Cam Tait Recaps Game 5 in Prince Albert
So, Sunday afternoon. Late afternoon, really – 4 p.m. Busy? Would you like some great entertainment? Junior hockey playoffs, Edmonton Oil Kings style? Rogers Place: that’s where you want to be for Game 6 of the Western Hockey League opening round of the playoffs, with the Oil Kings and Prince Albert Raiders.
With the Raiders season on the line, they went into the mighty North Saskatchewan River and fished out a 3-2-win Friday night. Staving off elimination. The Raiders and Oil Kings best-of-seven still favours the Oil Kings three games to two. A win Sunday sends Edmonton into the second round. Lose, and it’s back to Prince Albert for the greatest two words in hockey.
Game 7.
The Oil Kings continued barraging – there’s a new word for this journalistic journey — on Raiders’ goaltender Max Hildebrand, firing the rubber five times in their first five minutes. Then, with just under 14 minutes, a follow-the-puck-from-one-point–to-the-other-along-the-ice-into-the-right-conner-of-the-net (gasp for air) moment happened. Tomas Mrsic: you were credited with the first goal of the game. Raiders, 1-0. Prince Albert was energized by the goal and closed the shooting gallery gauge to 9-7 in favour of the Oil Kings. The Raiders added to their lead with a powerplay marker with three minutes left in the opening frame. The puck whizzed by Edmonton netminder Ethan Simcoe.
The Oil Kings were stymied by Hildebrand, including a better-send-it-to-Grandma save midway through the period.
The barrage – remember that word? – on the PA net, and, with four minutes left in the middle period, they were leading 10-3 on the shotclock outshooting P.A. 15-8 in the second period. And guess what? One of those shots from Ethan Mackenzie on the powerplay, made it a 2-1 game. Edmonton looked like they were back in the game. And they were. For just about three minutes. Raider Lukas Dragicevic took three steps over the blue line and restored the Raiders’ goal lead. But the Oil Kings showed their resilience, thanks to Landon Hanson, turning it into a 1-goal game, and were down 3-2 going into the third period.
It was obvious – in the third period – very obvious, in fact – the two teams are not going to be on each other’s Christmas card list. There was a good deal of extracurricular activity – including both kinsmen on top of a player at game’s end. The Oil Kings had a good jump in the first eight minutes of the final period. But Hilderbrand couldn’t be beat. Prince Albert’s empty netter with 72 seconds left signaled the bus driver to gas up the vessel.
Sunday, 4 p.m. Rogers Place. Any plans?
