By Jeff D'Andrea

Gardiner reaches milestone in weird win over SC

Feb 5, 2016 | 9:43 PM

The Prince Albert Raiders forward Reid Gardiner put Friday’s 2-1 shootout win over the Swift Current Broncos the best, chuckling “I’m just happy we won.”

He was happy for a few reasons. The obvious was the victory was the Raiders’ second straight, and improves them to 29-17-5-1 on the year as they’re still six points back of the Brandon Wheat Kings for first in the WHL East Division.

Another was hitting a career milestone for points with 200. He assisted on the Raiders’ lone regulation goal, scored by Jordan Tkatch.

Although Gardiner knew he was gaining in on the milestone, it wasn’t fully aware until the Raiders announced it over the speakers during the third period media timeout.

“I didn’t even know until they said it on the jumbotron there,” said Gardiner, who’s also close to the 100-goal mark as well with 95 in his career. “It’s a nice milestone, obviously I want to keep getting more.”

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But the icing on the cake was the Raiders were still able to come away with two points after having to deal with two frustrating disallowed goals.

Gardiner said he was first off the bench to celebrate Simon Stransky’s overtime breakaway goal, which was disallowed as the net was clearly off its moorings. Stransky initially ran into the back of the net as he scrambled to get back into the forecheck. The net may have already been off its mooring before Broncos goaltender Taz Burman pushed it fully off. Raiders head coach Marc Habscheid wasn’t too convinced that the net was off on the initial contact.

“It was no goal, there’s no doubt, but who pushed the net off?” said Habscheid. “That was my question, but it was pretty obvious to us who pushed the net off.

“Simon was there, but it kinda went back into place and we felt it was their guy that pushed it off. Then all of a sudden the play went on.”

The first happened in the game’s opening period. Sean Montgomery appeared to give the Raiders a 1-0 lead in the first period, as his one-timer effort trickled under Burman and into the net. Referee Cole Hamm waved the play off as he believed Burman had frozen the puck. The play went to video goal judge James Mays to review.

The delay was extended as there was a technical issue to the video equipment. According to Raiders business manager Mike Scissons, the machine froze and could not rewind back enough to see the play. The call was sent back to the on-ice officials, who stuck with their original call.

“I mean, how can that be no-goal?” asked Habscheid. “It was a one-time shot, it ended up in the back of the net and they wave it off. There is no explanation. I just wanted to hear [Hamm] say ‘we made a mistake.’ Everybody makes mistakes and that was a mistake.

“That could have cost us because it put us on our heels.”

That wasn’t the first time the Raiders had to wait through a lengthy delay because of technical issues, at home, against the Broncos, only to have a goal called back.

Back on Nov. 6, 2013 at the Art Hauser Centre, the Raiders had to wait a full 20 minutes before then-Raider forward Chance Braid’s goal was finally called off. The Raiders lost to the Broncos that day 4-3 in overtime.

Jon Martin drew first blood for the Broncos, scoring his WHL leading 34^th goal and sixth against the Raiders this year as the Broncos had a 1-0 lead into the third period. Tkatch tied the game on the power play early in the third period.

Tkatch then won the game in the shootout after beating Burman clean with a bar-down wrist shot. That’s Tkatch’s second goal in the shootout and is 2-2 on the season.

Raiders goaltender Rylan Parenteau was dynamite, making 34 saves in the victory. Burman was busy as well for the Broncos, making 33 saves to keep his team in.

Division, division and more division games

Friday’s game started a trend where the Raiders will almost exclusively play East Division opponents for the rest of the season. In addition to their Friday matchup against Swift, the Raiders play 16 of their final 20 games of the year against divisional rivals. That includes all of their upcoming 11 games this month.

“Two points in every game now from February on is huge for our group, especially divisional games” said Gardiner. “We’re trying to catch Brandon, and Moose Jaw and Regina are trying to catch us, too. We just have to keep getting better every day and keep being consistent.

It’s almost like playoff hockey some nights. Tonight, it felt like a playoff game to be honest.”

The Raiders overall record against East Division teams is 12-7-3, with a .614 win percentage.

Here’s their head to head records against each WHL East Division team.

Raiders’ record vs. Swift Current, 2-1-2-0, 3 games remaining

Raiders record vs. Brandon Wheat Kings, 2-2, 2 games remaining (they only play B.W.K. 6 times a year)

Raiders record vs. Moose Jaw Warriors, 2-1, 5 games remaining

Raiders record vs. Regina Pats, 4-1, 3 games remaining

Raiders record vs. Saskatoon Blades, 2-2-1-0, 3 games remaining

A week until mammoth Manson night

The Raiders play their next two games on the road, Tuesday against the Brandon Wheat Kings and Wednesday against the Moose Jaw Warriors.

The Raiders’ next home game will be a big one for associate coach Dave Manson. His No. 4 jersey will be retired before Friday’s game against the Regina Pats. The team will host a “the roast of Dave Manson” on Saturday at the Ches Leach Lounge.

jdandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_dandrea