Game Preview: Round 1, Game 3 vs Saskatoon
SETTING IT UP:
The scene shifts to the Art Hauser Centre for game three between the Raiders and Blades in their first round playoff matchup. After the Raiders picked up a road split, they will look to take full advantage of home ice tonight in what will be a packed Art Hauser Centre. After Prince Albert took game one by a 4-3 final, Saskatoon levelled the series on Friday night with a 4-1 win. Niall Crocker scored the lone goal late in the third period for the Raiders.
SPECIAL TEAMS:
After going 2/3 on the powerplay and 4/5 on the penalty kill in game one on Thursday, Prince Albert’s special teams sputtered a bit in game two. They went 1/5 on the powerplay, and gave up three powerplay goals on four chances.
HILTY DOING HILTY THINGS:
Max Hildebrand has been nothing short of spectacular through game one and two. He made a handful of glorious saves to guide the Raiders to a game one win, and while Prince Albert dropped game two, the score could have been a lot worse without another flurry of incredible saves, including eight stops alone on Egor Sidorov.
TALE OF THE TAPE:
Raiders Playoff Stats |
Goals For: 5 |
Goals Against: 7 |
Shots For: 52 |
Shots Against: 74 |
Powerplay: 3/8 (37.5%) |
Penalty Kill: 5/9 (55.6%) |
UP NEXT:
These two clubs will be right back at it tomorrow night at the Art Hauser Centre for game four, where the winner of tonight’s game will have a chance to take a strangle hold on the series. Game five goes Friday night in Saskatoon, and if the series goes past that, game six will be played on Saturday night back in Prince Albert. If a game seven is needed, that will go down in six days’ time, with the Blades hosting the win or go home contest. Puck drop for every game is at 7pm.