By Jeff D'Andrea

Raiders pick up 12th win faster than they ever have before

Oct 20, 2018 | 10:53 PM

After their 8-2 victory over the Spokane Chiefs Saturday at the Art Hauser Centre, the Raiders picked up their 12^th win of the season in their 13^th game. They’ve never picked up their 12^th victory that fast before, since joining the Western Hockey League in the 1982-83 season.

One thing Raiders head coach Marc Habscheid loves to have on his teams is an even keel, like any coach would tell you. In the past, the Raiders would often have to pick themselves up or forget about a loss to do that. The situation is much different this year with the 12-1 record, the top CHL ranking and back-to-back eight-goal performances, but Habscheid still has the same approach in mind.

“We just go about our business. Last year and the year before, when you lose, you try and put it behind you and move on. This is no different,” Habscheid said. “We’re winning now, but there’s no big shot-itis creeping into that room, that’s for sure. It’s a good group, they check themselves.

“The kids in there deserve some credit, too. It’s nice to get a pat on the back once in a while. In the past, we’ve had some sand kicked in our faces, and that hasn’t been fun. This is a lot more fun.”

Sean Montgomery is the longest serving Raider and has been on a few of those teams that were sand-faced. He’s played in 291 games since his WHL career started in Prince Albert in the 2014-15 season. But for now, he’s reaping the rewards for his patience and loyalty to the team.

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In his last four games, Montgomery has scored a goal in each of them. He’s also had three-consecutive multi-point games, giving him four goals and nine points in his last four games. He has five goals and 18 points on the year and is skating with the hottest player in the WHL right now in Brett Leason.

“It’s a ton of fun. We’ve definitely been through some tough times and now we’re winning,” said Montgomery, who scored a goal and had two assists on Saturday. “We’re going to enjoy it. We want to keep it going.”

Leason did keep his 13-game scoring streak intact on Saturday. He sprung Noah Gregor out on a breakaway 5:49 to get an assist. Leason has 11 goals and 27 points in that span.

Raiders defenceman Zack Hayes isn’t necessarily on the team for his scoring, but he’s been providing that nevertheless. Hayes scored in the first period of Saturday’s contest, giving him goals in consecutive contests. That’s the seventh career goal for Hayes in 157 games for the Raiders.

“It must be a full moon, or an eclipse, or Halley’s comet is coming or something,” Habscheid said. “It’s fun to see. He knows what he is, he’s a defender, he’s a heart and soul guy, sticks up for teammates, blocks shots and does all the work that doesn’t get a lot of praise. He kicks in a goal now and then and it’s good for him, big smile on his face. He’s extremely valuable to us.”

Noah Gregor and rookie Jakob Brook both had a pair of goals in the contest. See GIF highlights for all the goals below.

Scoring Summary

First Period

1-0, Raiders, Noah Gregor from Brett Leason and Sergei Sapego (power play), 5:49

Noah Gregor opens the scoring with a nifty backhanded goal on the power play. 1-0 Raiders pic.twitter.com/civd0qox6o

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) October 21, 2018

2-0, Raiders, Konrad Belcourt from Sean Montgomery, 6:52

Fresh off his callback from Fort McMurray, Konrad Belcourt scores his first as a Raider. 2-0 Raiders, 7 minutes into the game. pic.twitter.com/5xOpjPJj8S

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) October 21, 2018

3-0, Zack Hayes from Sean Montgomery and Brayden Pachal, 11:54

Sean Montgomery’s out here just throwing around backhand sauce. He finds Zack Hayes to extend the Raiders’ lead to 3-0 as we head into the first period media timeout. pic.twitter.com/Cl67hqZit4

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) October 21, 2018

4-0, Aliaksei Protas from Jeremy Masella, 17:53

The cut in, the snipe and the “where’s the puck” celebration. What a goal from Aliaksei Protas. 4-0 the Raiders lead after the first period. Shots 19-8 for the Raiders. pic.twitter.com/d2qToF2xx1

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) October 21, 2018

Second Period

5-0, Raiders, Sean Montgomery (unassisted), 4:15

Snipin’ Sean Montgomery wins a puck and paints the corner with a laserbeam. 5-0 Raiders. That’s Monty’s third point of the game, and his 5th goal on the year. pic.twitter.com/VP47hakvVn

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) October 21, 2018

5-1, Chiefs, Nolan Reid (unassisted), 7:18

Nolan Reid through a screen puts the Chiefs on the board on the power play. 5-1 now, midway through the second. pic.twitter.com/XiSubCvYXT

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) October 21, 2018

5-2, Chiefs, Erik Atchison from Michael King and Nolan Reid, 15:28

Atchison makes it a 5-2 game as he gets the Chiefs’ second goal this period. pic.twitter.com/MPXafIVuU0

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) October 21, 2018

Third Period

6-2, Raiders, Jakob Brook from Kaiden Guhle, 3:51

Jakob Brook doesn’t always score goals, but when he does, they’re top-corner bombs. 6-2 Raiders in the third. pic.twitter.com/2RNnGtOO9x

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) October 21, 2018

7-2, Raiders, Noah Gregor from Parker Kelly and Cole Fonstad (power play), 17:17

Here’s Noah Gregor’s second goal of the game, a gorgeous tic-tac-toe play he finished off pic.twitter.com/z4g3tciAep

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) October 21, 2018

8-2, Raiders, Jakob Brook from Eric Pearce, 17:37

Here’s Jakob Brook’s second of the game as well to end it pic.twitter.com/nIDImQeQDY

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) October 21, 2018

Changes on the backend

Raiders defenceman Max Martin served his first of a three-game suspension on Saturday’s game. Martin was levied the suspension for this hit on Riley Stotts in the Raiders’ 8-4 win over the Calgary Hitmen.

Martin was not penalized in the game, but received supplementary discipline for the hit after the fact.

As a result, Konrad Belcourt’s reassignment to the AJHL’s Fort McMurray Oil Barons only lasted eight days. Belcourt was initially loaned to the Oil Barons on Oct. 11, but was called back to the Raiders on Friday. While in Fort McMurray, Belcourt played three games and scored a goal on Sunday in 4-3 shootout loss to the Sherwood Park Crusaders. He scored his first goal as a Raider on Saturday.

Three games next week

The Raiders have three more games next week, starting on Tuesday against the Everett Silvertips at the Art Hauser Centre, Wednesday on the road against the Moose Jaw Warriors and Saturday back at the Hauser against the Regina Pats.

Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW