Raiders blow third period lead to fall 4-3 in overtime in Swift Current
The Prince Albert Raiders led 2-0 and 3-1 in the third period, but the Swift Current Broncos came all the way back to tie the game late and win it 4-3 in overtime on Saturday night at the InnovationPlex.
After a scoreless first period, the Raiders struck first at the 4:27 mark of the middle frame. After serving his one game suspension on Friday night, Rilen Kovacevic made his return to the lineup count, as he scored the game’s first goal in Swift Current. Taking a drop pass from Ethan Bibeau along the right wall, he tried to feather a pass in front of the net. The puck hit a Bronco defenceman in front and beat Reid Dyck across the grain. Kovacevic was credited with his 27th goal of the season to make it a 1-0 game.
The Raiders were able to kill off a late second period Broncos powerplay and took their one goal lead into the third period, with the shots favouring Prince Albert 18-16.
Brayden Dube put the Raiders up 2-0 with 10:47 left in the third, scoring a powerplay goal for his 27th of the year. After it looked like Prince Albert had scored a few seconds earlier, Dube grabbed the puck at the side of the net with Dyck down, and sauced it into an open net to double the lead.
The Broncos made it a one goal game again just 45 seconds later, as Rylan Gould scored their first goal of the game. The puck took a strange bounce on its way to the net, from Gould, but he was credited with his 24th goal of the season to make it a 2-1 contest.
Just over three minutes later, another powerplay goal gave the Raiders their two goal lead back. After a faceoff win in the offensive zone, Kovacevic fed a rink wide pass to Ty Meunier, who then threw the puck in front. The pass took a deflection and squeaked through Dyck, and Riley Boychuk was able to poke the puck home to score his 12th of the season. The goal scoring started to pick up at the midway mark of the third, as Prince Albert went up 3-1.
With 3:49 to go, the Broncos clawed back to within one, as the pressure started to build in the Raiders end. Lukas Dragicevic cleared the puck away from the net, but he sent the puck to the point right to Grayson Burzynski. Gathering the puck, the Broncos defenceman ripped a shot past Hildebrand, scoring his 11th of the campaign to again make it a one goal game, this time at 3-2.
Down by a goal with the net empty, Swift Current tied the game with 57 seconds left in regulation. It was Carlin Dezainde who found the back of the net in the final stages, scoring his 31st of the season and bringing the InnovationPlex back to life. Dezainde’s marker made it a 3-3 game, and would send things to overtime.
In the extra frame, the Raiders had a few quality chances to win the game, but Dyck came up with some big stops. After he kicked aside a shot from Tomas Mrsic with the left pad, he gave up a massive rebound in front. Aiden Oiring found it and took a backhand shot, but Dyck was able to dive across and make a huge glove save to keep the game alive. He also made key stops on Niall Crocker and Dube, allowing the Broncos to come the other way.
After Dube’s last chance in overtime, he was hauled down to the ice, which let the Broncos break into the Prince Albert end on an odd man rush. Luke Mistelbacher dropped a pass to the high slot for Hunter Mayo, and he sniped home a shot glove side past Hildebrand, giving Swift Current a come from behind 4-3 win.
With the loss, the Raiders only pick up one point in their weekend action, and will have to wait once again before they can clinch a playoff spot.
Prince Albert is back in action on Tuesday night when they host the Regina Pats. Puck drops at 7pm.
