There was no doubt as to which Friday the next Saskatoon Blades’ playoff game will be played – next Friday, not this Friday – after the Bridge City Bunch completed a four-game sweep of the Rebels in a best-of-seven W-H-L Eastern Conference semi-final series with a convincing 7-0 victory in Red Deer Wednesday night.

The result means the Blue and Gold are off to a second consecutive Eastern Conference final. Egor Sidorov (pictured) opened the scoring just 3:12 into the first period and liked it so much that he scored two more goals, both of the highlight reel variety, and added two assists for a five-point night. It was the second night in a row with a hat-trick for the 19-year-old Belarussian. Meanwhile, rookie 17-year-old Evan Gardner bounced back from a rough Game 3 outing, making 26 saves for his first career W-H-L playoff shutout. Brandon Lisowsky recorded his second straight one goal and two assist performance while Rowan Calvert, Fraser Minten and Alexander Suzdalev also scored for the Blades as they out-shot the Rebels 31-26 in recording their eighth straight win in this year’s playoffs and eighth consecutive head-to-head post-season triumph over Red Deer. Saskatoon is off until next Friday when they’ll open the Eastern Conference final at home against either the Moose Jaw Warriors or Swift Current Broncos. Following are the audio highlights from CJWW’s broadcast, Les Lazaruk’s Post-Game Show interviews with head coach Brennan Sonne plus Sidorov and Minten and the official game summary courtesy the W-H-L…..

Saskatoon Blades 7 at Red Deer Rebels 0 – Status: Final
Wednesday, April 17, 2024 – Peavey Mart Centrium – Red Deer, AB

Saskatoon 4 2 1 – 7
Red Deer 0 0 0 – 0

1st Period-1, Saskatoon, Sidorov 8 (Lisowsky, Saunderson), 3:12. 2, Saskatoon, Calvert 2 (Volotovskii), 6:11 (SH). 3, Saskatoon, Sidorov 9 (Siepmann, Wright), 16:48. 4, Saskatoon, Lisowsky 4 (Sidorov, Saunderson), 18:48. Penalties-Sidorov Sas (cross checking), 4:43.

2nd Period-5, Saskatoon, Sidorov 10 (Molendyk, Andrusiak), 2:15. 6, Saskatoon, Minten 5 (Sidorov, Andrusiak), 13:03. Penalties-Mayo Rd (charging), 4:53; Wong Sas (10-minute misconduct), 7:12.

3rd Period-7, Saskatoon, Suzdalev 3 (Lisowsky, Tastad), 4:52 (PP). Penalties-Mayo Rd (high sticking, high sticking), 3:33; James Sas (tripping), 17:48; Watterodt Sas (unsportsmanlike cnd., 10-minute misconduct), 19:06; Uchacz Rd (cross checking), 19:06.

Shots on Goal-Saskatoon 12-9-10-31. Red Deer 6-13-7-26.
Power Play Opportunities-Saskatoon 1 / 3; Red Deer 0 / 2.
Goalies-Saskatoon, Gardner (26 shots-26 saves). Red Deer, Tabashniuk (31 shots-24 saves).
A-4,415
Referees-Ward Pateman (124), Mason Stewart (93).
Linesmen-Chad Huseby (59), Cody Huseby (88).