Wapple Brilliant in Pats Shootout Win

First Period
The Pats’ third line has been garnering praise of late for its strong play and the trio of Braden Christoffer, Carte Hansen and Patrick D’Amico would change the scoreboard early.  Off a scramble in front, D’Amico found the puck and rung a shot off the post before it rebounded back into the net off a Raider skate for the 1-0 lead 37 seconds in.  The Raider powerplay got its first opportunity to work in the early going, but was cut short when Jayden Hart drove to the net and knocked over Daniel Wapple and was assessed a five minute major.  The Pats powerplay didn’t find the mark on the extended advantage, and it looked like the Raiders were going to grab the momentum before a quick turnaround.  The Pats raced ahead 3-on-1 before Dryden Hunt put a pass back across his body to Boston Leier who shoveled the puck through Cole Cheveldave to give the Blue and White some breathing room.  Prince Albert didn’t leave the period empty handed as the powerplay would connect on its second chance.  Sawyer Lange let fly a shot from the line with Collin Valcourt planted in front of Wapple.  Valcourt got a good piece of the puck to direct it behind Wapple to cut the score to 2-1 after twenty minutes.

Second Period
The second period opened with the Pats back to the penalty kill, but Chandler Stephenson took matters into his hands once again.  The Saskatoon, SK product took a chip from Morgan Klimchuk and raced in alone before undressing Cheveldave with a great move to give the Pats a 3-1 lead on his 7^th shorthanded goal of the year.  The Raiders answered right back when a blocked shot skipped to Calder Brooks and he buried the puck into the open net.  The Pats continued to give the Prince Albert powerplay time to work and paid in full for it.  Collin Valcourt slipped the puck behind the Pats to Leon Draisaitl who deked out Wapple to tie the game 3-3.  Late in the frame, the Blue and White went down two men and with three seconds left in the 5-on-3, Draisaitl tallied again on a nice passing play for the Raiders fourth powerplay goal of the game and a 4-3 lead after two.

Third Period/Overtime/Shootout
The early stages of the third period sat firmly in favour of the Raiders as Prince Albert had chance after chance to build on their 4-3 lead, but Daniel Wapple held the Pats in the game.  That would prove to be key as the Pats benefited from a friendly bounce.  Dryden Hunt got the puck to the net and somehow the puck squeezed past Cheveldave and into the Raider goal to tie the game.  The Pats had a brilliant opportunity with 4:30 left to tie the game on the powerplay when Jesse Zgraggen lined up a wide open net, but fired the puck just over the crossbar.  The Pats garnered another opportunity on the powerplay with time dwindling in the frame, couldn’t convert on the powerplay in regulation, but carried 40 seconds into overtime.  Leon Draisaitl had the best chance to end the game when he was hooked up on a breakaway and earned a penalty shot.  Daniel Wapple stared him down, though, and the overtime frame continued.  It wouldn’t solve anything as the Pats and Raiders went to extra shots.  Boston Leier scored for the Pats and Wapple did the rest, blanking Prince Albert in the skills competition as the Pats captured a 5-4 shootout victory and took over the East Division lead.

Next Game: vs. Swift Current – Saturday, February 15^th – 7:00 p.m. (CKRM)

Next Home Game: vs. Swift Current – Saturday, February 15^th – 7:00 p.m. (CKRM)