Dube and Howe score twice, Cripps registers four assists in 6-2 win over Regina
The offence came alive for the Prince Albert Raiders once again on Thursday night, as the green and gold took down the Regina Pats 6-2 at Westland Place in Yorkton.
After a scoreless opening 13 minutes, the Raiders got on the board first. Oli Chenier found the back of the net after being set up by Brock Cripps at the bottom of the left circle, scoring his first goal of the preseason. Brayden Dube made it a 2-0 Raider lead with 5:58 to go in the first, converting on a chance in tight. Just over four minutes later, Connor Howe scored, this time on a powerplay tucking home a rebound near the goal line. Prince Albert went 1/2 on the man advantage in the first period after Howe’s marker.
After 20 minutes, Prince Albert outshot Regina 12-10, taking a 3-0 lead into the second period.
Maddox Schultz put the Pats on the board 11:05 into the second period, as he sniped a shot glove side past Michal Orsulak. Schultz’s tally was on the powerplay, as he made it a 3-1 game.
Howe restored Prince Albert’s three goal lead with 7:06 left in the middle frame, taking a feed from Brock Cripps and ripping a shot past Taylor Tabashniuk. His second goal of the night put the Raiders up 4-1.
Regina scored again on the powerplay with 1:29 left in the second, as another first round pick, Liam Pue found the back of the net. Pue beat Orsulak five hole with a shot, making it a 4-2 contest.
With time winding down in the frame, the Raiders took their three goal lead back again, as Dube scored his second goal of the game. Taking a pass from Cripps in the left circle, Dube blasted a one timer off the bar and in to make it a 5-2 score.
With both Dube and Howe on hat trick watch after two periods, the Raiders held a 5-2 lead heading into the final 20 minutes. Cripps also had a stellar first two periods, as he sat with four assists.
The final goal of the game came 6:38 into the third period, when Evan Smith extended Prince Albert’s lead even further. After a point shot by Jackson Kostiuk was stopped, Smith chased after the rebound in front of Regina’s net and batted the rebound home. His second goal of the preseason made it a 6-2 game.
Between the pipes for the Raiders, Orsulak was solid in his second start, turning aside 25 of 27 shots in the 6-2 win.
Prince Albert is back in action on Saturday night at the Art Hauser Centre, where they will face the Pats once again to wrap up preseason play. Puck drops at 6pm.
