Raiders start road trip with 4-2 win in Lethbridge
The Prince Albert Raiders started their seven game road trip on a positive note, picking up a 4-2 win over the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Wednesday night at the Enmax Centre.
After a scoreless first period that saw the Raiders outshoot the Hurricanes 8-7, Lethbridge opened the scoring 51 seconds into the second period. After some early relentless pressure forced Max Hildebrand to make a couple of big saves, Leo Braillard finally opened the scoring. After Hildebrand couldn’t quite control a rebound, Braillard followed up with a shot from the low slot that beat the Raider netminder over the glove. His fourth goal of the season gave the home side a 1-0 lead early in the middle frame.
The Raiders found themselves on a long powerplay after Cole Cairns was handed a five minute major and game misconduct for a checking to the head penalty. The green and gold cashed in on the man advantage, as Brayden Dube tied things up. From near the goal line, Dube attempted to slip a pass across the crease, but it went off of a Lethbridge defender’s stick and over goalie Harrison Meneghin. Dube was credited with his seventh goal of the season, as it became a 1-1 game just past the midway mark of the second.
In the final minute of the second, the Raiders took their first lead of the night. Jacob Hoffrogge sent a lead feed ahead to Ritchie, who juggled the puck a couple of times near the Lethbridge blue line. Ritchie then skated in and fired a shot from the bottom of the left circle past Meneghin’s ear and in for his 11th goal of the campaign. The late strike gave the Raiders a 2-1 lead heading into the third period. They also led on the shot clock by a 22-18 margin.
Ritchie was given a penalty shot early in the third period, after he was slashed on a breakaway. However, the Raider forward couldn’t convert. Lethbridge was also given a penalty shot in the third period, but couldn’t find the back of the net either.
Justice Christensen gave the Raiders a 3-1 lead with 8:10 left in the third period on the powerplay. Ritchie sent a pass to the point for the Raider blueliner. Christensen sent a seeing eye shot on goal with Niall Crocker screening in front, and he found the back of the net. Christensen’s second goal of the season gave Prince Albert a two goal lead.
Kooper Gizowski responded for Lethbridge with 6:14 left in the third. He buried his sixth goal of the season to make it a one goal game again in the later stages of regulation, as it became a 3-2 game.
The Raiders put the game to bed with 1:04 left in the third, as Aiden Oiring flipped a shot down the ice from the neutral zone and into an empty net. His seventh goal of the season into the yawning cage made it a 4-2 game.
Prince Albert improved to 10-8-0-1 with the win, and kick off their seven game road trip on the right foot.
The Raiders are back in action on Friday night in Spokane. Puck drop is at 9pm Sask time.
