Blades, Warriors set for all-important Game 3 in Moose Jaw

The Moose Jaw Warriors and Saskatoon Blades are set to continue their playoff battle Tuesday as their first-round series shifts south to Moose Jaw for Games 3 and 4.

Games 1 and 2 saw the Blades take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

“Having that home ice is a huge advantage,” Blades defenceman Brandon Schuldhaus said prior to Monday’s road trip to Moose Jaw.

“Going in (to Moose Jaw), there’s obviously a little less pressure and we want to come out and win Game 3, but having that cushion is nice as well.”

Even with the perfect start, Blades head coach Mitch Love said the team still needs to improve for Game 3, particularly when it comes to earning offensive opportunities.

“We haven’t played a 60-minute hockey game yet,” Love said. “We’ve got to play a better team game and we haven’t seen that yet.”

Warriors defenceman Josh Brook noted the Blades could easily be the team looking at a 2-0 series deficit.

“Some bad bounces and they’ve won games,” Brook said of the close margins in Game 1 and Game 2. “I don’t think they’ve dominated us in any way shape or form.”

Brook said the Warriors would be looking to pull even before the series returns to Saskatoon.

“We’re going back to our barn and we’re confident we can get two wins there.”

The Warriors have a case for being the more polished team in the series’ first two games, and that’s without one of the league’s top-scoring rookies in Brayden Tracey.

Tracey has been absent from his spot between all-star wingers Justin Almeida and Tristin Langan with an undisclosed injury.

With the move to Moose Jaw, the Blades won’t have the last line change to get ideal matchups on the ice against Almeida and Langan.

However, losing that edge isn’t affecting the Blades’ mentality.

“I don’t think it really bothers our group,” Blades forward Kirby Dach said.

“We got a lot of depth up front and in the back that can play against them in certain situations, so I think we’ll be alright.”

Love echoed those thoughts.

“I’m confident in the group that we have in there to continue to do the job that they’ve done against the top line. We’ll just have to have more urgency in that part of our game being on the road.”

Dach has been involved in a matchup battle of his own as he’s been hounded by Warriors defenceman Jett Woo through the first two games.

Dach said he’s well aware of Woo’s intentions, but won’t let the Vancouver draft pick irritate him.

“(The Warriors) are playing mind games with me, trying to get me off my game and obviously when I let them do that they’ve been successful,” he said. “I think I’ve done a good job of handling those situations and not getting too flustered or upset with these guys.”

Game 3 starts at 7 p.m. in Moose Jaw. No major lineup changes are expected for Tuesday’s crucial Game 3. Love hinted at possibly putting Cyle McNabb into the lineup instead of Randen Schmidt.