The Saskatoon Blades are heading back to home ice following two straight defeats against the Prince Albert Raiders in their playoff series. The team struggled offensively, managing only one goal across the first two games.
Coach Dan DaSilva highlighted the need to balance the shot disparity seen in the first game, where the Raiders outshot the Blades significantly in a 6-1 victory. "We know that we haven’t been at our best the first two games; I think they’ve played really well," DaSilva stated. "I don’t think that we’ve played to the level we’re capable of quite yet."
Captain Tyler Parr noted an improvement in Game 2, despite a 3-0 loss. He cited better defensive efforts and faster play but acknowledged insufficient time spent in the offensive zone. "We just defended harder, we made better plays, we played faster, we got pucks in. We just didn’t necessarily spend enough time in their end," Parr explained.
The Blades are focusing on preventing the Raiders' offensive opportunities before they become defensive challenges. DaSilva added, "They shoot a ton of pucks, right? It’s clear they have a shot mentality within their group... We’ve got to do a better job preventing easy entries and getting in their end. The best defence is offence."
The team hopes to find renewed success on home ice for Game 3, scheduled for Tuesday at SaskTel Centre.