They might not have needed overtime this time around, but things are still as close as can be between the Saskatoon Blades and Moose Jaw Warriors.
The Blades took advantage of a pair of Warriors miscues and bad breaks to pick up a pair of goals on their way to a 3-1 win in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference quarter-final series at Sasktel Centre in Saskatoon. The Blades now lead the best-of-seven series 2-0.
After a scoreless first period, the Warriors had their share of chances in the early moments of the second, first when Josh Brook had a glorious shot from in close on Blades goaltender Nolan Maier and seconds later when Luke Ormsby broke in on the wing and had an open shot but was also stopped.
Those and other missed opportunities would prove to be costly, as the Blades would make the most of two of theirs.
Max Gerlach gave the Blades a 1-0 lead midway through the second period, taking advantage of the most bizarre of situations – the Warriors were caught on a line-change, resulting in a jailbreak that saw three Blades go in all alone on Adam Evanoff. Gerlach took the shot and beat Evanoff to the glove side.
Carson Denomie got that one back for the Warriors five minutes into the third, taking a feed in the slot from Tristin Langan on the power play and rifling a shot high over Maier's glove.
Gerlach then gave the Blades back the lead on another unlucky turn of events, as a shot wide of the net went off the boards and straight to the Saskatoon sniper at the side of the net, giving him an easy tap in.
Kirby Dach would add an empty net goal to close out the contest.
The Warriors were 1-for-3 on the power play, the Blades 0-for-2.
Evanoff made 28 saves in goal for the Warriors, Maier stopped 22 for Saskatoon.
The series now reverts back to Moose Jaw for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday and Wednesday. Game times are 7 p.m. at Mosaic Place.
