Raiders win sixth straight game in nailbiter over Pats

The Prince Albert Raiders nearly saw a four goal lead in the third period disappear on Friday night. They were able to hold off the Regina Pats just enough, however, as the green and gold won by a 6-5 final at the Art Hauser Centre.

Aiden Oiring wasted no time putting the Raiders on the board, as he scored just 26 seconds into the game. The puck was bobbling around in the Regina crease, with both Raiders and Pats players whacking at it. Oiring was eventually the one to bang it home, picking up his fourth goal of the season to make it a 1-0 game.

Exactly three minutes later, Jonah Sivertson extended Prince Albert’s lead to 2-0. After Brock Cripps displayed his strong skating by gaining the Pats end on the powerplay, he dropped the puck for Oli Chenier. Chenier gave it quickly back to Cripps, who surveyed his options. He found Ty Meunier skating along the right wing, sending a hard pass across the ice. Meunier found Sivertson wide open near the crease, and gave his winger a hard pass. Sivertson took the puck and swept it to the far post, beating Marek Schlenker for his third goal of the season.

With 8:30 left in the first, Oiring double dipped, scoring his second goal of the period. Identical to his first goal, the puck was loose in the Pats crease, with player after player trying to get a stick on it. Once again, Oiring was the last player to touch it, as he buried his fifth goal of the season to open up a 3-0 Raiders lead.

Outshooting Regina 17-6 in the opening frame, Prince Albert took their three goal lead into the second.

Regina got back to within one at the 6:22 mark of the second period, as they took advantage of a powerplay. From behind the net, new import Ruslan Karimov sent a pass through the crease, which Dimitri Fortin deflected with his stick. However, Keets Fawcett was able to grab the puck with his glove, put it onto his stick, and beat Fortin with a shot from in tight. His fourth of the season made it a 3-1 game.

Less than two minutes later, Prince Albert took their three goal lead back, as Owen Corkish potted his second goal of the season. After a won faceoff in the offensive zone, Oiring freed the puck up and gave a short pass to Corkish in the left circle. The Minnesota product snapped a shot five hole past Schlenker to make it a 4-1 game.

With 9:25 left in the second, the Raiders extended their lead to four goals. Riley Boychuk was denied on a partial breakaway by a great pad save made by Schlenker, but that  was only the start of another scoring chance. Alisher Sarkenov grabbed the rebound behind the net and fed Evan Smith in the slot. Smith ripped a one timer over Schlenker, scoring his third goal of the season. That made it a 5-1 game, and would spell the end of Schlenker’s night in goal, as Taylor Tabashniuk took over.

Just 18 seconds into the third period, Regina got on the board again. Jace Egland was sprung on a breakaway, and he beat Fortin up high to make it a 5-2 game.

At the 6:04 mark of the third, the chemistry between Sarkenov and Smith connected again. After digging up a loose puck along the end wall, Sarkenov fed a pass to the slot for Smith, who one timed a shot home. His second of the game gave the Raiders a four goal lead again, as it became 6-2.

The second half of the third period was all Regina, as they scored three times to make it a one goal game late. Ephram McNutt scored with 7:10 left in regulation to make it 6-3. Just over two minutes later, Mathis Paull scored his first WHL goal to make it a 6-4 contest. Then, with Regina’s net empty, Fawcett scored his second of the night, bringing the score to 6-5.

Oiring took a penalty with 1:51 left in regulation, which set the Pats up on a six on four powerplay for the rest of the game. Prince Albert’s penalty killers were brick walls on the ice, getting in front of every single shot. A clear in the dying seconds let the Raiders survive the comeback, as they held on to win by a 6-5 final.

It’s the sixth win in a row for the Raiders, as they improve to 7-0-1-0 on the season. They host the Edmonton Oil Kings tomorrow night. Puck drops at 7pm.