By Drew Wilson

Bardaro goal bounces Blades 5-4

Dec 28, 2012 | 9:25 PM

Anthony Bardaro's unassisted goal at 15:04 of the third period lifted the Prince Albert Raiders to a 5-4 win over the Saskatoon Blades in front of a season high crowd of 3,287 fans at the Art Hauser Centre.

A quick shot from the slot by the 20-year-old assistant captain hit the top corner surprising Blades goalie Alex Moodie after the puck took a Raider bounce right onto his stick.

The goal halted a Blade comeback as the visitors rallied from a pair of two goal deficits on the strength of the two goal performance by Saskatoon captain Brendan Walker. He tied the game with 15 seconds left in the second period converting a give and go with Mathew Stransky. The Blade rally also included a shorthanded goal by Shane McColgan.

The Raiders got off to a great start with goals from Carson Perreaux on his 18th birthday and Dakota Conroy as PA jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first 7-minutes which prompted Saskatoon Coach & GM Lorne Molleken to call a time out.

It worked as Walker got his first goal less than seven minutes later after prolonged pressure in the Raider zone. Goalie Luke Siemens stopped a breakaway and three other point blank shots on that shift before Walker tapped into a wide open net.

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PA would restore the two goal lead just 1:38 into the second as Logan McVeigh finished a three way passing play with Bardaro and Conroy. The McVeigh-Bardaro-Conroy line would combine for 10 points on the night.

Sawyer Lange would round out the Raider scoring on a late second period power play while Alex Elliott (called up from the SJHL's Melville Millionaires got the other Blades goal.

It was a good night for the Raider specialty teams who went 1-for-4 on the power play and killed off all four Saskatoon advantages.

Luke Siemens made 15 of his 34 saves in the third period to record his WHL leading 22nd victory of the season as the Raiders were outshot 38-25.

The win increases their lead over the 2nd place Blades in the Eastern Division to 10 points heading into Saturday night's wrapper of the home and home series at Credit Union Centre.

Game time is 7:05 p.m, with 900 CKBI's coverage beginning at 6:35 p.m.

dwilson@panow .,com

Twitter: RaidersVoice

by Drew Wilson

Bardaro goal bounces Blades 5-4

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