Eric Johnston boxes out Zane Rowan of the Regina Pats during the Raiders 5-2 victory on New Year's Day. (Submitted Photo/Keith Hershmiller/Regina Pats)

By Rob Mahon

Raiders Regina Revenge

Raiders ring in New Year with victory in Regina

Jan 2, 2023 | 8:30 AM

After a challenging first period cost them in their previous game with the Regina Pats, a strong start was the order of the day for the Prince Albert Raiders in their New Year’s Day game against the Pats.

Not only did the Raiders start strong, but they also kept up the solid effort well into the game.

Ryder Ritchie scored twice and Niall Crocker, Hayden Pakkala, and Carter Anderson scored once each as their line helped carry the Raiders to a 5-2 win in Regina. Tikhon Chaika stopped 20 of 22 shots in the win, while the Raiders piled up 31 shots on Drew Sim and Matthew Kieper.

Crocker began the scoring in the first period, picking the puck up off the rush and deking to his backhand to get around Tanner Brown and drive the net. Still, on his backhand, he slipped a shot through Sim for the first tally.

The next came from Pakkala before the first was over, with Anderson finding a loose puck in the right corner and feeding him as he slipped through coverage into the slot. Pakkala made no mistake from there, snapping one past Sim’s blocker.

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There was no second period slowdown for the Raiders, as Sloan Stanick forced his way through two Pats defenders to leave Ritchie in the clear. The rookie rifled a shot to the top corner glove-side to make it 3-0.

Regina wasn’t ready to quit, taking advantage of a Raiders miscue at the blueline to produce a shorthanded goal for Braxton Whitehead. Undaunted, the Raiders swiftly restored their three-goal lead. Harrison Lodewyk broke in with speed off the rush and fed the puck to a wide-open Anderson, who buried his second goal in the past three games.

The Raiders scored a back-breaker with just over six seconds to go in the period. Stanick darted right to left across the offensive zone and spotted Ritchie alone at the side of the net, putting it on a tee for the 16-year-old. With plenty of time, he scored his second of the game.

Regina added a goal in the third period with Sam Oremba tipping a pass from Easton Armstrong home just as a power play ended. But that was as close as the Raiders let them come, opening up the New Year with the 5-2 victory.

Next up for the Raiders is a return to home ice to host the Calgary Hitmen. That game goes at 7:00 on Thursday, January 4 on 900 CKBI.

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rob.mahon@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @RobMahonPxP