Spencer Moe continued his torrid month of November, scoring a highlight reel goal in the third period of a 4-1 win over Swift Current Friday night. (Lucas Chudleigh/Apollo Multimedia)

By Trevor Redden

Broncos bucked

Points pile up for Protas in win over Broncos

Nov 29, 2019 | 11:08 PM

It seems Aliaksei Protas wants to push his point total as high as he can before leaving the Raiders next week to represent Belarus at the World Junior Division 1A Championships.

With the game tied at 1-1 early in the third period Friday night, Protas tucked his 18^th goal of the year just under the crossbar to put the Prince Albert Raiders ahead of the Swift Current Broncos for good.

The goal was a part of a three-point night from Protas, extending his current point-streak to eight games and improving his point total to 40 through 26 games played, which matches his output from all of last season.

With the same number of games played, he and Lethbridge forward Dylan Cozens are now tied for tops across the league in point production.

Instead of talking about his personal success postgame, the Capitals prospect was focused on the team.

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“I didn’t think about [leading the league in points]. I’m just trying to help my team by bringing my best every shift and every game. Now it helps me to get some points which is good,” Protas said.

The Belarusian forward’s first point of the night came early in the second period with Cole Nagy putting his pass past Broncos goaltender Isaac Poulter and into the back of the net for his second of the season. Nagy was jumping on the ice on a line change and drove the net while Protas controlled behind the net, sending a behind the back pass out front and on the tape for Nagy to deliver on goal.

“I saw Protas go behind the net and I called for it and he put it right on my tape. I was lucky enough to put it in,” Nagy said. “I don’t think he even looked, but he’s unreal.”

Protas clarified by saying he did look, but just enough to catch a glimpse.

“I saw one guy in green coming, and I just tried to pass it there. I saw him but didn’t think it would come through,” Protas said.

The Raiders’ lead would last just over half a period before the Broncos evened the score as Raphael Pelletier tipped a Jaxan Kaluski shot over the arm of Raider goaltender Boston Bilous and under the bar to tie the game at 1-1, which is how it would remain heading into the second intermission.

After Protas’ power play goal put the Raiders ahead 2-1, forward Spencer Moe pushed it to a two-goal lead with an incredible individual effort, toe dragging a Bronco defender before lifting a backhander under the crossbar and in for his 11^th of the year.

“It’s still Moe-vember. With that toe-drag, backhand shelf…wow. We’re gonna see if we can keep this month going a little longer,” head coach Marc Habscheid said after the game.

“Let’s make it 131 days of Moe-vember if we can.”

The scoring would be capped with seconds remaining as Brayden Watts finished a give-and-go with Protas, putting it away into an empty Bronco net to make it a 4-1 final.

Bilous stopped 21 of 22 shots faced through the game, while Poulter stopped 33 of 36.

The two teams will meet once again Saturday night in Swift Current.

Scoring summary

First period

None

Second period

1-0, Raiders, Cole Nagy from Aliaksei Protas and Brayden Watts, 3:05

1-1, Broncos, Raphael Pelletier from Jaxan Kaluski, 14:24

Third period

2-1, Raiders, Aliaksei Protas from Ozzy Wiesblatt [power play], 6:33

3-1, Raiders, Spencer Moe unassisted, 9:19

4-1, Raiders, Brayden Watts from Aliaksei Protas [empty net], 19:38

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trevor.redden@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Trevor_Redden