Niall Crocker celebrates from his back after getting knocked down to put the puck in the back of the net. (Mark Peterson/Prince Albert Raiders)

By Nick Nielsen

Raiders win 6-1

Crocker hits 150 career points while the Raiders roll over Broncos

Feb 15, 2025 | 9:18 AM

After splitting two very playoff feeling games with Medicine Hat in the last week, the Prince Albert Raiders looked to protect their spot as the top team in the East Division on Friday when they hosted the Swift Current Broncos. The Raiders kept a lead into the third period before their offense put on a clinic in the third, earning a 6-1 win.

The Raiders opened the scoring at the 4:01 mark, and it was Dayce Derkatch who started the play when he entered the zone and took a massive hit on the left wall, but still managed to pass it ahead for Ethan Bibeau. Bibeau would draw the defenders and drop the puck for Lukas Dragicevic, and he’d send a hard wrist shot in for his 13th of the season.

At the 19:54 mark, the Raiders powerplay would go to work. Dragicevic would work the puck to the middle for Tomas Mrsic, and he’d fire the puck and be stopped. Niall Crocker would hammer at the rebound, putting into the back of the net as he fell to his back. For Crocker it was his 21st of the season, and his 150th point as a Raider.

After 1: Raiders 2 – 0 Broncos, shots 13-11 Raiders

The Broncos would get on the board at the 13:43 mark. Rylan Gould would drive the puck down below the goal line and absorb a hard hit from Matteo Fabrizi. As Gould emerged, he found a lane through the slot to Carlin Dezainde, and he’d fire to bring the Broncos within one.

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At the end of the period, the Raiders were on the powerplay and the Broncos would clear a loose puck towards the blueline. Dragicevic was there to hold the puck in as the clock ticked down. With everyone else giving up on the play a bit from both teams, Dragicevic sent a slapshot on goal. The stick hit the puck, the buzzer went off, and the puck found the back of the net. If it was basketball rules, the Raiders would have scored.

After 2: Raiders 2 – 1 Broncos, shots 13-12 Broncos, 15-14 Raiders

The Raiders would find a goal early in the third, and that would spark a train of momentum. At the 5:56, a defender lost his footing in the corner of his own zone and Brayden Dube would take it away. He’d centre it for Mrsic, and his first shot was stopped before he put his rebound off the post and in for his 31st of the year.

Then at 8:42, the Raiders would score again on the powerplay. It was again from the point, Mrsic with a pass to the right side for Dragicevic, and he sent a shot wide of the goal intended for a tip, and Dube made a great tip between his legs for his 24th of the year.

The Raiders continued to score at the 10:52 mark from the captain. Evan Smith took a hit on the right wall to reacquire the puck, and he passed it up towards the point for Aiden Oiring, and he’d set the puck on a tee for a Justice Christensen onetimer and his 17th of the year.

Then just 4:03 later, the Christensen would score again. Daxon Rudolph collected the puck in his own zone, sent it up the left wall for Rilen Kovacevic, and he’d stop just inside the Bronco blueline before finding Christensen streaking in from the right, and he fired a great shot on goal for his second of the game and 18th of the year.

FINAL: Raiders 6 – 1 Broncos, 14-8 Raiders, 39-32 Raiders overall

With a goal and an assist, Lukas Dragicevic extended his point streak to six games with 3G-6A. Crocker’s goal also extended his streak to three games with 3G-1A in that time.

The Raiders powerplay went 3/6 on the night, although they were 3/5 until the Broncos took a penalty in the final minute.

It’ll be a quick turnaround for the Raiders as they welcome the Calgary Hitmen Saturday night.