By Jeff D'Andrea

Raiders beat Wheaties; have won 7 of last 11

Feb 15, 2017 | 9:18 PM

Even with important forwards in Jordy Stallard and Carson Miller shutdown for the season, the Prince Albert Raiders haven’t missed a beat offensively.

They put up five goals against the Brandon Wheat Kings in a 5-3 victory Wednesday at the Art Hauser Centre. It’s their second consecutive victory after Saturday’s 4-3 shootout win over the Kootenay Ice. They’ve now won seven of their last 11 games. The Wheat Kings’ loss is their second straight after a 3-1 loss to the Moose Jaw Warriors on Tuesday.

“We’ve been playing pretty well lately. We seem to have a little bit of mojo right now, guys are feeling good about themselves,” Raiders head coach Marc Habscheid said. “They’re just playing, but they’re playing the right way. They’re playing with enthusiasm and some grit. It’s been good.”

Parker Kelly scored the game winning goal, while also adding an assist, in the third period on a complete play by his line. Raiders overager Kolten Olynek put the puck into the corner on a dump in for captain Tim Vanstone, who beat out the icing and funneled the puck to a streaking Kelly point blank in front of the net.

Parker Kelly buries to feed from Vanstone to put the @PARaidersHockey up 4-3 with 13 min to go in the 3rd pic.twitter.com/BoUTi9GedG

— paNOW (@princealbertnow) February 16, 2017

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“I think we’re starting to feed off one another,” Kelly said. “I just saw Tim was going to beat the guy like he always does, get that icing off. I just go to the net, that’s where good things happen. He put it on my tape, I can’t miss those ones.”

“[Kelly] is quick. When he goes to the net, he creates a lot of havoc for the other team,” Habscheid said. “He’s tenacious and he has some skill. When he plays the right way, goes to the net and uses his speed, he’s tough to handle.”

It wasn’t the most encouraging start for the Raiders, who gave up a goal just 46 seconds into the opening frame. Wheat Kings forward Reid Duke brought the puck to the front of the net after a nice backhand deke move, setting up Ty Lewis on an open cage.

But Raiders forward Curtis Miske tied the game for the Raiders midway throughout the frame. The goal extended Miske’s point streak to seven games, giving him five goals and four assists in that span.

Curtis Miske buries it on the PP for his 14th on the year and 9th for the @PARaidersHockey. All tied up at 1-1 pic.twitter.com/UPUmqvlsOE

— paNOW (@princealbertnow) February 16, 2017

“It’s just being in the right place in the right time,” Miske said. “I have some good linemates (Simon Stransky and Cavin Leth) that are helping me out. I just have to keep that going. There’s a lot of talk on the bench and all that with me being a newer guy. I think I know the systems, and I’m fitting in good here.”

Both teams scored in the final minute of the opening frame. Wheat Kings’ Nolan Patrick, who is widely regarded as a potential first overall pick in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft, scored with 58.3 seconds left in the first. Raider forward Cavin Leth, who was covering Patrick on the play, was shaken up after blocking a shot, opening an avenue for Patrick.

Raiders captain Tim Vanstone scored through the five hole of Wheat Kings’ tender Logan Thompson with 26.5 seconds left in the opener with a hard, low snap shot from the high slot.

Snipin’ Sean Montgomery scored a shorthanded goal midway through the frame. His shot bounced off the stick on Thompson and into the net for the unassisted marker.

Wheat Kings defenceman James Shearer pinched in from the blueline to tie the game at 3-3 with 1:58 left in the second.

Kelly then broke the deadlock, before Simon Stransky sealed the deal late with an empty net goal.

Both previous games between these two sides went to overtime. The Raiders won the Oct. 14 contest 3-2, with the Wheat Kings exacting revenge the following night with a 4-3 victory.  

Looking ahead

The Raiders will take on the Everett Silvertips on Friday at the Art Hauser Centre. Then on Saturday, the Raiders will have a rematch against the Wheaties at the Westman Place in Brandon.

Jeff D’Andrea is paNOW’s sports reporter. He can be reached at jdandrea@jpbg.ca or tweet him @jeff_paNOW.