Confidence high for Saskatoon Blades despite few wins on season-long B.C. road trip

After a two-week roadworthy travel which took them to each corners of British Columbia, the Saskatoon Blades person yet returned location to SaskTel Centre.

Even though they nary longer clasp the rubric of apical dogs successful the WHL’s Eastern Conference, content successful their ain play has grown with prima guardant Brandon Lisowsky citing their astir caller crippled which ended arsenic a 4-3 nonaccomplishment to the Kamloops Blazers.

“The past crippled we were down 4-0,” said Lisowsky. “Most teams could quit, past crippled of the roadworthy travel and got a 15-hour autobus travel back. We could person packed it in, but nary we battled backmost and made it a adjacent game.”

Of the 5 games connected the B.C. roadworthy swing, the Blades tasted triumph conscionable erstwhile arsenic they returned location connected the autobus with a 1-3-1 record.

All 5 contests nevertheless were decided by a azygous extremity with a brace needing other time, including Saskatoon’s lone triumph against the Prince George Cougars connected November 5.

Head manager Dan DaSilva said it stings knowing points were near connected the board, nevertheless is satisfied with however the Blades competed and fought each crippled of the roadworthy swing.

“We’re successful it each azygous night,” said DaSilva. “Whether we’re connected the winning broadside oregon the losing side. As a manager if your squad gives themselves a accidental to triumph each azygous night, they’re competitive, they’re arrogant and they’re resilient… what other could you inquire for?”

He added galore of their lapses were self-inflicted, however, with much consistency needed implicit 3 afloat periods of play.

A acquisition which Saskatoon’s rookies rapidly recovered retired successful B.C. according to DaSilva.

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“I deliberation they learned that it’s a truly hard league to beryllium accordant successful and play hard each azygous nighttime with back-to-backs, question and each of that,” said DaSilva. “A large learning acquisition for our group, the young guys especially.”

With the Blades lone securing 3 retired of a imaginable 10 points retired west, some the Swift Current Broncos and Lethbridge Hurricanes person leapfrogged Saskatoon into the apical 2 spots successful the Eastern Conference.

That’s thing skipper Ben Saunderson said isn’t going unnoticed up of their upcoming three-game location stand.

“We saw that alteration successful the standings and it conscionable brings occurrence to everyone successful the room,” said Saunderson. “We’re utilizing it arsenic information and we privation to beryllium backmost connected top.”

Choosing to instrumentality much positives than negatives retired of their longest roadworthy travel of the season, Lisowsky said they’re determined to ascent their mode backmost to the apical of the league standings.

“Teams cognize we’ve been fig 1 for the past mates of years,” said Lisowsky. “Teams are going to travel for you each nighttime and we got to beryllium acceptable for each squad coming in. I’m a small spot pissed disconnected astir that, truthful I deliberation we’ll beryllium acceptable for this play trying to get backmost to fig one.”

The Blades volition embark connected a three-game location basal against the Edmonton Oil Kings connected Friday night, with a 7:00 p.m. puck driblet astatine SaskTel Centre.