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Raiders travel to Regina for pre-season tilt

Sep 15, 2017 | 12:00 PM

Prince Albert Raiders (1-2) @ Regina Pats (2-2)

WHERE: Brandt Centre, Regina
WHEN: Friday, Sept 15, 7 p.m.
BROADCAST: XFM 101.5

RAIDERS LEADERS
C Sean Montgomery leads the team with four goals this pre-season, having scored a pair in each game against Saskatoon last weekend. Montgomery scored the last four goals for the Raiders. C D-Jay Jerome has one goal and three assists in three pre-season games. G Curtis Meger (1-0, .909, 2.00), G Ian Scott (0-1, .857, 4.01), and G Brett Balas (0-1, 0.884, 5.00) have started one game each throughout the pre-season.

PATS LEADERS
C Jeff de Wit has four goals and seven points through three pre-season games, leading all Pats players. D Egor Zamula, the 60th pick in this summer’s import draft, has one goal and three assists in three games. G Tyler Brown (1-1, .897, 2.62) and G Max Paddock (0-0, .957, 2.62) have been sharing the work for the Pats in the net. Kurtis Chapman also played in three games before being moved to Kootenay earlier this week.

NHL EXODUS
Both teams are dealing with a significant roster shortage with players away at NHL training camps this week. The Raiders are missing D Vojtech Budik (Buffalo), C Parker Kelly (Ottawa), G Ian Scott (Toronto), and C Jordy Stallard (Winnipeg), while the Pats are without D Josh Mahura (Anaheim), D Jonathan Smart (Toronto), C Jake Leschyshyn (Las Vegas), RW Nick Henry (Colorado), C Sam Steel (Anaheim), D Liam Schioler (Edmonton), and C Matt Bradley (Minnesota). Additionally, Pats 20-year-old LW Austin Wagner (Los Angeles) and D Connor Hobbs (Washington) are not listed on the team’s pre-season roster, suggesting they will make the jump to the pro ranks this season.

CENTENNIAL SEASON
The Pats are preparing for a historic season, with 100th anniversary celebrations culminating in the 2018 Mastercard Memorial Cup at the Brandt Centre May 18-27. After losing in the 2017 WHL Championship to the Seattle Thunderbirds, the Pats are expected to be amongst the country’s elite this season.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Prince Albert has been shorthanded 16 times in its last two games, allowing four power play goals against them. Alternatively, the Raiders have converted just once on nine opportunities in those two contests. The Pats power play is 4/25 (16.00%), while the penalty kill unit is 14/18 (77.80%).

NOTES
Raiders Head Coach Marc Habscheid said earlier this week that D Max Martin and G Nicholas Sanders are both “getting closer” to returning from injury. Neither player has appeared in a pre-season contest yet. The two teams will close out the pre-season at the Art Hauser Centre Saturday night at 7 p.m.
 

trevor.redden@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nedderrovert