"We had to change the way that I like us to play," McClanahan said. "We dumped and chased it. We found a way to make it successful. I think they did it well. Our speed paid off, I just think it paid off in a different way."
McClanahan was happy with the victory, but one could tell he was perturbed by the way his team had to accomplish it.
Dump-and-chase is a cuss word to the 1980 Miracle On Ice hero, who took over as Blake's head coach in August.
"It's just really hard for me to go to that style," McClanahan said. "I don't know if everybody understands, exactly, but I just abhor that type of play and generally that type of game, but these fellas have never done that with me and they responded."
If anything, the sudden change in game plan showed off just the kind of team McClanahan has.
"That's not a game we usually play, then they bury one right off the first shift. That was kind of a wake-up call for us," Sabre said. "This was a different game for us, a different strategy, so coach, especially after the first period, hammered that we need to get pucks deep and get pucks on net."
Whatever McClanahan said worked.
After heading to the first intermission down a goal, Blake scored twice in a span of 5 1/2 minutes early in the second to take a 2-1 lead.
Blaine tied the game on Ben Wallraff's goal 6:12 into the third before Sabre's saucer pass banked in off Miller's leg for the eventual game winner.
Not pretty, but good enough. And for Blake, hopefully a sign of a team that's capable of making a nice, long run come playoff time.
"It shows that we're a dangerous team and regardless of who we're playing, we can adapt and change our style to match theirs," Miller said. "Specifically today, showing that we can come with a win after changing our style of play is good for us and good for our confidence."
More from Hockey Day Minnesota 2020:
Warroad's Hockey Day prep began on Slukynsky's ourdoor rink