Raiders fall 3-2 in Saskatoon
The Prince Albert Raiders couldn’t quite mount a third period comeback on Saturday night, as they fell 3-2 in Saskatoon at SaskTel Centre. Sloan Stanick scored the first shorthanded goal of the season for Prince Albert in the loss, as they settled for a home and home split with their East Division rivals.
In his 200th career WHL game, Niall Crocker wasted no time putting the Raiders in front, as he scored just 29 seconds into the game. After a great forechecking play by Aiden Oiring forced a Blades defenceman to turn the puck over, Oiring collected the puck and fed Crocker down low. Crocker jammed home his 14th goal of the season to give the Raiders a 1-0 lead.
The Raiders got into penalty trouble midway through the first period, as the Blades were given a five on three powerplay with Terrell Goldsmith and Jacob Hoffrogge in the box for Prince Albert. Max Hildebrand stood tall to the task on the penalty kill, making a handful of saves, including sliding from his left to his right post to rob Trevor Wong from the left circle.
Saskatoon did manage to tie the game up with 1:48 left in the first period, as Easton Armstrong pulled the Blades even. Grady Martin was out of the play for the Raiders after losing his stick near the right wall, which let Charlie Wright line up a shot on goal from the point. With Martin’s stick not there to get a piece of the shot, Wright’s shot was tipped in the slot by Armstrong, and the puck went past Hildebrand glove side. Armstrong collected his 24th goal of the season, making it a 1-1 score after 20 minutes of play. After the Raiders opened the scoring early, Saskatoon controlled most of the play for the remainder of the opening frame, and it showed on the shot clock too, as they led 15-3 in that department after one period of play.
Only one goal was scored in the second period, and it came from Saskatoon on a Blades powerplay. Tanner Molendyk was the player to get it done for the Blades, as he gave Saskatoon their first lead of the night. From the right corner, Brandon Lisowsky fed Molendyk at the point, and the defenceman ripped a slapshot through traffic that beat Hildebrand. His sixth goal of the season gave the home side a 2-1 lead.
The Blades took their one goal lead into the third period, and thanks to Hildebrand, that’s all the lead was. The Raider netminder was forced to make 15 more saves in the middle frame, as the Raiders were being outshot 30-5 after 40 minutes.
Eogr Sidorov gave the Blades a 3-1 lead just 1:41 into the third period, as he picked the far side on Hildebrand to make it a two goal game. Cutting down the left wing, Sidorov caught Hildebrand off his right post, and he was able to pick a corner for his 36th goal of the season, which gave the Blades a little bit of breathing room to start the third period.
Needing a goal to get back in the game, Prince Albert got back to within one, scoring shorthanded. Sloan Stanick forced a turnover in the defensive zone and found himself on a breakaway on Elliott. Skating right down the middle, Stanick picked the top corner past Elliott’s blocker side. It was the first shorthanded goal scored by the Raiders this season. Stanick scored his 21st goal of the season to make it a 3-2 game with 3:18 left in the third.
Saskatoon was able to shut things down from there, as they were able to hold the Raiders off the board the rest of the way to hang on for a 3-2 win.
The Raiders are back in action on home ice on Wednesday night against the Red Deer Rebels. Puck drop is 7pm.
