Regina Pats forward Tanner Howe, who is from Prince Albert, collides with Prince Albert Raider defenceman Landon Kosior, who is from Regina. (Jeff D'Andrea/paNOW Staff)

By Jeff D’Andrea

Raiders Hockey

Raiders back to knocking on the playoff door after big 6-1 win over Pats

Apr 2, 2022 | 10:13 PM

The Prince Albert Raiders vaulted back into ninth place and are just two points back of a playoff spot after a 6-1 victory over the Regina Pats, Saturday at the Art Hauser Centre.

The Raiders were 3-8 on the power play, a huge reason they were able to pull away with the victory. The only other time the Raiders scored that many power play goals in a game was back on Jan. 17 in a 7-3 victory over the Red Deer Rebels.

“That’s all on the players. We had one power-play meeting before the game and that was it. It was time to take ownership,” Raiders head coach Marc Habscheid said. “It’s one thing, but in the end, the players have to own it. They owned it tonight and they deserved all the credit.”

Nolan Allan got an assist on all three of the Raiders’ power play goals. He also scored an even-strength goal in the second period, just seven seconds after captain Reece Vitelli scored. That turned a chippy 1-1 game into a 3-1 lead.

“It was big. It turned the momentum our way. We obviously got some more on the power play to put them to bed. Those were huge.

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The Raiders got an encouraging start, as Keaton Sorensen drove hard to the net to open the scoring 2:12 into the first period.

The Raiders would add a pair of power play goals in the third period, an absolute bar-down missile from Landon Kosior 41 seconds in (his 18th as he approaches the elusive 20-goal mark for defencemen), and a nice convert from Evan Herman, after Vitelli found him in the slot halfway through the frame.

Eric Johnston wanted to get in the mix as well, as the made it 6-1 with a seeing-eye point shot 12 minutes into the third.

Keaton Sorensen scored the Raiders’ first goal, driving to the net just 2:12 into the game.

Connor Bedard scored the Pats’ only goal of the game in the first period to ite it up at 1-1. Bedard scored his 45th goal of the year, tying a Pats’ franchise record for most goals by a 16-year-old, previously set by Jeff Friesen in the 1992-93 season.

Out of town scoreboard

With the win, the Raiders will jump back over the Calgary Hitmen and nestle back into the ninth spot. Saturday’s game was one of the games they are making up on the Swift Current Broncos, and are two points back of them with one game in hand. The Raiders didn’t gain any progress on catching the seventh-place Lethbridge Hurricanes, as they beat the Medicine Hat Tigers for a second-straight day.

Here are the updated standings.

7. Lethbridge Hurricanes, 62 points, 63 games played

8. Swift Current Broncos, 59 points, 65 games played

9. Prince Albert Raiders, 57 points, 64 games played

10. Calgary Hitmen, 56 points, 63 games played

11. Regina Pats, 53 points, 62 games played

Game Summary

First Period

1-0, Raiders, Keaton Sorensen (unassisted), 2:12

1-1, Pats, Connor Bedard (shorthanded), 12:59

Second Period

2-1, Raiders, Reece Vitelli from Evan Herman (power play), 15:08

3-1, Raiders, Nolan Allan from Reece Vitelli, 15:15

Third Period

4-1, Raiders, Landon Kosior from Nolan Allan and Evan Herman (power play), 0:41

5-1, Raiders, Evan Herman from Reece Vitelli and Nolan Allan (power play), 9:04

6-1, Raiders, Eric Johnston from Zachary Wilson and Sloan Stanick, 12:18

Up next

After Saturday’s game, the Raiders are going to play their next three games on the road, April 8 against the Saskatoon Blades, April 9 against the Regina Pats, and April 15 against the Swift Current Broncos. The Raiders will conclude the regular season on April 16 at the Art Hauser Centre against the Brandon Wheat Kings.

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Jeff.dandrea@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW