Edmonton Oil Kings take Game 6 in overtime controversy, Saskatoon Blades prepare for Game 7
5h ago
Saskatoon Blades head coach Dan DaSilva was blunt in his assessment of an emotional Game 6 against the Edmonton Oil Kings on Sunday afternoon.
Specifically, the final penalty call of the game which decided the Easter afternoon double-overtime thriller by a 3-2 final to keep the Oil Kings’ season alive.
“Maybe (the refs) had Easter dinner plans, I’m not sure,” DaSilva said.
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A controversial hooking call on Blades forward David Lewandowski 12:53 into the second overtime period was the biggest point of contention Sunday, resulting in an eruption of boos from the Saskatoon faithful with the series now heading to a deciding Game 7 on Monday.
Lewandowski was called on a tie-up with Edmonton defenceman Carter Sotheran in the Oil Kings zone, marking the first penalty called since the early stages of the second period.
Irate on the bench following the call, DaSilva said there was no communication between the officiating crew and his team.
“They didn’t tell me anything,” DaSilva said. “They just made their call and they wouldn’t come over and have a conversation about it at all. Obviously, it’s extremely frustrating.”
It took just 1:12 into the power play for Edmonton’s Miroslav Holinka to wire a one-timer past Blades goaltender Evan Gardner, netting his seventh goal of the series and ending the marathon game 5:55 away from a third overtime period.
Along with the penalty call itself, DaSilva made clear his frustrations post-game on what he believes were several missed calls by the officiating staff.
“There’s probably eight penalties in overtime that could have been called,” DaSilva said.
“One just minutes before on our captain along the boards. He gets hit behind without touching the puck, without the puck really ever coming near him. They don’t call that, a pretty egregious hit from behind, board, whatever you want to call it. Then they decide to step in and call a trip that’s 190-feet away from our end.”
For the Oil Kings, it was a moment of jubilation to keep their season alive and send the series back to Edmonton with an opportunity to advance to the second round of playoffs.
Edmonton forward Aaron Obobaifo, who returned to the lineup in Game 6 and netted the afternoon’s opening goal, said the win showcase’s the team’s ability to rise in the biggest moments.
“We’re still alive in this,” Obobaifo said. “It’s playoffs, nothing is easy and Game 7 is huge (Monday).”
Obobaifo opened the scoring for the Oil Kings 7:28 into the first period on a puck which Lewandowski was unable to glove down for Saskatoon in the defensive zone, ripping a quick wrist shot behind Gardner for the 1-0 lead.
The visitors doubled their lead to 2-0 with 3:26 remaining in the first period while on the power play, as Dylan Dean’s cross-ice pass deflected off Blades defenceman Kaden Allan and into the net.
Saskatoon was quick to respond after the 2-0 marker however, as just 18 seconds later a Brayden Klimpke shot from the point went off the glove of Sotheran and floated into the Edmonton net for the 2-1 marker.
It remained a 2-1 deficit for Saskatoon until the late stages of the third period, which was controlled by Edmonton prior to three missed empty-net chances and a late icing which brought the puck back into the Oil Kings zone.
With seven seconds left on the clock, Cooper Williams put home the biggest goal of his WHL career off an initial shot from Hunter Laing to beat the buzzer and force overtime in Game 6.
In overtime, the Blades had several opportunities to end the series with Lewandowski missing an open net, Edmonton’s Adam Jecho sweeping a puck out of the crease to keep the score even and Blades captain Tyler Parr hitting the post on an odd-man chance.
Oil Kings goaltender Parker Snell stood tall with 21 combined saves in the two overtime periods, which Edmonton head coach Jason Smith said was needed.
“He made some real big saves in overtime,” Smith said. “He kept us in it and we were able to capitalize.”
On the ensuing power play, Holinka unloaded on a pass from Sotheran at the point to send the series back to Edmonton.
Now hitting the road for Game 7, Williams said the crowd of over 5,100 fans was vocal after the overtime winner and hopes to take that energy into Rogers Place on Monday.
“The crowd let them hear it,” Williams said.
“Having their support behind us and just putting this game past us and focusing on (Monday), I think that’s the biggest factor.”
There has been little separating the Blades and Oil Kings through six games, with Edmonton scoring 19 goals to Saskatoon’s 18 so far in the series.
Four of the six games have been decided by a single goal, with the road team taking four wins in the series as well.
“I almost think that home ice advantage is nothing in this series honestly,” DaSilva said.
“It’s so close, that’s why. The games are so close, the margin for error is really thin and I think both teams are leaving it all out there.”
Monday’s Game 7 in Edmonton will be the team’s first winner-take-all game since May 7, 2024, which saw the Blades fall 3-2 in overtime to the Moose Jaw Warriors in Eastern Conference finals.
A game which a trio of this year’s Blades players got to experience firsthand.
“(Rowan Calvert), (Tyler Parr) and (Evan Gardner) have been through it with Game 7 before,” Williams said.
“I think they’re going to be a big factor in that, just helping out the younger guys feel that kind of confidence.”
If the Blades can seal the series on the road in Edmonton, they’ll advance to face the Prince Albert Raiders in the Eastern Conference semi-finals.
Otherwise, it will be a second consecutive exit in the first round for Saskatoon.
“There’s nothing to save it for (Monday),” Williams said. “It’s the final game of the series, Game 7, nothing better than that. Nothing to save it for now.”
The Blades and Oil Kings will meet for one final time this season with a 7 p.m. puck drop at Rogers Place on Monday night for Game 7.
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