WEDNESDAY COMMENTARY – THE GOOD, THE GREAT & THE UGLY

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98, Rock 98.5 FM & LTD Radio)

What a night of hockey that was! We’ll cover it all in this week’s edition of the Good, the Great & The Ugly.

First, the good: Believe it or not, it’s good that the Saskatoon Blades rallied for a 4-3 overtime win in Game 3 in Regina Tuesday night. It cut the Pats’ series lead in half and added even more intrigue to the series the whole league is talking about.

Those whom were there are complaining about officiating – an ancient Regina tradition – and saying the WHL is favouring the Blades.

Newsflash: Sorry to break it to you, but I’m certain the WHL would give an arm or leg to have Connor Bedard play as long as possible this spring because once the Pats are out, people will stop paying attention.

Next!

Now, the great: Only one of the Winnipeg Jets or Calgary Flames is going to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs in about 10 days time. And the two meet tonight at Canada Life Centre!

If the Flames win, they’ll pull even with Winnipeg and probably overtake them for the final playoff spot. But if the Jets win, Calgary can start booking teetimes.

So we’ve finally reached the “must win” stage of the NHL season and it’s tonight in the Slurpee capital. Get your popcorn!

And finally, the ugly: It continues to be what’s going on with the Flames. Rich Sutter came on the RP Show Tuesday and torched the Calgary media for its negativity – which I don’t really have a problem with – but his brother Darryl’s team went out and blew it against Chicago 5-4 in what was almost a must-win game.

I’ve planted my flag in this town as a Sutterite and that doesn’t bother me either. I’ve been friends with them for over a quarter century and as you know, I don’t flip sides. But right now, they’re not that popular with the media.

Meanwhile a hockey person said to me this week “How can the Flames not know what they’re doing with GM Brad Treliving, who’s on an expiring contract?”

The answer is simple. It all depends on how this season turns out and while newcomers Nazem Kadri and Jonathan Huberdeau have been major disappointments, an old adage from Eric Tillman comes to mind.

“Players win and coaches lose,” E.T. was fond of saying.

And it remains easier to fire one coach – or one GM – than 20 players.

That’s today’s Rod Pedersen Commentary

(The Rod Pedersen Show airs daily on Game+ TV, WQEE Radio and YouTube. It’s also available on all major podcast platforms)