The Raiders celebrate scoring the opening goal against the Red Deer Rebels on Feb. 28, 2023. (Mark Peterson Media)

By Logan Lehmann

Rolling Raiders

Raiders ride first period outburst to thrash Rebels 5-2

Feb 28, 2023 | 10:45 PM

PRINCE ALBERT, SK – The Prince Albert Raiders got back on track Tuesday night, defeating the Red Deer Rebels 5-2 at the Art Hauser Centre.

The win comes after PA lost its last game to Saskatoon 3-1. The win also pushes the Raiders into tenth place in the Eastern Conference as Prince Albert now sits just three points back of Calgary for the final playoff spot.

“Obviously the push is on,” said Raiders head coach Jeff Truitt.

“We’re not done yet. We’ve been playing meaningful games for a long time. The mentality didn’t just start a couple weeks ago, this has been going on for a long time and now we’re seeing it. They’re getting pursuit on pucks, they’re winning some battles, they’re being smart with their decisions, our special teams are getting better and at a real key time right now, we need to keep going.”

Keaton Sorensen and Ryder Ritchie each had three points for the Raiders where Sorensen potted a goal and two assists while Ritchie had a trio of assists. Niall Crocker had two goals in the contest while Eric Johnston also had a pair of points with two assists. Landon Kosior and Sloan Stanick also scored for PA while Harrison Lodewyk, Brayden Dube, and Hayden Pakkala collected assists.

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Jace Isley and Jhett Larson were the goal scorers for the Rebels while Jayden Grubbe, Hunter Mayo, and Jace Wier registered the assists.

Max Hildebrand made 19 saves in the win to help the Raiders improve to 25-29-3-0 on the campaign.

Kyle Kelsey managed 18 stops in the loss where the Rebels fall to 38-16-1-3 on the year.

COMPLETE BOX SCORE

The Raiders were firing on all cylinders in the opening frame and wasted no time getting on the board. The powerplay went to work early with Crocker getting the party started just five minutes in to the game.

Later, the powerplay got another opportunity and didn’t pass it up. Ritchie’s shot was stopped and a scrum ensued in front of the net where Crocker jammed it home for his second of the night.

Prince Albert wasn’t done there though as they made it three with less than ten seconds to go in the period. Kosior went to pass the puck in front of the Rebels and it ended up going off a defender and into the back of the net to put the Raiders up big after one.

Tides shifted in the second where the Rebels opened the scoring with Isley breaking the goose egg for Red Deer less than five minutes in.

The Raiders managed to get that one back however later in the period. Lodewyk’s shot was stopped but Sorensen was there to put the rebound home to restore the lead.

In the dying seconds of the period now, with Red Deer on the powerplay. A point shot from the Rebels was stopped by Hildebrand but the rebound landed on the tape of Larson who put it home to make 4-2 going into the third.

The Raiders added one more in the third period with Stanick’s 20^th of the season as Prince Albert took it 5-2.

The Lethbridge Hurricanes are the next team on the schedule for PA when the Raiders welcome them to the Art Hauser Centre on Friday night.

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logan.lehmann@pattisonmedia.com

Twitter: @lloganlehmann