Raiders win streak ends at 6 after 5-3 loss to Oil Kings
The Prince Albert Raiders couldn’t tie things up late, as the Edmonton Oil Kings scored an empty net goal to cap off a 5-3 win at the Art Hauser Centre on Saturday night. That snaps Prince Albert’s win streak at six games, while Edmonton extended their own to eight.
Both teams went 0/2 on the powerplay in the first period, but the Raiders were able to open the scoring shortly after killing off an Oil Kings man advantage. Linden Burrett rimmed the puck out of his own end down the right wall and into the neutral zone, which sent Aiden Oiring chasing after it. Oiring collected the puck in the offensive zone, spun off an Edmonton defenceman, and looked to pass in front. He found Owen Corkish in the slot, and Corkish took the pass from Oiring, firing a shot that Ethan Simcoe couldn’t get all of. The puck deflected off his right side and in, giving Corkish his 10th goal of the season to make it a 1-0 lead for Prince Albert.
The first period had great pace, and it ended with the Raiders up by a goal, heading into the second period on the powerplay. The Raiders also led in shots 12-4.
The second period was jam packed, but it started with the Raiders taking a 2-0 lead 5:39 in. Right after a faceoff win, Linden Burrett’s point shot was tipped in by newcomer Braeden Cootes, who deflected the puck off the post and in. Cootes picked up his first goal as a Raider in his second game in a green and gold jersey.
The Oil Kings stormed back after that, scoring three straight goals to take the lead. Shots from Lukas Sawchyn, Blake Fiddler, and Noa Ta’amu beat Michal Orsulak, who was playing in his first game since the World Juniors tournament. Those three goals put Edmonton up 3-2, with the tallies coming just over five minutes apart.
Prince Albert was able to calm the storm in the middle frame, as they tied things back up with 1:13 to go. Behind the net, Cootes sent a pass to Max Heise in the right circle, and the San Jose Sharks prospects ripped a one timer short side top corner over Simcoe’s glove. With his 19th goal of the season, Heise took the team lead in lamp lighters, making it a tie game at 3-3.
7:34 into the third, the Oil Kings scored the go ahead goal, coming off the stick of Miroslav Holinka. After a scramble play in front of the net, Holinka picked the puck up and buried a tricky backhand shot past Orsulak. His 26th goal of the season and second point of the night gave the visitors a 4-3 lead.
The Raiders called a timeout and pulled Orsulak for the extra attacker with 1:50 to go, but Edmonton sealed the deal with an empty net goal courtesy of Max Curran. The Oil Kings would hold on to that lead until the final buzzer, winning by a 5-3 final.
Prince Albert is back in action on Tuesday night as they host the Brandon Wheat Kings. Puck drops at 7pm.
