By Jeff D'Andrea

Raiders struggling to score in Alberta trip; fall 3-1 to RD

Oct 22, 2016 | 9:50 PM

The Prince Albert Raiders offence has been quiet so far in their three-game Alberta road trip.

The Raiders dropped a 3-1 decision Saturday against the Red Deer Rebels, a night after another 3-1 defeat at the hands of the Edmonton Oil Kings.

The Raiders are scuffling at the moment, with just one win in their last seven contests (1-5-1). They’ve also only scored 14 goals in those seven games.

The Rebels on the other hand, who hosted last year’s Memorial Cup, have now won their last five games.

After a scoreless first period, the Rebels pounced on some Raiders miscues in the second.

Riderville

Riders Have Options Heading into Tuesday CFL Draft

4h ago

Weekend hockey

PAGC set to host largest Senator's Cup tournament to date

5h ago

VAISAKHI MELA

Hundreds flocking to P.A. for Vaisakhi Mela celebration

5h ago

Just as the Raiders’ power play was expiring, Rebels’ Austin Pratt intercepted a pass and funneled it ahead to the streaking Michael Spacek, who was sprung all alone on a breakaway to draw first blood. That’s Spacek’s seventh goal of the year already, and extends his point streak to six games (seven goals, 10 points).

RDs Michael Spacek hops out of the penalty box, scores on the breakaway to put the Rebels up 1-0. His 7th of the year already, 3:34 into 2nd pic.twitter.com/lw0beKMjn9

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) October 23, 2016

“We made a bad mistake in the second to give them the lead,” Raiders associate coach Dave Manson said. “We lost a lot of momentum off of that.”

Late in the period, Brandon Hagel made it 2-0 after he snuck in on the backdoor. Rebels defenceman Josh Mahura, the younger brother of former Raider Luke Mahura, made the cross-ice pass for the assist.

Nobody picks up Hagel on the back door, 2-0 Rebels with 5 minutes left in 2nd pic.twitter.com/DKRA8qQde6

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) October 23, 2016

Raiders defenceman Vojtech Budik made it a 2-1 game with a tip-goal on the power play in front of the Rebels goal. The goal was originally awarded to Tim Vanstone, who was in front. Budik’s goal was the first among Raiders defencemen so far this season in their 11th contest.

Cap’n Crunch tips one to cut the Rebels’ lead to 2-1 pic.twitter.com/fxP0mSWtBO

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) October 23, 2016

That’s the first Raiders power play goal since Oct. 8 against the Swift Current Broncos. They went to the power play for 15 straight times before Vanstone broke the streak. The Raiders are now scoring on 10.9 per cent of their power plays, 20^th in the WHL.

“It’s not something that we envisioned going in with the personnel that we have,” Manson said. “I think we have guys that are not working, I believe, to their capabilities on it. First and foremost, the thing you have to do is outwork the (penalty kill). That’s what we tell our PK guys. It’s something that we have to take pride in.”

The Raiders are also ranked 20^th on the penalty kill at 70.7 per cent.

Mahura made it 3-1 late with a great finish in front of the Raiders’ goal.

Rebels Josh Mahura add one late to make it a 3-1 contest. And that’s how this one ends pic.twitter.com/y3xP0Bxmsf

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) October 23, 2016

Goaltender Nicholas Sanders made his Raider debut, making 32 saves on 35 shots. Lasse Petersen made 29 saves on 30 shots in his Rebels debut.

Raiders rookie forward Cole Fonstad sat for the first time this season. The Raiders have regularly rotated their fourth line along with Carson Miller, Spencer Moe and Dylan Williamson but this is the first time Fonstad, the former fifth overall draft choice, has done so.

Challenge Cup

Two Prince Albert products got assists in Team Saskatchewan’s 2-1 defeat to Team B.C. Saturday at the Western Canada Under-16 Challenge Cup.

Defencemen Braden Schneider and Alex Moar, both who play for their hometown Prince Albert Mintos Midget AAA clubs, got assists on the lone Team Sask goal scored by Harrison Blaisdell.

Schneider was picked in the first round by the Brandon Wheat Kings. Moar is a fifth round draft choice of the Everett Silvertips.

B.C will move on to take on Raiders prospect Rhett Rhinehart and the rest of Team Alberta on Sunday.

Finishing off a 3-in-3

The Raiders will take on the Calgary Hitmen on Sunday to close out their Alberta 3-in-3 series.

jdandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW