It’s a bigger “Must Win” for the home team Friday night as the Saskatoon Blades visit the Red Deer Rebels.

While the Bridge City Bunch are smarting from a 6-1 loss to Winnipeg on New Year’s Day at SaskTel Centre, the Blue and Gold do, currently, occupy a W-H-L playoff spot. At 17-16-3, Saskatoon is tied for third in the East Division and/or the second wild-card berth with Brandon. That second wild-card spot is what Red Deer covets. They are eight points back with a 13-19-3 mark…outside of the post-season. These teams have split their first two meetings with the home team winning each time.

The Blades will be looking for a bounce-back following the lop-sided setback to the ICE and associate coach Ryan Marsh admits some forward lines will look differently.

It’s a return home, of sorts, for a Saskatoon product…now with the Blades. Forward Alex Morozoff played his first 94 games in the W-H-L, over a season-and-a-half, with the Rebels before being dealt to Seattle to start this campaign. Now with the Bridge City Bunch, this will be the 18-year-old’s second visit back to Red Deer as a member of the opposition.

This is the first of a quick two-game weekend trip. Tonite . . . the Blue and Gold face Eastern Conference and Central Division-leading Edmonton in a nationally televised contest on Sunday afternoon. Game time Friday is 8 o’clock for the Rebels first game of the New Year with the broadcast on 98-COOL, beginning at 7 with the Sardinia Family Restaurant pre-game show.