Harrison Lodewyk celebrates scoring the game winning goal for the Raiders while waiting for Niall Crocker and Krzysztof Macias to join him. (Mark Peterson/Prince Albert Raiders)

By Nick Nielsen

Raiders win 6-3

Crocker’s four point night leads Raiders past Warriors

Dec 11, 2024 | 9:37 AM

The Prince Albert Raiders were looking to get back into the win column on Tuesday night as they played host to the Moose Jaw Warriors. Even though Moose Jaw has traded some star players away, they still forced the Raiders to take the lead four separate times to earn a 6-3 win.

The goal trading started later in the first period when Tomas Mrsic was stripped of the puck at the Warriors blueline, and the clearing attempt hit Aiden Oiring in the chest. Oiring took a step into the slot to settle the puck down before wiring a wrist shot in for his 12th of the season at the 12:31 mark.

After a powerplay in the opening minute failed, the Warriors struck on their second attempt at the 17:03 mark. Lynden Lakovic sent a puck through the slot to find Pavel McKenzie on the back door, tipping it into the net to tie the game.

After 1: Raiders 1 – 1 Warriors, shots 18-8 Raiders

The Raiders also struck on their second powerplay of the game at the 6:18 mark. Niall Crocker earned the first of four assists on the night when he won a battle on the wall and fed Lukas Dragicevic at the middle of the blueline. Dragicevic wound up and clapped one on net, scoring his third of the season to take the lead back on the powerplay.

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At 11:10, the Warriors would score shorthanded to tie the game once more. Rilen Kovacevic came into the game with three shorthanded goals already, and he tied the league lead with his fourth after winning a puck battle at centre ice and cutting into the middle before using a defender as a screen and rifling a his 16th of the season top shelf.

On that same powerplay however, the Raiders got it right back. At 12:50, Dragicevic put another slapshot towards the net that was blocked, but Crocker quickly found the rebound. Instead of shooting, Crocker saw the stick of Krzysztof Macias at the side of the net who tipped it into the back of the net for his seventh of the season.

After 2: Raiders 3 – 2 Warriors, shots 19-14 Raiders, 27-22 Raiders overall

It took until the 10:38 mark, but the Warriors got a powerplay goal again to tie the game a third time. Again it was Kovacevic who scored, this time with a shot from the right point through traffic.

The Raiders didn’t back down, and Crocker started the play for his third assist of the night when he took the puck away from the Warriors breakout attempt. He turned around and saw Harrison Lodewyk cutting towards the net, and Crocker gave the puck to Lodewyk who took his time waiting for his spot to open up and fire for his third of the year.

Max Hildebrand made his return to the Raiders after missing four games, and he made the best save of the night shortly after the Raiders took the lead. Lynden Lakovic came right through the middle of the ice and ripped a wrist shot towards Hildebrand’s ear, but he snapped it out of the air with the glove.

At the 19:04 mark, Brayden Dube would score his 13th of the season on an empty net with assists from Oiring and Dragicevic, and Lodewyk would add his fourth of the season with one last assist from Crocker, and the Raiders would take the 6-3 win.

FINAL: Raiders 6 – 3 Raiders, shots 12-8 Raiders, 49-30 Raiders overall

While Max Hildebrand posted an even 0.900 save percentage in his first game back, Josh Banini at the other end nearly stole the show with some highlight reel saves on the Raiders in every period for a 0.915. Still, Hildebrand made the biggest and most important save of the night right after the Raiders took the 4-3 lead.

The line of Krzysztof Macias, Niall Crocker, and Harrison Lodewyk finished the night with seven points altogether, lead by Crocker with four assists, Lodewyk with two goals, and Macias with a goal of his own.

The Raiders are off until Saturday when they welcome the Brandon Wheat Kings.