If one thing is for sure following last night's game 1 romp by Saskatoon, it's that the Prince Albert Raiders are going to need to play much better if they have any hope of keeping pace with the Blades.
Saskatoon scored early and often last night on their way to an 8-1 win.
The Raiders had stretches of the game where they looked alright, and stretches where they looked totally overwhelmed.
It could be considered a baptism-by-fire for the Raiders team that was and still is lacking severely in playoff experience. The first ten minutes of the game tonight could tell the tale of how this game will finish, and maybe even how this series will finish.
Here are my keys to the game:
For Prince Albert
- Stay disciplined. They did let their emotions get the best of them a bit last night, but in order to hang with a team like Saskatoon, they will have to stay smart.
- Clog up the front of the net. The Blades got a ton of scoring chances last night from key areas, and the Raiders need to try and block a few more shots.
- And Eric Williams needs to build off his strong third period last night. He could be considered the lone bright spot for the Raiders from that game. (*it hasn't been confirmed that he is starting, but I would bet my life savings on it after how Tucker looked last night)
For Saskatoon
- Get off to another good start. They scored just over 2 minutes in last night and it really got the Raiders running around. A start like that will be very important again for Saskatoon.
- Stay physical. The Blades have to stay aggressive and make sure to hit the Raiders on every chance they get, especially the Prince Albert defenseman.
- And continue to go to the dirty areas in front of the Raider goal. They got a few garbage goals last night just by being in front of the net, that’s a great sign.
Tonight is an early start. It goes at 6:05 from CUC. The game can be heard on 92.9 The Bull, starting with the hour long pre-game show hitting the airwaves at 5:00.
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