Raiders comp

The Raiders killed off the penalty to start the second and continued to pick up momentum the longer the period went on with an early chance from Aiden Oiring skating through the middle of a couple Blades defencemen, but he was denied.

Then halfway through the period, the first fight of the series came from the two most unlikely candidates. Brock Cripps and Ben Bowtell started to throw shots at each other while the play continued on, but eventually Cripps and Bowtell dropped the gloves. Two of the younger players on the ice, it looked like a couple of guys in their first fight, but both guys threw their best shots and fired up the Art Hauser Centre crowd.

Finally at the 13:40 mark, the Raiders broke through on a 3-on-1 rush. Daxon Rudolph skated through the middle and passed the puck into the zone for Maddix McCagherty. He quickly returned the puck back for Rudolph, who fired on goal for a rebound. Owen Corkish crashing the net from the right side and banged the puck in for his third of the playoffs.

Then at 17:56, the Raiders scored again on the rush. Alisher Sarkenov battled for a puck at the left side of his own blueline and passed to the right for a 2-on-1 with Jonah Sivertson, and Sivertson fired a great shot off both posts and in for his first WHL playoffs goal.

After 2: Raiders 2 – 0 Blades, 18-8 Raiders, 29-11 Raiders overall

If there were any nerves in the crowd with the two goal lead, the Raiders made sure it was eased just 1:01 into the period. Braeden Cootes didn’t get an assist when came in with a check that freed up the puck behind the net, and Jonah Sivertson picked it up. He moved up the left wall, then found Matyas Man in the middle of the blueline, and Man onetimed the puck around traffic for his first playoff goal.

From there, the Raiders felt in control through the rest of the period. Aside from a play that saw Brayden Dube and Brayden Klimpke took each other off the ice with offsetting roughing calls, although Dube got the extra penalty. Still the Art Hauser Centre continued to roar as they cheered their team on until the buzzer went and Michal Orsulak had his second shutout of the playoffs.

FINAL: Raiders 3 – 0 Blades, shots 8-4 Raiders, 37-15 Raiders overall

With an assist on the night, Daxon Rudolph continues to lead the Raiders with 4G-7A-11P, followed by Brayden Dube with 3G-6A-9P who was held pointless for the first time in the playoffs.

The Raiders take a two game lead to start the second round series with the Blades. Although the Blades broke their scoreless streak against the Raiders in Game 1, the Blades have still not scored an even strength goal against the Raiders since the second period of the Feb. 14 game, totalling 277:10, or the span of four games and 28:10.

Game 3 is set for Tuesday, April 14 in Saskatoon.

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nick.nielsen@pattisonmedia.com

by Nick Nielsen

Raiders comp

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