Blades drop game 5 must win Saturday Night

The Blenheim Blades have won three out of four games from the Flags in Mooretown in the regular season and playoffs – but Saturday’s trip up the river is their biggest road game of the year.

The Flags defeated the Blades 3-2 in front of 805 fans at The Rec Centre on Thursday night to take a 3-2 lead in the PJHL Stobbs Division quarterfinal.

A fourth win by the Blades in Mooretown on Saturday night brings the series back to the Rec Centre for Game 7 on Sunday at 7 p.m. and likely in front of the biggest crowd in the arena’s 45-year history.

A loss and it’s ‘see you in September.’

Jace Dupuis’ goal with 8:03 left in the third period snapped a 2-2 tie to give the Flags their second win in three trips into town this series.

Brad McAlpine put the Blades on the board with a power-play goal at 13:15 of the first period.

Logan Gardner tied it at 3:42 with the only goal of the second.

Gardner struck again with his seventh goal of the series 16 seconds into the third to give Mooretown their first lead on the night.

Ryan Sanders countered with his second for the Blades near the five-minute mark to tie the score 2-2.

But that was as close as the Blades would get as they’ll have to quickly put this one out of their minds and turn their focus to Saturday’s game to extend their season.

Both goalies were outstanding as Blades’ Jake Vancoillie and Flags’ John Chartrand each made 39 saves.