The Raiders fell 4-2 to the Moose Jaw Warriors Saturday at Mosaic Place. File photo/paNOW Staff

By Jeff D'Andrea

Raiders Hockey

Raiders run out of gas in Moose Jaw, mourn loss of Donn Clark

Mar 2, 2019 | 10:42 PM

The wheels fell off in the third period for the Prince Albert Raiders, as they surrendered three goals to drop a 4-2 score to the Moose Jaw Warriors Saturday on the road in Mosaic Place. The Raiders could have clinched the Scotty Munro Memorial Trophy for first place in the Western Hockey League by gaining a point. Instead, they will have to scoreboard watch the Vancouver Giants. Any Giants loss guarantees the Raiders league’s top spot. They beat the Kamloops Blazers 5-4 at home on Saturday night, and both teams will have a rematch on Sunday in Kamloops.

The Raiders did play their third game in four nights, and were without 19-year-old veterans Parker Kelly and Max Martin. Raiders assistant coach Jeff Truitt didn’t want to put the blame on fatigue, and wanted to see a little more urgency from his club.

“We had lots of things to play for,” Truitt said. “We needed one point for the overall but you have to take every game, no matter what it is, there’s always a motivation to win. You have to take that at every level, especially right now in the last four or five games. You want to get going and have a real consistent game.”

It was a tight checking game for the opening 45 minutes of play, as the game was knotted at 1-1 after the first period. The Warriors scored three consecutive goals in the third period to pull away for the win. The Warriors became the second team in the WHL to beat the Raiders twice this season, joining the Brandon Wheat Kings.

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The Warriors’ top line scored all four of their goals, with Justin Almeida being a part of all four. He had a goal and three assists, and Tristin Langan had a pair of goals and an assist. Brayden Tracey had a goal and an assist.

“They found a way in the third period to generate some opportunities with their one line, and we didn’t have much of an answer,” Truitt said. “It was one of those games, where it was just slow and sluggish. There wasn’t a lot of clean plays in the first two periods. The shots in the second period were 5-3. We talked in the second intermission, sometimes these games don’t go as flowy as you like them with their speed, but you have to grind them out nevertheless.”

Rest in peace

During the game, it was announced that former Raiders general manager, coach and player Donn Clark lost his life in his battle to cancer.

The Raiders inducted Clark into their Wall of Honour one night prior, on Friday at the Art Hauser Centre. His brother Wendel Clark accepted the award on Friday on Donn’s behalf.

Kelly sits his last game, Martin close to returning

The Raiders could have a big boost to their roster next week with the possible return of two veteran 19-year-old veterans.

Parker Kelly will be eligible for the Raiders’ next game on Tuesday against the Swift Current Broncos at the Art Hauser Centre. Kelly sat the last three games due to a suspension for a boarding penalty against the Brandon Wheat Kings on Feb. 23.

Max Martin has missed the last six games to an upper body injury, but could return as soon as next week.

Scoring Summary

First Period

1-0, Warriors, Justin Almeida from Tristin Langan and Jett Woo, 18:23

1-1, Raiders, Dante Hannoun from Aliaksei Protas, 19:07

Second Period

No scoring.

Third Period

2-1, Warriors, Tristin Langan from Brayden Tracey and Justin Almeida, 5:41

3-1, Warriors, Tristin Langan from Justin Almeida and Josh Brook, 11:58

4-1, Warriors, Brayden Tracey from Justin Almeida, 13:36

4-2, Raiders, Justin Nachbaur from Aliaksei Protas and Kaiden Guhle, 19:50

Three against Swifty

The Raiders will play the Swift Current Broncos three straight times next week, Tuesday and Friday at the Art Hauser Centre, and Sunday at the Credit Union iPlex.

Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW