The Tisdale Trojans realize their playoff run is over after the Saskatoon Blazers' empty net goal sealed their fate. (Aaron Schulze/northeastNOW Staff).

By Aaron Schulze

Trojans Exit Playoffs

Controversy costs Trojans in playoff exit

Mar 18, 2019 | 4:42 PM

The Tisdale Trojans entered Harold Latrace Arena in Saskatoon for game four of their Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League (SMAAAHL) semifinal series against the Blazers knowing they needed a win to keep their playoff run alive.

A Trojans win would send the series back to Tisdale for a decisive game five. A loss would result in a 3-1 series win and a spot in the SMAAAHL Finals for the Blazers.

Most of the first period of game four was back and forth play with the Trojans having the advantage in chances on net, although a Blazers dump-in deflecting off an official in the corner led to the opening goal with six minutes left in the period.

With Trojans goaltender Tanner Martin going behind his net to play the puck that never made it to him, Blazers forward Cole Nagy passed the puck to Carter Stebbings in front of the open net for a tough 1-0 lead.

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The Trojans answered back when Jayden Wiens finished off a cross-ice pass from Liam Rutten to tie the game after the first period.

In the second period, the Trojans came close on numerous occasions to take the lead. Defenceman Jeremy Hancock was stopped on a shorthanded breakaway, forward Kalen Ukrainetz wraparound attempts danced on the goal line, and captain Luke Arndt’s wrist shot deflected off the post.

Similar to the first period, the Blazers capitalized on their high-danger scoring chance as Alec Saretzky skated down the right wing and beat Martin blocker side with a wrist shot.

Darrell Mann, Trojans head coach, said the first two periods of game four was similar to how their entire series played out.

“It just seemed like the whole series they had opportunities and put the puck in the net,” Mann told northeastNOW. “We had lots of chances and just couldn’t get the puck in, but that’s the case of hockey. I thought (Matthew) Pesenti was really good in net for them and probably the difference in the series. Our guys got to be able to get to the net and get some ugly goals, that’s what playoff hockey is all about.”

With 20 minutes left to save their postseason, the Trojans killed an early penalty and ended up tying the game with a Dawson Schaff wraparound goal.

Tisdale Trojans forward Dawson Schaff (black and red) seconds after a wraparound goal tied game four 2-2 (Aaron Schulze/northeastNOW Staff).

As both teams went back and forth, controversy struck late in the third.

Trojans forward MacKenzie Carson was called for closing his hand over the puck, as he leaped up high to swat the puck down in the neutral zone with 6:35 remaining.

The Blazers went on the power play, and defenceman Nolan Allan blasted his league leading sixth playoff goal and 19^th point through Martin to give his squad a late lead.

Forty-five seconds later, the Blazers extended their lead when Max Gudnason roofed his team’s fourth goal of the game.

With the Trojans net empty for the extra attacker, Cole Nagy iced the puck into the open net and sealed game four for the Blazers 5-2.

For lack of a better term, Mann called the ending unfortunate.

“It’s heartbreaking when you get a call like that against you, especially when the kids have worked so hard and put in such a long season to prepare for a game like this,” Mann said. “We’ve got to do a better job of killing penalties, I think that was their only power play goal in two games and it comes at a very opportune time for them.”

The Blazers are off to the SMAAAHL Finals to play the Regina Pat Canadians or the Notre Dame Hounds.

The Tisdale Trojans (black and red) and Saskatoon Blazers (white) shake hands after a hard fought series (Aaron Schulze/northeastNOW Staff).

In any ordinary season, a playoff series loss means the end of a team’s season.

Thankfully for the Trojans, this isn’t an ordinary season for them.

With Tisdale hosting the 2019 Telus Cup Western Regionals, the Trojans had their ticket booked for the tournament before the season began. They’ll face three other teams in the round robin tournament: The AAA midget champions from Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Northern Ontario, with the winner being the Western representative in the 2019 Telus Cup National Midget Hockey Championship in Thunder Bay, Ontario.

Mann admitted despite the Trojans wanting to win the SMAAAHL championship before the Western Regionals, the fact that they would be playing in it no matter what crept into their minds.

Now that waiting until the Western Regionals is the Trojans’ reality, Mann said they’ll take advantage of the weeks off.

“We’re banged up,” he said. “We’ll definitely give our guys some days off here; we probably won’t touch the ice until the weekend. Let them heal up a little bit, get back at it, and kind of work our way to where we want to be.”

Mann said the Trojans are excited to host the Western Regionals and play the champions from Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Northern Ontario. When asked which Saskatchewan team he’d like to play, Mann chuckled as he hopes the SMAAAHL Finals goes through all five games.

The 2019 Telus Cup Western Regionals will be at the RECplex in Tisdale from April 4 to 7.

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aaron.schulze@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @SchulzePANow