By Jeff D'Andrea

Raiders celebrate their crazy eight-game win streak; beat MJ

Mar 9, 2018 | 9:22 PM

The Prince Albert Raiders are so hot, even the Western Hockey League’s top-seeded team in the Moose Jaw Warriors couldn’t stop them.

The Raiders extended their winning streak to eight after their 6-4 victory over the Warriors. They now have a five-point lead over the Saskatoon Blades for the second wildcard spot, after the Blades lost in overtime 5-4 to the Calgary Hitmen.

“We’re just believing, we got a good thing rolling right now and everybody’s doing their job,” Raiders captain Curtis Miske said. “We got scoring from different guys and our top six is scoring lots too. We’re having fun, and it’s all about that belief factor. We’re not so much looking to chase from behind now, we’re in a position where we have to keep rolling with it.”

That “belief factor” seems to have spread to the Raiders’ fans. They announced an attendance of 2,324 fans, their third-best attended game on the year.

“It’s great, we appreciate the support,” Raiders head coach Marc Habscheid said. “Our guys have to earn their support and I think they’ve done that recently.”

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The crowd was possibly no louder than near the end of the second period. On the penalty kill late in the second period up 4-2, Raiders goaltender Ian Scott made a stretching glove save to rob Warriors captain Brett Howden in the slot. Miske scored his first of two goals mere seconds later to make it 5-2 heading into the third.

“I think after Scottie made that huge glove save, the crowd was electric. Then we scored right after that and they were going wild. That just helps us so much,” Miske said. “When they’re loud and yelling, that fuels us and that helps us get that good energy and that good game out there.”

Also scoring twice in the game was Kody McDonald. McDonald linemate Parker Kelly have both been very critical about their own games, but rebounded in a big way. McDonald scored a pair and Kelly assisted on each.

“Definitely last game, we were probably the two worst players in the league,” McDonald said. “So today for us, it was a big bounce back game to show we can play against good teams and just play against top lines like Howden and [Jayden] Halbgewachs.”

Scoring summary

First Period

1-0, Raiders, Cole Fonstad from Jordy Stallard, 11:37

Cole Fonstad with unbelievable skill despite pressure, puts the Raiders up 1-0 on their first official shot on goal just after radio break. pic.twitter.com/WAGDkETqRP

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) March 10, 2018

Second Period

2-0, Raiders, Kody McDonald from Parker Kelly, 4:17

Kody McDonald pots home the rebound and flies through the crease to make it 2-0 Raiders, 13 minutes left in the second period pic.twitter.com/saUxSicEq0

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) March 10, 2018

2-1, Warriors, Branden Klatt (unassisted), 8:13

Klatt makes it a 2-1 game after a turnover by Martin. Raiders had all the momentum until that play. pic.twitter.com/t3ZqCrlY7y

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) March 10, 2018

3-1, Raiders, Kody McDonald from Parker Kelly, 10:28

Kode McDonald had a farm, E I E I O, Raiders lead 3-1. McDonald’s second of the game. Great play by Budik defensively to erase MJ D Brook from the play as well pic.twitter.com/9N4Y4RZLLG

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) March 10, 2018

4-1, Raiders, Jordy Stallard from Cole Fonstad and Sergei Sapego, 13:29

Jordy Stallard scores on the power play and it’s 4-1 Raiders. pic.twitter.com/kooPrf086G

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) March 10, 2018

4-2, Warriors, Jayden Halbgewachs from Barrett Sheen, 15:55

The one guy you can’t leave alone, Jayden Halbgewachs, makes it a 4-2 Raiders lead on a breakaway after the Raiders over-commit on a rush. That’s his 65th goal of the year, yes, 65th pic.twitter.com/20rQjctLkx

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) March 10, 2018

5-2, Raiders, Curtis Miske from Cole Fonstad, 18:15

Curtis Miske scores just after the Raiders kill off a big penalty (huge glove save from Scott), to make it 5-2. Fonstad with his 3rd point of the game, 1 goal, 2 assists pic.twitter.com/mjoTmgE1PX

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) March 10, 2018

Third Period

6-2, Raiders, Curtis Miske (shorthanded, unassisted), 1:48

Capn’ Curt makes it 6-2 with a shorthanded goal as the Raiders are starting to run away with this one. Takes a deflection that fools Evanoff. That’s Miske’s second of the game pic.twitter.com/DN1V9xIUaJ

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) March 10, 2018

6-3, Warriors, Justin Almeida from Jayden Halbgewachs and Josh Brook, 6:41

Halbgewachs with some of his magic to set up Almeida for the Warriors’ third goal, now a 6-3 game in favour of the Raiders pic.twitter.com/TVEu83nZGW

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) March 10, 2018

6-4, Warriors, Jayden Halbgewachs from Justin Almeida, 13:23

Warriors’ Halbgewachs makes this one super interesting, scores his 66th goal of the year to make it a 6-4 Raiders lead, 6:37 left in the game. pic.twitter.com/lVihYAPYsJ

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) March 10, 2018

Injury bug

Brett Leason missed his first game since arriving to the Raiders from the Tri-City Americans on Oct. 26. Leason left the second period after an apparent upper-body injury in Wednesday’s 4-2 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings.

The Warriors were without Brayden Burke, who’s missing his second game with an upper-body injury himself. Burke came into Friday ranking fourth in WHL scoring with 113 points in 61 games.

Top of the mornin’

The Raiders will take on the Calgary Hitmen on Saturday to close out their four-game home stand for Luck Of The Irish Night, an early St. Patrick’s Day celebration. The Raiders will then head to Moose Jaw on March 13 and Regina on March 14, before closing out the regular season with a home-and-home series against the Saskatoon Blades on March 16 and 17.

Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_dandrea