Raiders forward Daniil Stepanov early in Wednesday's game after a five-game absence. (Erica Perreaux/Lethbridge Hurricanes)

By Jeff D'Andrea

Steppin' On Up

Stepanov steps up, is Protas’ biggest fan

Feb 6, 2020 | 2:34 PM

Prince Albert Raider fans were delighted when they saw the heroics of Prince Albert Raiders forward Aliaksei Protas in Wednesday’s 4-3 overtime victory over the Medicine Hat Tigers on the road. Protas tied the game with seven seconds left, then scored eight seconds into overtime.

But his biggest fan might have been sitting on the Raiders’ bench. Daniil Stepanov, Protas’ Belarusian country-mate, may have been the happiest person in Medicine Hat when Protas scored both goals.

With seven seconds left in regulation, Spencer Moe flew down the wing and found Brayden Watts. Watts’ shot was saved, but Protas was able to put in the rebound to force overtime.

“It was actually kind of slow motion. When Moe passed it to Watty and he shoots, and the rebound, it was kind of in slow motion,” Stepanov said. “We were all ‘oh please, come on. Score a goal.’ And then Alex scored it and we were all happy. And then the other thoughts after that were how to win the overtime.”

Then when Protas ended the game with a pretty one-timer, Stepanov went bananas on the bench.

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“Actually, I thought he was going to pass back because he’s a good playmaker, but it was a one-timer, a beautiful goal, a snipe. I was like ‘oh my god.’ It was so crazy and everyone was so crazy about it,” Stepanov said.

Protas has been a gigantic part of the Raiders’ offence this year. Despite representing Belarus at the World Juniors Div 1 A Championships in Minsk, Protas still leads the Raiders in just about every offensive category with 24 goals, 37 assists, 61 points, 149 shots on goal, six game-winning goals and two shorthanded goals. He’s also tied for the team lead in plus-minus at +31 with captain Zack Hayes.

But Protas is just happy his team got a big win over the Tigers, giving them their first win against them this season.

“We were just trying to play full 60, we’re still learning how to do this, but we were trying to play a full 60 and playing until the end—until it’s over. We got this goal because we worked so hard,” Protas said. “Every game against this team is pretty huge, they’re pretty fast, they got skill, they got speed. It was a pretty good game, all four games I think it was pretty good. They were two-goal, one-goal games. Yesterday we won, so it was good to keep it going.”

As important as Protas has been, the Raiders are far from a one-man show or a one-time team. Contributions from all four lines have stepped up in recent game. During their current four-game winning streak, defencemen Kaiden Guhle and Zack Hayes have game-winning goals.

“It’s actually pretty good for our team, because anybody can step up,” Protas said. “We have real good leaders like Zack and anybody can step up and score a goal, make a good play. We are playing like a team together.”

One of those guys that stepped up was Stepanov. He sat in the press box as the odd man out for the last five games, got a chance to play on Wednesday in Medicine Hat. He needed just 6:20 to score a goal. That gives him five goals and eight points in 34 games with the Raiders this year.

“First of all, it was good to get back in the lineup. I think it was a good lesson for me. Coaches gave me a good lesson because I didn’t play very well. It was a good lesson to remember how good it is winning with the team, being a part of the team. That’s why I was excited. I just put the puck in the net.”

The Raiders have two games left on their road trip, taking on the Calgary Hitmen on Friday and the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Saturday.

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Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW