Was sitting down last night getting ready to enjoy game three in the Western Hockey League series between the Saskatoon Blades and the Kootenay Ice when the power went out. The power went off at about 7:20 pm and didn't come back on till nearly 1am.
Meantime the Blades in Cranbrook experienced a power failure of their own losing 3 - 0 to the Ice and now trail 3 - 0 in the series. For all intents and purposes you can put the Ice on this series. Only one time in the history of the Western Hockey League has a team fallen behind 3 - 0 in a series and come back to win. In addition the Blades have another piece of history working against them. The Blades have not won a second round playoff game since 1994 and that negative streak now stretches to
0 - 13. You wonder how much statistics like that play into the minds of the players. They will tell you that they don't pay any
attention to that sort of stuff but I really wonder.
It just goes to show you that all the regular season statistics, player accomplishments, individual awards, records against the other team mean nothing when it comes time to the playoffs. For instance the Blades won all four games against the Ice this season, had never lost more than two in a row and so forth but now the Ice have won three in a row and of course the Blades have lost three in a row.
The Blades had the best record in the league, have some of the top players including Brayden Schenn, gave up some high draft picks for and yet they are on the verge of elimination. If misery indeed loves company the Blades can get some comfort from the
Red Deer Rebels. The Rebels had the second best record in the league and have Ryan Nugent-Hopkins in their lineup, who in all likelihood will be the number one NHL draft pick in June, and yet the Rebels now trail the Medicine Hat Tigers 3 - 0 in their
series. Many predicted a Saskatoon - Red Deer Eastern Division final but statistics and history now defy the odds of that happening. Last year the Montreal Canadiens finished eighth in their division but beat out number one ranked Washington plus the powerful Pittsburgh Penquins before losing to Philadelphia in the Stanley Cup final. So again it shows you that every thing accomplished in the regular season is absolutely meaningless in the playoffs.
Too bad. Thought this might be the Blades year and was looking forward to a long playoff run but for Saskatoon the season
could end tonight in Cranbrook.
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