By Jeff D'Andrea

Raiders respond to distractions with win over Ice

Oct 21, 2014 | 10:09 PM

With all the off-ice distractions surrounding the Prince Albert Raiders this week, they responded the best way they could with a gritty, character win.

The Raiders came back from an early 2-0 deficit to beat the Kootenay Ice 3-2 Tuesday at the Art Hauser Centre.

The win gives the Raiders their second consecutive win to snap a five-game losing streak, and improves their record to 5-6 on the year.

“We’ve played three real solid games in a row, and we have guys in there that care and want to be here,” said Clouston, also including the Raiders 4-2 win over Red Deer Saturday and their 3-1 loss to Edmonton on Friday. “When they play like that, we’re effective.

“Obviously, we’re still struggling a bit to score goals. We hit what, four posts or crossbars tonight, but the guys persevered, stick with it and got rewarded for it.”

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With the departure of 20-year-old first line forward Dakota Conroy, the Raiders had to be a little creative as they juggled their lines. They put 17-year-old centreman Matteo Gennaro up from the third line to play with Gage Quinney and Jayden Hart.

That line produced two of the Raiders’ three goals on the night. Gennaro scored the Raiders’ first goal to cut the 2-0 Ice lead in half, then Hart scored the game winner in the third off a rebound.

For Gennaro, it’s his second goal in his last two games after starting the year scoreless in his first nine.

“Finally, I’m starting to get some offence going and it feels good, but I’m really focusing on the process again. That’s why I’m finally having success,” said Gennaro. “It felt pretty good. I feel we had some chemistry today. They’re two skilled players and it’s tough not be able to create things on the ice with those two kinds of players. I like it a lot.

“Me and Jayden are pretty big bodies so we can mix it up in the corners and rough it up a bit and Gage has great vision. He makes plays and he finds us, so it’s worked out so far.”

The line juggling didn’t stop there, as now they currently only have 11 forwards on their active roster. As a result, they moved hulking 6’4, 216 pound defenceman Mackenze Stewart on the left wing, alongside Darcy Zaharichuk and Tim Vanstone.

Clouston said the line “did exactly what we needed them to do, create energy and be strong on the forecheck.”

For Stewart, it was his second straight game at forward. Although he’s primarily a defenceman, he loves the opportunity to play and engage physically.

“Guys are scared of me,” said Stewart, “and I’m creating space for teammates. It’s going to get offence.”

Opponents striking first

The Raiders have given up the first goal in nine of their 11 games, including Tuesday’s game against the Ice.

All five of their wins have come when they’ve surrendered the first goal as well, which shows they can battle back from earlier deficits. But at the same time, they’ll like to shore that up.

“It seems like we’ve been the underdogs,” said Hart. “Maybe the bounces haven’t been going our way all the time, but the last two games we’ve been flowing and hopefully we can keep it up through the weekend at home.”

Summary

Levi Cable and Ryan Beattie scored for the Ice to give them a 2-0 lead in the first eight minutes of the game. Gennaro scored midway through the period to make it 2-1, then Raiders captain Josh Morrissey tied the game in the second period, before Jayden Hart got the game winner in the third.

Both goalies had great games, as Ice’s goalie Wyatt Hoflin was the game’s second star with 33 saves, and Raiders goalie Nick McBride picked up the third start with 28 saves. Hart was the game’s first star.

Bozon’s back

Ice forward Tim Bozon overcame a life-and-death battle against Neisseria meningitides and received a lot of support from the hockey world along the way. The Raiders raised $1,715 for the Tim Bozon Trust Fund to help pay for medical expenses last season, as well.

The France-born Bozon was in the Montreal Canadiens training camp, but was reassigned back to the Ice. He’s currently nursing a lower-body injury.

Draisaitl discussion

Leon Draisaitl, who’s still on the Prince Albert Raiders’ roster, has played the first six games for the Edmonton Oilers this year in the NHL. Draisaitl has one assist and is -6 so far with the Oilers. The Oilers drafted him third overall in last year’s NHL Entry Draft.

The guy who was picked second, Buffalo Sabres forward Sam Reinhart, is still eligible to return to the Ice this year. Reinhart is scoreless through five games this year with the Sabres.

Looking ahead

The Raiders will complete their five-game homestand by hosting the Portland Winterhawks on Friday and the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Saturday.

Next week, the Raiders will have a three-game road trip by visiting the Ice Oct. 28, the Hurricanes Oct. 29 and the Moose Jaw Warriors on Halloween.

jdandrea@panow.com

On Twitter: @jeff_dandrea