Reverse sweep: Saskatoon Blades complete historic series comeback with victory over Red Deer
CBC
The Blades have done it.
After losing three consecutive games to the Red Deer Rebels, the Saskatoon Blades returned with a four-game win streak to join two others in the Western Hockey League history books as the only teams to rebound from a 3-0 playoff series deficit.
"We found a way," said Blades captain and defenceman Aidan De La Gorgendiere.
"We could be down 3-0, up 3-0, I think we're always going to try and come out and play our game."
The Blades forced themselves into the third round of the WHL playoffs with a 5-2 victory over the Rebels in SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon on Tuesday night.
Despite the excitement in the Blades dressing room after their victory, De La Gorgendiere said the potentially historic outcome wasn't on their minds heading into game seven.
"I don't think it's honestly set in yet ... like [head coach Brennan] Sonne said to us in the room, we're going to remember this for the rest of our lives until we can't remember anything anymore," he said.
The last team to manage the feat was the Kelowna Rockets in 2013.
Their win over the Rebels is the fifth time the team has evaded elimination and the second time in as many series that the Blades have earned a game seven victory to move on.
The two showdowns with the Regina Pats and the Red Deer Rebels are the only series in the 2023 playoffs that have required a game seven.
De La Gorgendiere credited his team's unwillingness to quit and also described the tight-knit crew he captains as a brotherhood, a message that was echoed by Les Lazaruk, the longtime voice of the Blades.
"I would say this group might be tighter than any group that has come through since 1994 when I started doing the play-by-play," Lazaruk told CBC's Peter Mills before game seven.
LISTEN | Voice of Saskatoon Blades on the second round comeback series prior to game 7
While Tuesday's attendance was counted at nearly 9,500, De La Gorgendiere said their victory over the Rebels may have been the loudest cheers he's heard from the stands.
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