The Saskatoon Blades find themselves in familiar territory in the 2023 W-H-L playoffs following a 5-2 loss in Game 2 of their best-of-seven W-H-L Eastern Conference semi-final to the Red Deer Rebels.

Red Deer scored the game’s first three goals in a 4:17 span during the middle of the second period, then skated to a 2-0 series lead before 6,156 fans at SaskTel Centre. The Bridge City Bunch also lost the first two games of their first round series to the Regina Pats at home before rallying for three straight wins and eventually prevailing in seven games. The Blue and Gold will need a similar resilient effort if they hope to advance to the Eastern Conference final. The Rebels’ line of Ben King-Jayden Grubbe and Jhett Larson combined for 10 points. Twenty-year-old King opened the scoring on a power play and added three assists while Red Deer captain Grubbe and Delisle product Larson each chipped in with a goal and two helpers. Christoffer Sedoff and Carson Birnie also scored for the Rebels, who out-shot the Blades 20-16. Third period power play goals by Saskatoon’s Brandon Lisowsky and Charlie Wright prevented Red Deer goaltender Kyle Kelsey from posting a second shutout in the post-season. For the second straight Game 2 of the playoffs, Bridge City Bunch head coach Brennan Sonne made an in-game goaltending switch, putting in Ethan Chadwick for Austin Elliott following the Rebels’ three-goal outburst in the second frame. Games 3 and 4 go Tuesday and Wednesday in Red Deer with the Blue and Gold needing at least one win in order to play another home game on Friday. Following is the official game summary courtesy the W-H-L, plus the audio highlights from CJWW’s broadcast and Post-Game Show comments from Sonne and Lisowsky…..

Red Deer Rebels 5 at Saskatoon Blades 2 – Status: Final
Sunday, April 16, 2023 – SaskTel Centre – Saskatoon, SK

Red Deer 0 3 2 – 5
Saskatoon 0 0 2 – 2

1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-No Penalties

2nd Period-1, Red Deer, King 4 (Lindgren, Grubbe), 7:53 (PP). 2, Red Deer, Sedoff 4 (King, Larson), 9:42. 3, Red Deer, Larson 3 (Grubbe, King), 12:10. Penalties-Sidorov Sas (interference), 0:26; Lisowsky Sas (high sticking), 7:14; Formanek Rd (hooking), 16:57.

3rd Period-4, Red Deer, Carson Birnie 1   3:38. 5, Saskatoon, Lisowsky 2 (Wong, Chiasson), 9:48 (PP). 6, Red Deer, Grubbe 2 (King, Larson), 12:47. 7, Saskatoon, Wright 2 (Wong, Sidorov), 19:54 (PP). Penalties-Uchacz Rd (kneeing), 7:57; Isley Rd (boarding), 10:17; Mayo Rd (10-minute misconduct), 18:12; Uchacz Rd (roughing), 18:12; Watterodt Sas (roughing, 10-minute misconduct), 18:12; Fabrizi Rd (high sticking), 19:00.

Shots on Goal-Red Deer 4-11-5-20. Saskatoon 4-4-8-16.
Power Play Opportunities-Red Deer 1 / 2; Saskatoon 2 / 4.
Goalies-Red Deer, Kelsey (16 shots-14 saves). Saskatoon, Elliott (14 shots-11 saves); Chadwick (6 shots-4 saves).
A-6,156
Referees-Taylor Burzminski (83), Troy Murray (34).
Linesmen-Scott Fulmer (32), Tanner McGregor (55).