Fonstad Nets OT Winner To Down Oil Kings
Prince Albert, SK – Cole Fonstad scored 3:00 into the overtime period to lift the Prince Albert Raiders (29-2-0-1) to a 6-5 win over the Edmonton Oil Kings (16-12-4-2) on Wednesday night at the Art Hauser Centre.
The Montreal Canadiens prospect also had a pair of assists in the game. Noah Gregor had two goals and an assist, while Parker Kelly and Max Martin also contributed multi-point games.
Gregor got the scoring going early in the first period. His shot from the shot deflected off the stick of an Oil Kings defender and past Todd Scott 1:49 into the contest. It was Gregor’s 15th goal of the year.
Edmonton responded five minutes later. Conner McDonald’s shot from the wing fooled Donovan Buskey, levelling the score at 1-1 at the 6:17 mark.
In the second, Gregor restored the Raiders’ lead on the power play at the 6:09 mark. His shot from the top of the faceoff circle was once again deflected and got past Scott for his fifth power-play marker of the season.
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The Oil Kings responded with two goals in 50 seconds beginning at the 8:32 mark. Carter Souch pounced on his own rebound on a power play to make it 2-2. Then, Jake Neighbours snapped a shot by Buskey from the slot to give Edmonton its first lead of the contest.
Less than two minutes later, the Raiders tied it with another power-play goal. Gregor drew the defence to the left wing, leaving Kelly alone on the right. The San Jose Sharks prospect made a cross-ice pass to Kelly, who one-timed it over Scott with 8:42 to play in the period.
Edmonton got back in front by the end of the period with a power-play goal of their own. McDonald found David Kope with a backdoor pass and the Edmonton product tallied his fifth of the year.
The Oil Kings’ lead held through breakaway attempts from Kelly and Gregor to be broken midway through the third. Max Martin’s blast from the point got through traffic and past Scott for his fifth of the year at the 8:05 mark.
Less than a minute later, the Raiders took the lead back. Ozzy Wiesblatt worked down the left wing, putting the puck through his legs and centering it for Carson Miller. The Yorkton product lifted a shot over Scott to put the Raiders ahead 5-4 with 7:32 to play.
Late in the third, the Oil Kings were able to tie the game. Matthew Robertson’s shot from the wing was deflected past Buskey by Vince Loschiavo with 6.6 seconds remaining in regulation.
In overtime, both teams traded chances until Martin hit Fonstad with a stretch pass. Breaking in on the left wing, Fonstad beat Scott through the five-hole to end the game with his 11th of the year and first career overtime winner.
Tonight’s Insurance Goal of the Game was scored by #24 Cole Fonstad!
Check out more #InsuranceGoals at https://t.co/6jMYE5oFlP pic.twitter.com/8weO0002Db
— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) December 13, 2018
Buskey earned his sixth win of the season by making 30 saves. His biggest was denying two approaching Oil Kings on a two-on-none breakaway. Scott stopped 26 shots in a losing effort for the Oil Kings.
The Raiders close out the first half of the season with a home-and-home series against the Swift Current Broncos (6-23-1-1) beginning on Friday night at the Innovation Credit Union i-plex. Game time is 7 p.m.
The series shifts back to the Art Hauser Centre on Saturday night for Teddy Bear Toss presented by Canadian Tire. Fans are asked to bring stuffed animals, toques, or mittens to throw on the ice after the Raiders score their first goal of the game. Puck drop is 7 p.m. Head to raiderhockey.com and the Raider Office to pick up tickets.
Half-season tickets are now available for a limited time. Stop by the Raider Office for more information. The packages are only available until Sunday, December 30.
