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Tired Raiders get gutsy win in Calgary; Rhinehart wins Challenge Cup

Oct 23, 2016 | 6:52 PM

If the Prince Albert Raiders were tired in their third game in two-and-a-half days, they didn’t show it on Sunday.

The Raiders (4-7-1) skated to a 3-2 victory against the Calgary Hitmen (3-5-1), their first win in the Scotiabank Saddledome since Nov. 26, 2014—a 2-1 victory. The Raiders were 0-3 and outscored 20-3 in their previous three trips to the Saddledome.

The Raiders got going after a snipe from newcomer Adam Kadlec 8:57 into the first period, his first WHL career goal in his 13th career game. He’s played his last three for the Raiders since they acquired the 1999-born rookie from the Prince George Cougars on Tuesday, Oct.18.

Former Hitmen defender Loch Morrison assisted on the goal. 

Simon Stransky scored his team leading seventh goal of the season, after a beautiful tic-tac-toe play from Austin Glover and Parker Kelly in the first.

Luke Coleman made it 3-0 in the second period with a wraparound goal.

The Hitmen then started to find their legs. Taylor Sanheim got the home side on the board late in the second period.

Early in the third, Carsen Twarynski got the Hitmen within one, to force a last minute sweat for the Raiders.

Hitmen forward Andrei Grishakov got assists on both Hitmen goals.

But that’s as close as the Hitmen would get. Raiders goaltender Ian Scott was named as the game’s first star, making 32 saves on 34 shots.

The Raiders only managed 15 shots in the contest, but managed to squeak three by Hitmen goaltender Cody Porter.

Out for revenge

The lasting effects of last year’s deadline deal between the Raiders and Hitmen was in effect in Sunday’s matchup. The Raiders sent Matteo Gennaro and then-prospect Ty Prefontaine to the Hitmen in exchange for Prince Albert’s Loch Morrison and Layne Bensmiller. Bensmiller was then moved to the Seattle Thunderbird for Nic Holowko this preseason.

This is the second game between the two sides since the trade was made.

Challenge Cup Gold

Raiders first round prospect Rhett Rhinehart can say he’s won the Western Canada Under-16 Challenge Cup.

He and the rest of Team Alberta won the tournament on Sunday in Calgary, defeating Team B.C. 3-2 in overtime in the finals.

Rhinehart had the only assist on Dylan Holloway’s 2-1 goal. Carter Chorney scored the OT winner 31 seconds into the extra frame.

Prince Albert Mintos forward Logan Barlage had the lone goal in Team Saskatchewan’s 4-1 defeat in the bronze medal game to Team Manitoba.

Barlage, along with Prince Albert’s Braden Schneider, were named to the tournament’s All-Stars list.

Spoke and Stoon coming up

With that, the Raiders wrapped up their 3-in-3 Alberta trip. They will be back in action at the Art Hauser Centre on Friday against the Spokane Chiefs (3-6-1) and Saturday against the Saskatoon Blades (6-5-1).

 

jdandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_dandrea