Game 5 of WHL's Eastern Conference final promises to be tight-checking battle between Sask. teams

There is little to separate the Moose Jaw Warriors and the Saskatoon Blades after four games in the Western Hockey League's Eastern Conference final.

Both teams have won two games in the best-of-seven series. Each has won at home, on the road and in overtime.

Moose Jaw Warriors head coach Mark O'Leary says it's been a great battle so far.

"The longer the series goes, the longer playoffs go, you have that sense that every every shift could be the most important shift," he said.

Every player has to be ready because their next play could be the difference in the game, said O'Leary.

"It's those little moments within the game, whether it's a race to a puck or battle for possession or a block shot, these are always things you talk about around playoff time.

"It's that team that's willing and able to do it consistently [that is going to be successful]."

Brayden Yager of the Moose Jaw Warriors was one of Minten's world junior teammates. 'That always brings out the best in you, when you're going up against really good players like those guys,' says Minten. (Darryl Dyck/The Canadian Press)

Blades star forward Fraser Minten, a Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick, said the intensity keeps building with each game.

"It  escalates, like, every round. And now getting into [what amounts to] a best-of-three now in the conference finals, it's up a ton of intensity"

Minten, who captained Canada's world junior team this year, said neither team is giving an inch on the ice.

He is facing off against three Warriors — Jagger Firkus, Brayden Yager and Denton Mateychuk — who were his world junior teammates

"It's fun," Minten said of playing his former mates. "That always brings out the best in you, when you're going up against really good players like those guys.

"They're super talented and competitive and want to win, and that makes for a really entertaining and really fun games to be part of."

Darren Dupont, a sports broadcaster and digital media host who has been covering the WHL, says this series has produced some of the best hockey he's ever seen at this level.

"[It's] two teams in the province going head to head and playing at an elite level, with stars all over the ice," he said.

Rookie Blades goalie Evan Gardner has been rock solid for Saskatoon. (Steve Hiscock/Saskatoon Blades)

Dupont said there is very little to give one team the advantage.

"They are built very similarly, with stars up front, they're both getting good goaltending, and they've got elite guys on the back end.… It's no surprise that this series is tied."

Rookie Blades goalie Evan Gardner, just 17, has stood tall against the high-powered Warriors offence, while Moose Jaw's veteran goaltender, Jackson Unger, has kept his team in every game.

"Gardner is very poised ... and is playing way beyond his years," Dupont said.

"Unger maybe has an edge mentally as this gets deeper, but I have no reason to believe that Evan Gardner won't be able to answer the bell. He's done it every single step of the way."

Dupont said he sees no reason why this series won't go the full seven games.

Game 5 goes Friday at 7 p.m. CST at SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon.