Battle of Highway 11: Saskatoon Blades expect sellout crowd in series final against Regina Pats

The Saskatoon Blades are expecting a sold-out crowd at the SaskTel Centre Monday night for their final game against the Regina Pats.

The contentious series is the last to be decided in the first round of the Western Hockey League playoffs, and the only pairingthat required a Game 7 after the Saskatchewan teams tied at three wins apiece.

In Regina, the games have filled every seat in the nearly 6,500-seat Brandt Centre for the three games played at home.

In Saskatoon, the attendance hasn't dipped below 10,000. Early Monday, there were fewerthan 1,000 tickets left for the decisive final gamein the 14,768-seat SaskTel Centre.

"This year there's a couple of major factors, obviously the first being Connor Bedard being a generational talent, the best player to ever come through the Western Hockey League so fans are wanting to come out and see him," said Tyler Wawryk, director of team business operations for the Saskatoon Blades.

"The Blades have had one of the best seasons in franchise history as well."

The Blades played their last two home games against the Regina Pats in Saskatoon. Both were sold out.

"This year we saw an approximately 30 per cent increase in our attendance from last season," he said.

In the Blades' Game 4matchup against the Moose Jaw Warriors last year, there were 3,400 attendees. Wawryk credits the discrepancy to the team's success this year and last year's playoff home games being on weeknights.

Wawryk expects the average attendance at Blades games will grow next season, and with fans coming from across the province to watch games, it's growing the local economy.

"We're getting a lot of fans coming up from Regina, so they're coming and staying in our hotels, eating at our restaurants, shopping in our retail stores," Wawryk said.

Breaking down Game 7

Given half the games so far have extended into overtime, a seventh game on the horizon between the two Saskatchewan teams is unsurprising and it's expected to be intense.

"When it comes down to one game, you're going to get their best but I also think you're going to have a lot of nervous energy too," said Darren Dupont, a sports broadcast and digital media host and founder who spent six seasons as colour commentator for Blades home games on CBC's Saskatoon Morning.

"For these young kids, there's so much on the line."

LISTEN | Broadcast host Darren Dupont putsgame seven in perspective before puck drop Monday:

Saskatoon Morning6:23The battle of Highway 11 continues

The Pats and the Blades have been back-and-forth between Regina and Saskatoon over the past few days. But their final playoff meeting tonight will determine who's boss.... and who's bus rides come to a sudden halt for the season. Guest host Theresa Kliem get the latest on the rivalry from Dupont Media CEO Darren Dupont.

Pats captain and prospective number one National Hockey League draft pick Connor Bedard has been averaging three points per game against the Blades and has had a hand in 19 of the 25 goals scored by the Pats this series.

The Blades, on the other hand, finished fourth overall in the regular season and have a diverse roster of defencemen and forwards within arms reach of each other as points leaders.

"I'm not going tomake a prediction ... what I will say is it's going to come right down to the wire," Dupont said.

"One of these fan bases is going to be really happy tomorrow morning."

If the Blades cut down the Pats in Gave 7, they'll continue on to the second round, andface off against the Red Deer Rebels.

If the Pats move on, they'll play against the top overall WHL team, the Winnipeg Ice, which have only lost 10 games of 68 over the regular season.