Blades goaltender Evan Gardner to net his sixth goal of the series and a 1-0 lead.
Before the end of the first period however with 1:07 remaining, Saskatoon responded with Zach Olsen leading a rush alongside linemate David Lewandowski.
Back in the lineup after missing Game 4 on Wednesday, Olsen announced his return to the series with a blistering wrist shot off a Lewandowski drop feed to tie the game at 1-1.
Just 1:45 into the second period, Saskatoon took their first lead of the night with Rowan Calvert sending a cross-ice feed to a crashing Hunter Laing towards the Edmonton net.
Laing’s first shot was stopped by Oil Kings goaltender Ethan Simcoe, however the rebound deflected off Laing for his second goal in as many games and the 2-1 lead.
Saskatoon only held that lead for 90 seconds however, with the Oil Kings tying the score at 2-2 shortly afterwards.
Former Saskatoon U18 AAA Contacts star Kayden Stroeder picked up the loose puck behind Gardner off a Lukas Sawchyn shot, pouncing on the rebound to net his second goal of the series.
Hayden Harsanyi got in on the goal scoring for Saskatoon midway through the second period, taking a feed from Olsen and rifling a shot top shelf on Simcoe for his fourth goal of the series all scored at Rogers Place for the 3-2 Blades lead.
Fireworks erupted before the end of the middle frame with Blades winger Tyler Parr kneeing Oil Kings defenceman Austin Zemlak, with Edmonton’s Jaxon Fuder dropping the gloves against the Saskatoon captain.
Despite facing 14 shots against in the third period, Gardner stood tall for Saskatoon making 14 saves to allow Parr to score the empty-net insurance goal with 10 seconds remaining after a brilliant diving play to clear the zone from Brayden Klimpke.
Saskatoon’s offence was spread out throughout the lineup Friday with 10 different players registering points, while Gardner stopped 35 of the 37 shots he faced.
The Blades will have the chance to win the series on their home ice Sunday afternoon at 2 p.m. for Game 6 against the Oil Kings at SaskTel Centre.
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