Cam Tait Recaps Game Six of Oil Kings and Raiders
Written by: Cam Tait
Edmonton, Alta. – The Edmonton Oil Kings and Prince Albert Raiders saved their Sunday best and packed it into 60 minutes of playoff hockey at Rogers Place Sunday – whenever else? – for a real barnburner in their Western Hockey League quarter best-of-seven series.
It went right down to the 19:08 mark of the third period for the game winner to give the Raiders a 4-3 win, and, more importantly, knot the series at 3 games apiece. Game 7 hits the Alberta and Saskatchewan pavement, with puck drop of winner-take-all Tuesday night.
The Raiders thought they took a 1-0 lead halfway through the opening 20 minutes, but it was waved off because of a high stick. With just over two minutes remaining in the period, and 54 seconds left on the Oil Kings’ second powerplay, the ever-pesky Marshall Finnie scored his second of the playoffs with a tip-in. The goal, a wicked wrister from the slot from Gavin Hodnett came on Edmonton’s man advantage and looked as crisp as a freshly dry-cleaned suit, ready for any Monday morning monumental meeting. 1, zip Oil Kings. The shooting barrage continued on Prince Albert goaltender Max Hilderbrand, peppering 11 in the first period, compared to the Raiders 4.
With nine minutes gone in the second period on a Raider powerplay Aiden Oiring took a cross-ice pass from Rilen Kovacevic to shovel home the puck into the open net. 1-1. The goal took a little steam out of Edmonton’s pace, which was a good one. As time ran out on the middle frame, action, certainly didn’t. Prince Albert had a breakaway and Oiring took a late penalty to hand deliver Edmonton a powerplay to start the third period.
The third period couldn’t have started any worse for the Oil Kings.
A minute into their powerplay, Kovacevic snuck in on Simcoe and threaded the needle for a shorty goal. 2-1, Raiders. The Oil Kings went to work: two full shifts were cemented in Prince Albert’s zone. Edmonton continued their good pressure until Oiring scored his second on the night. 3-1, Raiders.
But — who said 13 was unlucky? – Ryan Roersma scored 13 seconds later and got the Oil Kings within one. 3-2, Raiders. Off-ice, game officials barely got the fifth goal recorded when Landon Hanson tore down the wing and found the five-hole on Hildebrand with a shade over a dozen minutes on the clock. Hildebrand made GGG – great glove grab – on a Raiders 3-on-2. Simcoe wasn’t left out of the goaltender magic, who made a great save seconds later, with Fidler making sure no collateral damage would be had.
The Oil Kings threw everything on net in a four-minute power play – even, yes, the kitchen sink – but no goal light. The Oil Kings took a penalty late in the third, and with 52.2 seconds left, Lukas Dragicevic put the Raiders ahead. 4-3, Prince Albert.
