Raiders Get Point In OT Loss To Wheat Kings
Prince Albert, SK – Zach Wytinck scored 3:06 into overtime to hand the Prince Albert Raiders (46-7-1-2) a 5-4 loss against the Brandon Wheat Kings (25-22-3-4) on Friday night at the Art Hauser Centre.
Parker Kelly scored twice and added an assist in the overtime loss for the Raiders. Aliaksei Protas had a goal and an assist, while Max Martin chipped in two assists.
The Raiders got the scoring started right after the 10-minute timeout in the first period. Off the faceoff, Dante Hannoun found Sean Montgomery who was alone in the slot. Montgomery snapped a shot past Jiri Patera with 9:25 left in the period for his 23rd goal of the season.
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Three minutes later, the Wheat Kings tied it. Ben McCartney entered the zone on a two-on-one rush. He elected to keep, got the puck through a Raider defender and beat Boston Bilous with a wrist shot with 6:14 to go in the first.
Brandon took its first lead of the game 3:27 into the second period. The puck was played around the boards behind the Raiders’ goal. Stelio Mattheos dug the puck out of the corner and centred for Cole Reinhardt who directed the puck past Bilous with his skate to give the Wheat Kings a 2-1 lead.
With 5:50 to go in the second, Kelly tied it with his first of the night. The Ottawa Senators prospect got behind the Wheat Kings defence and put a shot off the post and in for his 28th of the season, tying the game at 2-2.
Less than three minutes into the third, the Raiders regained the lead. Justin Nachbaur was denied at the side of the goal by Patera, but the puck bounced in front of the net. Protas banged the bouncing puck home past a sprawled Patera for his 10th of the season at the 2:48 mark.
Six minutes later, Brandon tied it. Caiden Dailey through a puck towards the goal that went off a Raider defenceman’s skate and past Bilous at the 8:43 mark.
The Raiders took the lead again with 6:35 to play. The power play was zipping the puck around the offensive end. Protas found Kelly alone in the slot and the Senators prospect one-timed it past Patera for his 29th of the year to put the Raiders ahead 4-3.
Just 15 seconds later, the Wheat Kings tied it. A scramble in front of the net had the puck fall to Luka Burzan at the side of the goal and he snapped it past a diving Bilous to make it a 4-4 game.
In overtime, the two teams traded chances. Wytinck’s winning goal came as three Raiders followed the Wheat Kings into the zone. Wytinck stayed at the blue line and skated in. His shot deflected off a Raider defenceman’s skate and through Bilous to give the Wheat Kings the win and the extra point.
Bilous finished the game with 23 saves in his first loss as a Raider. Patera made 28 saves to pick up the win for the Wheat Kings.
The Raiders will get another crack at the Wheat Kings on Saturday night in Brandon as the two teams close out their home-and-home series at Westoba Place. Puck drop is 7:30 p.m.
The next Raiders home game is on Monday afternoon in the team’s annual Family Day Game as the Moose Jaw Warriors come to town. Game time is 4 p.m. Following the game, the Raiders will host a post-game skate with the players presented by Real Canadian Superstore. Get tickets at raiderhockey.com or at the box office on Monday morning.