Raiders head into the holiday break with a win over the Saskatoon Blades. Jeff D'Andrea/paNOW Staff

By Jeff D’Andrea

Raiders Hockey

Raiders end first half on a good note with win over Blades

Dec 18, 2021 | 9:57 PM

Tayem Gislason doesn’t always score goals. But when he does, they beat the Prince Albert Raiders’ fiercest rivals.

Gislason’s goal was the difference on Saturday as the Raiders head to the holiday break with a 4-1 win over the Saskatoon Blades and split the weekend series. The Blades edged the Raiders 3-2 on Friday at the Art Hauser Centre.

The game was held scoreless for the first 43:57 until Landon Kosior opened the scoring on the power play. That’s the Raiders’ third power play goal of the weekend. The Raiders swung the puck around, before a scramble in front. Sloan Stanick and Reece Vitelli battled to keep it alive to Kosior, who pumped one in from the left hashmarks.

The Raiders’ lead was short-lived, as Misha Volotovskii scored the Blades’ Teddy Bear Toss goal, 45:54 into the game. On a rush, Blades rookie Lukas Hansen dropped it back to Volotovskii who tied the game.

The Raiders would restore the lead through Gislason, whose point blast snuck through a crowd and eluded Blades goaltender Nolan Maier with 7:46 remaining in the game.

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The Blades pulled Maier late looking for the equalizer, and almost had it but Tikhon Chaika did just enough the Raiders’ goal to keep it out. Chaika made 26 saves on 27 shots for the victory, his second victory by surrendering just one goal in his past three starts. He’s now 6-3 on the season with a 0.909 save percentage and 2.61 goals-against average.

The Raiders will head into the holiday break in a three-way tie for seventh place in the WHL Eastern Conference, along with the Calgary Hitmen and Swift Current Broncos who all have 26 points. The Raiders are 12-14-1-1, but have six wins and an overtime defeat in their last 10 games.

Scoring Summary

First Period

No scoring.

Second Period

No scoring.

Third Period

1-0, Raiders, Landon Kosior from Sloan Stanick and Reece Vitelli, (power play), 3:57

1-1, Blades, Misha Volotovskii from Lukas Hansen and Rhett Rhinehart, 5:54

2-1, Raiders, Tayem Gislason from Tyson Laventure, 12:14

3-1, Raiders, Ozzy Wiesblatt from Reece Vitelli and Nolan Allan (empty net), 18:25

4-1, Raiders, Evan Herman (unassisted), 19:11

Home for the holidays

The Raiders will take on the Blades for a third-straight time, but not before taking a nice break for the holidays. The Raiders will host the Blades on Dec. 27, then take on the Red Deer Rebels on Dec. 29, also at home. The Raiders will then take on the Saskatoon Blades on Dec. 30 at the SaskTel Centre.

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Jeff.dandrea@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW