There’s nothing like starting off a new season with an intense Western Hockey League rivalry .

Rather than easing into the 2025-26 season, the Saskatoon Blades jumped right into the fray with a home-and-home series against their bitter arch-rivals, Prince Albert Raiders, over the weekend.

The end result was a customary weekend split with the Raiders securing an empty-net 4-2 win Friday and the Blades evening the score with a 3-2 overtime victory Saturday before an announced crowd (paid, not actual, attendance) of 9,904.

“It felt,” said Blades head coach Dan DaSilva, “like a playoff atmosphere Week 1 of the season.”

Does DaSilva like the idea of playing the team’s biggest rival right off the hop? Or would he rather slowly tip-toe into the water instead of diving right in?

“I definite

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