By Jeff D'Andrea

Raiders’ Olynek, ‘I really don’t like those guys’ after W vs. Blades

Feb 25, 2017 | 9:16 PM

The Prince Albert Raiders/Saskatoon Blades rivalry is far from just a marketing campaign from the respective teams, or the league. It’s real, which is a rich, feisty history.

Saturday’s 4-2 Raiders victory was an example of that, especially with Raiders’ assistant captain Kolten Olynek’s performance.

Olynek had the game-winning goal and an assist against his former team. He was also involved in a scrum with Blades’ forward Markson Bechtold, and a resulting screaming match with him in the penalty box that just about lasted the full two minutes they were in there.

“Yeah I played on their team, but I really don’t like those guys that much—I’ll be completely honest on that one,” Olynek said. “Whenever you can beat that team in your own rink here, obviously it’s a good feeling. Obviously, it was a high emotional contest out there. The last two games this season should be fun.”

Olynek’s goal, which was his 12^th of the season, wasn’t the prettiest of goals, but the gritty and greasy game-winner was fitting for a Raids-Blades Saturday night clash.

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Here’s the Olynek scramble goal pic.twitter.com/KU2dL1BNuV

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) February 26, 2017

“I know Hayesie shot the puck and it was in there. I hit it out of there, then it went off my foot, then it went off my stick, off the post—I’m not sure when it went in, or if it was even my goal. But I’ll take it,” Olynek said. “It just feels good to get that win.”

That put the Raiders up 3-1 in the third with 13 minutes remaining.

The Blades made a late push and had a 5-on-3 advantage for 1:32 that the Raiders were able to kill off. But they got that penalty after a rare bench minor, during play, for an unsportsmanlike conduct against Olynek.

“I was saying something to our bench. I wasn’t saying anything to the refs,” Olynek said. “[Referee Reid] Anderson, he thought I was saying something to him. We’ll just leave it at that.”

After the kill however, Blades forward Braylon Shmyr made it a one goal game with just under two minutes remaining, scoring his sixth goal against the Raiders this season.

The Raiders held the fort late and Curtis Miske filled the empty net. He scored in both games against the Blades this weekend. Cavin Leth scored in the first period for the Raiders on the power play, while Simon Stransky scored early in the third.

Michael Farren had the other Blades goal.

Ian Scott’s body of work in goal for the Raiders wasn’t large as he made 21 saves, but made some key stops throughout the game.

Your guess is as good as mine as to how Ian Scott kept both of these Blades shots out. Should be 1-1, but Raiders still lead by a goal pic.twitter.com/jBKZ45tpox

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) February 26, 2017

Logan Flodell had 23 saves in goal for the Blades.

Keep the bus in the garage

Saturday’s game was the first of a six-game home stand for the Raiders. They will take on the Medicine Hat Tigers on Wednesday, the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Friday and the Kootenay Ice on Saturday at the Art Hauser Centre.

The following week, the Raiders will tangle against the Swift Current Broncos March 7 and the Brandon Wheat Kings on March 10.

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