Blades eager to play role of spoiler
Playoffs not likely, but goals remain
Reaching the WHL playoffs in the Eastern Conference may be a near mathematical impossibility for the Saskatoon Blades, but they insist they still have plenty at stake.
“We can be spoilers here throughout the rest of the season,” said head coach Dave Struch, whose Blades (15-39-1-3) are in Calgary to take on the Hitmen (36-15-3-3) on Friday.
The 11th- place Blades complete their two-game road trip on Saturday against the Red Deer Rebels (27-26-1-3).
Saskatoon is 24 points behind the Rebels — who have lost seven straight — for the final playoff spot in the conference. The Blades have just 14 games remaining.
The chances of earning a post-season berth for a sixth year in a row are slim to nil.
However, the Blades still have goals.
They want to reach the 20-win plateau, which would require victories in five of their final 14 games.
Eight of those games are against teams currently holding down playoff positions.
“It’s good for their development,” Struch said. “We play against good teams at the end of the season. These teams are all playing at the top of their game.
“We have to be at the top of our game — and more — to have success against them.”
That’s a mindset players like Ryan Graham are subscribing to.
The sophomore winger has seven goals and 13 points in 56 games this season and has earned praise from Struch for his physicality of late.
He’s getting more opportunity since the trade deadline.
“The first year was kind of tough not being in the lineup all the time,” said Graham, who posted six assists in 37 games as a 16-year-old rookie last year. “This year I feel that I’m getting better every game, I’ve built on every game, and working hard in practice.
“We’ve got to treat these like our playoff games.”
In addition to making life miserable for their opponents, the Blades also have a more tangible objective.
They want to catch the Moose Jaw Warriors (14-33-3-5), who are holding down the 10th seed in the conference.
The Warriors have 36 points — two more than the Blades — and have played three fewer games.
The teams have two headto-head meetings remaining — Feb. 27 and March 7 — both in Saskatoon.
“Being able to catch up to them would be a goal for us,” Graham said.
“Every game that’s in the back of your mind, trying to catch the teams in front of us.”
Sure, the Blades would rather be in the mix for the post-season, but that doesn’t mean they’re preparing to throw in the towel.
Struch said the team asks the players to maintain consistency in their work ethic, even if the playoffs look out of reach.
“I think they know that and they’re up for the challenge,” he said.
BLADE BITS: Struch said RW Nikita Scherbak will return to the lineup on Friday. The Blades’ leading scorer missed the previous six games since sustaining an upper-body injury Jan. 29 against Prince George … G Alex Moodie practised on Thursday, but Struch wasn’t sure about his status for Friday’s game. G Brandon Kegler was also on the ice Thursday.