Raiders Take Down Warriors
Regina, SK – Eric Pearce broke a third-period deadlock to help lift the Prince Albert Raiders (3-3-1-1) to a 5-2 win over the Moose Jaw Warriors (4-4-0-0) on Saturday night in the Subway Hub Centre at the Brandt Centre in Regina.
Along with the goal, the Regina product also had an assist in the win. Ozzy Wiesblatt added a pair of goals. Rookie Logan Linklater had a pair of assists for the Raiders, which were his first two WHL points. Reece Vitelli also chipped in a goal and an assist.
With the win, Head Coach Marc Habscheid moved into a tie for sixth on the all-time WHL wins list for coaches. He now shares the spot with Ernie “Punch” McLean with 548 career wins.
Congratulations to Head Coach Marc Habscheid.
With tonight’s win, he moved into a tie for sixth all-time with 548 WHL wins!#GoRaidersGo pic.twitter.com/6TwG71N6ot
— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) March 28, 2021
The Warriors got on the board early in the first period with a power-play marker. Brayden Yager’s shot from the right faceoff circle was tipped in front by Eric Alarie to get it past Carter Serhyenko, making it a 1-0 game for Moose Jaw 6:11 into the action.
Wiesblatt struck at the 8:27 mark of the first to tie the game with his third of the season. He collected a bouncing puck at the right faceoff circle, found an angle, and snapped it through Brett Mirwald to level the score at 1-1.
.@ozzywiesblatt picks up his third goal of the #SubwayWHLHub to even the score at 1-1!#GoRaidersGo pic.twitter.com/tAdBB77y8c
— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) March 28, 2021
The Raiders grabbed the lead with a shorthanded goal with 7:14 to go in the opening frame. Nachbaur, who was playing in his 200th career WHL game, and Linklater forced a turnover at the Warriors’ blueline. Linklater chipped it ahead to Nachbaur who ripped a shot past Mirwald from the right faceoff circle for his second of the season to put the Raiders up 2-1.
Justin Nachbaur with the shorthanded snipe from the faceoff circle to give us a 2-1 lead!#GoRaidersGo #SubwayWHLHub pic.twitter.com/4WFypQMxeC
— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) March 28, 2021
Midway through the second, the Warriors tied things back up. Atley Calvert hit Cade Hayes with cross-ice pass and Hayes beat Serhyenko with a wrist shot to make it 2-2.
Matthew Culling had the best Raiders’ chance in the second half of the period to break the deadlock. He was sprung on breakaway, but Mirwald was able to stop his first shot and the rebound put on goal by Culling as well.
Early in the third, the Raiders regained the lead for good. Adam McNutt found a streaking Pearce through the neutral zone. Pearce entered the zone and put a shot on goal that was stopped. He picked up his own rebound and beat Mirwald for his fourth goal of the campaign, giving the Raiders a 3-2 advantage 1:53 into the final frame.
.@EricPearce16 buries his own rebound to put us up 3-2 early in the third!#GoRaidersGo #SubwayWHLHub pic.twitter.com/JTCPScFtQ8
— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) March 28, 2021
The Raiders were able to control most of the third period, outshooting the Warriors 18-2 in the final frame. That was aided by Nolan Jones putting the Warriors shorthanded after he tripped up Wiesblatt, then Daemon Hunt taking a five-minute major for checking from behind.
With the Warriors’ net empty for the extra attacker, Wiesblatt and Vitelli each found the unguarded cage to round out the scoring at 5-2.
Serhyenko stopped 16 of the 18 shots he faced on the night to earn his first win of the season. Mirwald made 31 saves in goal for the Warriors.
The Raiders are off until Monday when they take on the Saskatoon Blades (7-0-1-0) for the second time this season. Game time is 4 p.m. Catch the game on WHL Live on CHL TV.