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Raiders open road trip with 4-1 win in Edmonton

Oct 4, 2012 | 11:56 PM

The Raiders played a solid road game in posting the 4-1 win over the defending WHL champion Oil Kings at Edmonton's Rexall Place.

Despite being outshot early, the Raiders kept the majority of the shots to the outside and converted on just their second shot of the game. Dakota Conroy's forchecking created the turnover allowing Anthony Bardero to set up Logan McVeigh's one time shot from bewteen the circles. it beat Oil King goalie Tristan Jarry through the legs at 9:23 for the lone goal of the first period.

Luke Siemens made his most spectacular save early in the second getting his catching glove on a Klarc Wilson shot during a clear cut breakaway. A short time later Raider rookie Reid Gardiner battled through the check of big Oil King defenseman Mason Geertsen and set up Carson Perreaux's tap in at the far side of the net to give P-A the 2-0 lead they carried into te third period.

Anthony Bardero narrowly missed making it 3-0 just before the end of the middle frame when he beat three Edmonton defenders and barely missed the top corner with a rising backhand.

The Oil Kings finally got on the scoreboard just past the five minute mark of the third when Travis Ewanyk got credit for a powerplay goal amid a sea of scrambling humanity in the Raider goal crease.

However less than three minutes later Raider captain Mark McNeill blasted a slapshot from the right wing boards through the pads of Jarry after Leon Draisaitl stole the puck at the Edmonton blue line and fed McNeill with a rink wide pass.   

The Raiders then effectively shut down the Oil King attack with excellent team defense and Josh Morrissey scored the team's first shorthanded goal of the season into an empty net with just under two minutes to go, spinning a shot from the boards deep in the Raider zone after defense partner Harrison Ruopp outbattled two Oil King forchekers for the puck.

Siemens stopped 32 shots on the night while the Raiders directed 21 on the Edmonton net. P-A was 0-for-4 on the power play while killing two of three Edmonton advantages.

The Raiders who have taken over the lead in the Eastern Conference at 4-0-0-1, play game two of this four game Central Division swing Friday night in Calgary. 900 CKBI coverage begins at 6:30.

dwilson@panow.com

Twitter: RaidersVoice