Pachal’s Power-Play Goal Lifts Raiders To Win

Red Deer, AB – The Prince Albert Raiders (9-34-3-2) snapped an 11-game losing skid on Friday night in Red Deer with a 3-2 victory over the Rebels (20-20-4-3) at the Enmax Centrium.

Brayden Pachal tallied the game-winning goal on the power play with 5:09 left in the third to give the Raiders the win. It was his first goal since being acquired by the Raiders on January 9.

The Raiders took a 1-0 lead at the 5:03 mark of the first period. With the teams playing 4-on-4 hockey, Jordy Stallard buried his fourth as a Raider and twelfth of the season.

In the second, the Rebels levelled the score at the 1:37 mark. Michael Spacek beat Nicholas Sanders on a breakaway for his 20th of the season. Midway through the period, the Rebels took the lead on the power play. Adam Musil hit the cross bar with his initial shot, but Evan Polei was on the doorstep and banged home the rebound.

That lead held until there was 1:57 remaining in the frame. Parker Kelly tied the game with his eighth goal of the year. He collected a rebound at the side of the Rebels’ net and made no mistake from a sharp angle.

A kneeing penalty assessed to Jordan Roy late in the third period set the stage for Pachal’s heroics. He toe dragged the puck around a Rebels’ penalty killer and snapped it through Lasse Petersen for the eventual game-winning goal.

The Rebels applied pressure late with the extra attacker, but Sanders was up to the task. He made a point-blank save on former Raider Austin Glover in the final 30 seconds. The Calgary product stopped 40 shots – including all 18 faced in the third – to pick up his first win as a Raider.

.@N1Sanders is all smiles after his first win as a Raider. pic.twitter.com/3MfYjnI14G

— PrinceAlbert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) January 21, 2017

Petersen made 24 saves in the loss.

The Raiders continue their road trip on Saturday night in Edmonton against the Oil Kings at Rogers Place. Puck drop is 8 p.m. The next Raiders’ home game is on Friday, Jan. 27 against the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Canada 150 Night. The Raiders will be wearing special jerseys that evening celebrating the three Prime Ministers with ties to Prince Albert. Tickets can be purchased here, in the Raider Office, or by calling 306-764-5348.