Raiders Knock Off Top-Ranked Warriors
Prince Albert, SK – The streaking Prince Albert Raiders (31-25-9-2) used a four-goal second period to take down the Moose Jaw Warriors (49-15-1-2) by a 6-4 margin on Friday night.
With the victory, the Raiders extended their winning streak to eight games. Coinciding with a Saskatoon Blades overtime loss, the Raiders now have a five-point lead on their division rivals for the final wild card spot.
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While the Raiders were outshot 10-3 in the first, they made the most of their chances. Cole Fonstad walked through the Warriors defence and snapped a shot through Adam Evanoff to put the Raiders ahead 1-0 after one.
In the second, Kody McDonald extended the Raiders’ lead. He buried a rebound off of Parker Kelly’s original shot at the 4:17 mark of the period.
Midway through the period, the Warriors cut into the lead. Branden Klatt scored on a breakaway to make it a 2-1 game.
The Raiders responded just more than two minutes later. Kelly set up McDonald with a pass on a two-on-one rush and the Lethbridge product and made no mistake in scoring his second goal of the game. Three minutes later, Jordy Stallard got in on the action with his 42nd goal of the year – and 17th on the power play – to put the Raiders ahead 4-1.
The Warriors cut the lead in half again with 4:05 to play in the period. Jayden Halbgewachs got behind the Raiders defence and solved Ian Scott to bring Moose Jaw back within two.
Before the end of the period, the Raiders restored their three-goal lead. Curtis Miske tallied his first of the night when he converted on a two-on-rush with Fonstad with 1:15 left in the frame.
In the third, Miske made it a four-goal game when his knuckler fooled Evanoff at the 1:48 mark.
The Warriors battled back to make it a two-goal game. Justin Almeida found the back of the net at the 6:41 mark of the period. Then, Halbgewachs tallied his second of the game with 6:37 to play.
However, that was as close as the Warriors came. Scott finished the game with 21 saves in the win. Evanoff stopped 17 shots.
The Raiders are back on the ice at the Art Hauser Centre on Saturday night for their penultimate home game against the Calgary Hitmen. Puck drop is 7 p.m. Tickets are available at tickets.raiderhockey.com or at the box office, which opens at 10 a.m.
