Harrison Lodewyk takes a faceoff against one of the Calgary Hitmen in Wednesday's 8-5 loss. (Jenn Pierce/Calgary Hitmen)

By Nick Nielsen

Raiders lose 8-5

High scoring affair for Raiders leading into break

Dec 19, 2024 | 8:39 AM

The Prince Albert Raiders started the climb up the eastern conference standings after Tuesday’s win in Edmonton, and they looked to continue that momentum Wednesday in Calgary. Although the Raiders fought to tie the game twice, they would see their winning streak snapped at three as they lost to the Hitmen 8-5.

Kalem Parker opened the scoring at the 5:07 mark for the Hitmen when he followed a 2-on-2 rush up the middle as the third guy in, and he received a pass at the top of the slot before firing to score. Then at 7:59, Connor Hvidston made it 2-0 Hitmen on a wraparound.

The Raiders would fight to tie it before the end of the period when Luke Moroz entered the zone and found Riley Boychuk in the slot for a shot that rang the post, and Ty Meunier collected the rebound for his eighth of the season. Then at 18:09, Justice Christensen let loose a onetimer on goal for his seventh, tying the game with assist from Tomas Mrsic and Aiden Oiring.

The Hitmen took the lead back in the final minute when Carson Wetsch found a loose puck at the bottom of the circle, and he made a slick move to bring the puck to his forehand to roof it.

After 1: Raiders 2 – 3 Hitmen, shots 22-10 Hitmen

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Calgary took their second two goal lead at 4:06 when the Raiders were caught on a bad change and David Adasynski was sprung for a breakaway goal.

Then at 7:40, Tomas Mrsic struck on the powerplay when he fired a wrist shot on goal that was stopped, but a mess of bodies tried to find the rebound and Mrsic poked it home with assists from Niall Crocker and Daxon Rudolph. The Raiders tied it up again when Doogan Pederson sent a pass up ice to Boychuk, and he went 2-on-2 as Harrison Lodewyk drove the net. Boychuk faked the pass, drew the defender to Lodewyk, then ripped a wrist shot for his third of the season and tying the game again four.

After 2: Raiders 4 – 4 Hitmen, shots 13-7 Hitmen, 25-17 Hitmen overall

The Hitmen retook the lead early at 1:14 when Oliver Tulk found a rebound at the side of the goal. Then it took all the way until 12:34 where, on the powerplay, Wetsch parked in front of the net and tipped a shot on goal, found his own rebound, and restored the Hitmen’s two goal lead a third time.

At the 15:51 mark, Dayce Derkatch went in hard on the forecheck and caused a collision that freed the puck up. While Derkatch didn’t get an assist, his effort deserved one as it opened the lane for Brayden Dube to pick up the loose puck, go behind the net, and set up Lodewyk in the middle of the slot for his sixth of the season.

The Raiders would then pull the goaltender in an effort to tie it, and after a great chance on the rush from Mrsic, the Hitmen took the puck down the ice and scored twice on the empty net, once from Maxim Muranov and the other from Hvidston, and the Hitmen would snap the Raiders win streak.

FINAL: Raiders 5 – 8 Hitmen, shots 9-6 Hitmen, 44-23 Hitmen overall

The Raiders don’t play another game until Dec. 27 when they welcome the Swift Current Broncos to the Art Hauser Centre.

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nick.nielsen@pattisonmedia.com