Crocker’s late goal pushes Raiders to 4-3 win over Hitmen
The teddy bears rained down early in the game, but the most important goal of the night was scored with 4:08 left in regulation. Justice Christensen opened the scoring, and Niall Crocker ended it, as the Prince Albert Raiders took down the Calgary Hitmen 4-3 on Friday night at the Art Hauser Centre.
Justice Christensen unleashed the bears at the 9:56 mark of the first period to give the Raiders the lead. After Dayce Derkatch fed Daxon Rudolph at the blue line, Rudolph swung a pass across the ice for the Raider captain. Christensen wasted no time with the puck on his stick, firing a one timer home far side over Anders Miller’s glove. His fifth goal of the season made it a 1-0 game, pausing the game while the teddy bears were cleaned up off the ice.
The bears are out! pic.twitter.com/cBv9enABYg
— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) December 7, 2024
There was a lot of anger on the ice for the remainder of the opening frame, as a total of eight penalties were handed out, six of them to the Hitmen. With 1:14 left in the period, six of those penalties were handed out:
Axel Hurtig (CGY): 2 minutes for roughing
Axel Hurtig (CGY): 10 minute misconduct
Maxim Muranov (CGY): 2 minutes for interference
Justice Christensen (PA): 2 minutes for roughing
Harrison Lodewyk (PA): 2 minutes for roughing
Harrison Lodewyk (PA): 10 minute misconduct
The penalties happened after Muranov laid a hit on Daxon Rudolph away from the puck along the wall. Rudolph was down on the ice for a few moments after the hit, causing a scene in the Calgary zone, and the penalties would soon follow after a long discussion between officials at the penalty box. At the end of everything, the Raiders would head to the powerplay.
50 seconds later, the Hitmen would take two more penalties, as Kalem Parker was served with a roughing call, and Ben Kindel was given a 10 minute misconduct. The Raiders would go on to a five on three man advantage, which carried over into the second period for 44 seconds.
With the first period finally in the books after over an hour, Prince Albert took a 1-0 lead into the middle frame.
The Raiders scored on their carried over powerplay, striking 33 seconds into the second period. At the point, Tomas Mrsic and Lukas Dragicevic exchanged passes. Mrsic fed the puck back to Dragicevic near the left circle, and the Raider defenceman rocketed a one timer over Miller. Dragicevic got the monkey off his back, scoring his first goal in 14 games. It was his second goal of the season, and it gave Prince Albert a 2-0 lead.
Drago. What. A. Shot.@SeattleKraken pic.twitter.com/TJ9djkxZYB
— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) December 7, 2024
Krzysztof Macias made it a three goal lead with 15:53 left in the second, as the Raiders took advantage of a Hitmen turnover. Dax Williams whiffed on a breakout pass in his own end, and Niall Crocker stole the puck in the offensive zone. The 20-year-old dished a pass across to Macias, and he ripped a shot bar down for his sixth goal of the season to make it a 3-0 game.
PING pic.twitter.com/raOU65sQOV
— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) December 7, 2024
Calgary responded just over three minutes later, as David Adaszynski cut into the lead. A harmless looking shot from the high slot fooled Dimitri Fortin, as the puck went over his blocker and in. Adaszynski collected his fourth goal of the season, and it became a 3-1 Raider lead.
The Hitmen outshot the Raiders 17-6 in the second period, but the home side took their 3-1 lead into the third.
Calgary tied the game in the third, scoring the first two goals of the frame. Just 1:02 into the period, Connor Hvidston made it a 3-2 game, scoring his seventh goal of the season. With 5:21 left, Oliver Tulk scored his 13th goal of the season to tie the game, bringing the Hitmen back from 3-1 down to make it 3-3.
Prince Albert got a powerplay with 4:27 left in the game, and only needed 19 seconds to score the go ahead goal. Mrsic fed Aiden Oiring a one timer at the right circle which was stopped by Miller, but he left a rebound right in front of the crease. Niall Crocker came bearing down on the puck, and banged home his ninth goal of the season. It was a clutch one, as it put the Raiders up 4-3.
So clutch pic.twitter.com/LSL6I10bMx
— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) December 7, 2024
The Hitmen would pull their goalie in the final minutes of the game, but the Raiders shut the door on a late game tying goal. Macias and Crocker each had chances at the empty net but couldn’t score, but it didn’t matter. A late shot from Crocker missed the net with two seconds left, but Prince Albert didn’t need the insurance marker, winning by a 4-3 final.
The green and gold are back in action tomorrow night when they travel to Brandon to face the Wheat Kings.
