Tigers Take Game One 4-1

 Tigers take a 1-0 Series Lead

First Period
Tigers came out with a really good period of hockey, minus the opening couple minutes. Saskatoon had a glorious chance to score as they hit the post and the followup player whiffed on an open net.

After that the Tigers did an excellent job at getting out of the zone and creating offensive opportunities.

Trevor Cox put the Tigers on the board first. On a 3 on 2 Elgin Pearce hesitated to gain some space and found Cox in the Slot. Cox wired a shot up top 1-0 Tigers

With a minute left in the period the Tigers would Catch Saskatoon flat footed. Jake DOty fed a perfect pass to Hunter Shinkaruk for a breakaway. Shinkaruk went backhand to forehand and beat Makarov for a 2-0 Tiger Lead.


Second period
Honestly I thought both teams played like crap. The Tigers stopped doing some of the little things that was giving them offensive opportunities but they were stil boxing out Saskatoon down low. Saskatoon managed to get on the board on the powerplay.

A shot from a bad angle would bounce right in front into the slot and Shane McColgan would roof it. 2-1 Tigers. The momentum was definitely turned.The Tigers only prime chance came when Leier danced around a defender and fed Sanford who shoveled a quick shot along the ice, but it was stopped by an outstretched Andrey Makarov.

3rd Period
I was starting to get nervous as the Tigers weren't pressing and the Blades were getting a lot of zone time. Miles Koules layed a hit on a Blades Forward at the blueline which created a 2 on one turnover. Trevor Cox fed Elgin Pearce on the far side and Pearce rifled a shot an inch away from the far post beating Makarov who didn't have much of a chance. 3-1 Tigers

Dylan Bredo would score on an empty net from his blueline to seal the deal. 4-1 Tigers

Thoughts
I don't want to post anything strategy related, but it seemed like the blades were having a tough time with the Tigers defense boxing the players out. They managed a lot of shots but not a whole lot of 2nd shots, to the credit of Cam Lanigan, and the Tigers defense. Even guys like Shinkaruk were chipping in, as he prevented Michael Ferland from getting a second whack at a puck in a dangerous situation.

Trevor Cox, Elgin Pearce, and Miles Koules line provided some excellent secondary scoring.

I thought the Tigers 4th line was also key in the first period as they played often and had the Blades in their own end quite frequently. Game 2 goes Friday Night in Saskatoon, and the Tigers have a chance to steal two.

It looked like Matt Staples suffered an injury in the game and had to leave.