Redden on the Raiders: Top teams on display in Langley
What a game in Langley on Thursday night.
For much of the game, we saw the Giants bend but not break as the Raiders used their speed to attack and create opportunities. Starting with a two-on-zero break in the opening seconds alongside Sean Montgomery, Brett Leason was an offensive engine all night long. If not for an incredible reaction by goaltender Trent Miner as he turned back and saw the puck rolling towards the goal line, Leason would have had his 32nd goal of the year later in the first. Altogether, the draft-eligible forward led the game with eight shots on goal but couldn’t get anything past Miner.
Leading 25-18 in shots after 40 minutes and trailing by one, it felt to me like Prince Albert would eventually break through and get right back into it. That was partially true, but it wasn’t until the dying minutes after the Giants extended their lead to two when Brayden Pachal snuck a shot through to make it a 2-1 game. Montgomery and Noah Gregor both had good looks in the final minutes, but Miner stood tall as he did all night, stopping 31 of 32 shots and taking first star honours.
With the goal, Pachal now has 12 on the year and is second only to Vancouver’s Bowen Byram [16] in goals for defencemen.