Heise’s hatty lifts Raiders to 6-4 win over Warriors

The Max Heise show was on full display on Saturday night. The 19-year-old forward completed his first WHL hat trick, as the Prince Albert Raiders knocked off the visiting Moose Jaw Warriors 6-4 at the Art Hauser Centre.

After a Raider shot was blocked in the Warriors zone, Moose Jaw quickly turned the play back the other way. Linden Burrett got turned around at the blue line, which allowed Ethan Semeniuk to lead a two on one rush. Skating hard down the middle of the ice, Landen McFadden took a pass from Semeniuk, and was able to tuck home a forehand shot past Dimitri Fortin’s blocker. On their first shot of the game and McFadden’s sixth goal of the season, the visitors jumped ahead to a quick 1-0 lead.

With 9:26 to go in the first, the Raiders tied the game after winning a defensive zone faceoff. Daxon Rudolph sprung a breakout pass to Alisher Sarkenov. Skating down the right wall, Sarkenov saw Heise gain some separation from his man, and sent a pass to the slot. Heise drove to the net with the puck and slipped a backhand shot through Chase Wutzke, who was making his first start in goal for the Warriors. Heise’s marker made it a 1-1 game.

Just under three minutes later, Heise got on the board for the second time in the contest. After a one timer from the blue line by Hubert Clarke was blocked on its way to the net, Heise was able to find the rebound and score his second goal of the game. It was his eighth goal of the season, as it gave Prince Albert their first lead of the night at 2-1.

2:35 into the second period, hometown boy Connor Howe scored his first WHL goal on his home ice. How sent a pass across the ice to Sarkenov, who played the puck along the goal line for Aiden Oiring. Oiring waited for a lane to open up, and sent a pass through traffic back to Howe. Taking a one timer, Howe’s shot handcuffed Wutzke, as it trickled by him and over the goal line. The first career goal for Howe made it a 3-1 game in favour of the Raiders.

Moose Jaw came back to make it a one goal game again, as they tied things up with 3:49 to go in the middle frame. After a point shot from Aiden Ziprick missed wide, Lynden Lakovic found the rebound behind the net. Spotting McFadden all alone in front, Lakovic gave his linemate a perfect pass, as he cashed in on his second goal of the night.

With 40 minutes in the books, the Raiders were holding on to a 3-2 lead.

It only took Moose Jaw 1:22 to tie the game in the third period, as Lakovic found the back of the net. Riley Boychuk fell at his own blue line, which allowed Casey Brown to gain control of the puck. He passed it past an outstretched Justice Christensen to the tape of Lakovic, who was along on Fortin. He couldn’t handle the puck cleanly on his first shot attempt, but Lakovic was able to follow up on a second chance and beat Fortin, who was down and out of the play. It was his 13th goal of the season, tying things up at 3-3.

The seesaw affair continued not much later, as Daxon Rudolph scored to put Prince Albert up 4-3 with 16:22 left in the third. Kyle Obobaifo swung a pass to the point for Justice Christensen, who then passed it along the blue line to Rudolph. The Raiders defenceman unleashed a rope of a wrist shot, beating Wutzke top corner over his glove. It was Rudolph’s fourth goal of the season, putting the home side up 4-3.

However, just 29 seconds later, the Warriors tied things up once again. This time it was William Degagne who found the back of the net to even the score at 4-4. It was his second goal of the season, but a huge one for Moose Jaw.

With 7:08 left in regulation, Prince Albert would go back up by a goal, as Jonah Sivertson cashed in on a good scoring chance. A great pass from Ty Meunier found Sivertson in the slot, and the rookie winger was able to beat Wutzke with a terrific shot glove side to make it a 5-4 game.

Then, with Moose Jaw’s net empty for the extra attacker, Heise completed the hat trick, as he took a pass from Riley Boychuk just ahead of the blue line to seal the deal. With the assist on the goal, Boychuk extended his point streak to 13 games, recording a point in every single game to start the season.

Prince Albert improves to 10-0-3-0 on the season, as they get ready to kick off a seven game road trip through Lethbridge and the U.S. Division.