Sarah Mills: The gross reactions to Sean 'Diddy' Combs' conviction
Sean 'Diddy' Combs' trial concluded on Thursday, with the rapper acquitted of the most serious charges but convicted of ...
Road trips are proving fruitful in the first-round WHL playoff matchup between the Saskatoon Blades and Regina Pats.
The Blades used a strong third period Tuesday to propel them into overtime, where Egor Sidorov quieted the crowd at the Brandt Centre.
Sidorov scored his second goal of the game 5:19 into the extra frame to give the Blades the important 4-3 road win.
“It’s very nice (to get the win),” Sidorov said. “We play hard every game — it doesn’t matter if we are losing 2-0 (in the series).
“It feels good to win. It doesn’t matter how many goals I score.”
The Pats had a 2-0 series lead heading into the Tuesday night showdown at the Brandt Centre. Regina had won Game 1 in Saskatoon on Friday 6-1 and then won 6-5 in overtime on the road on Sunday.
Heading into Game 3, Blades head coach Brennan Sonne said his team needed to come out with more grit and a playoff mindset.
“(I didn’t see it) as much early. (The Blades) weren’t playing with confidence, swagger (or) mojo early. As the game got going more and more — in the third period and especially in overtime — that was just us. That was the confidence we need to play with,” Sonne said. “That’s what we need to continue to do.”
The Pats led 3-1 in the third period thanks to goals from Stanislav Svozil, Alexander Suzdalev and Connor Bedard. Bedard’s goal in the third period was another highlight in the 17-year-old’s junior career, as he slipped by two Blades defenders to get a breakaway on Blades goalie Ethan Chadwick.
Bedard also had two assists, giving him 11 points (six goals, five assists) over the first three games of the series.
Chadwick faced 24 shots in the game — just two in the third period and one in the extra frame.
After the Pats held the Blades’ power play to zero goals in the first two games, it erupted on Tuesday with three goals.
Jayden Wiens scored in the first period with the man advantage and both Sidorov and Brandon Lisowsky scored in the third period with the extra man. Lisowsky’s goal tied the game 3-3 with just 27.2 seconds left in the third period.
Pats goaltender Drew Sim faced 37 shots in the contest after seeing 47 in Game 2.
“I think the difference between (Game 3 and) the first two games were the penalties we took,” Pats head coach and general manager John Paddock said. “I don’t think the last one was a very good call at all … you pay for those kinds of things.”
While the Pats lost and now hold a slim 2-1 lead in the series, Paddock said there wasn’t much of a message shared with the players after the loss.
“This is what happens within a game and in the playoffs and this is what happens in a series,” Paddock said. “There’s ups and downs all over. That’s what playoffs is in any sport.”
Svozil, who also had an assist in the game, echoed his coach’s thoughts.
“I thought we played good for two periods. In the last period, we took stupid penalties,” Svozil said. “The overtime goal is a bit unlucky but we lost so it’s not great. We know it’s 2-1 and tomorrow is the next day and next game so we have to get ready for tomorrow.
“It’s important (to put this one behind us) because that series could go seven games and we know Saskatoon is a tough opponent. We need to be ready for every game.”
Game 4 between the WHL clubs takes place on Wednesday at the Brandt Centre. Puck drop is set for 7 p.m.
