Raiders powerplay fires on all cylinders in shutout over Giants

The Raiders forecheck found a little bit of success late in the first, and that carried over into the second period. Evan Smith put on a relentless forecheck out of the corner and behind the Giants net before he finally stripped the defender, then Smith started to walk out front. Ben Harvey didn’t get a touch but played crucial role cutting off the defender from the puck, allowing Smith to windmill deke his way to the front of the goal to get a shot away. Alisher Sarkenov crashed the net just in time as the puck deflected off him and in, giving Sarkenov his first goal as a Raider at 3:50.

Then the Raiders got their first, second, and third powerplays all in the span of 48 seconds. First Giants forward Tyus Sparks was given a penalty for roughing behind the play. 48 seconds later, Torretto Marrelli was given a cross checking penalty for knocking a Raider down behind the play, and at the ensuing scrum Ty Hallaburda earned a roughing penalty for a wrestling throw on another Raider.

That gave the Raiders a 5-on-3 powerplay for 1:12, and if they scored they would stay on the 5-on-3.

The Raiders did just that when Max Heise won a faceoff back to Daxon Rudolph. Rudolph backed up to the middle of the ice, looked towards the net like he was going to shoot, then passed across for a waiting Justice Christensen who slammed home his first goal of the season at 10:15.

With the faceoff at centre, the Raiders still had a 5-on-3 powerplay for another 1:52, but it only took 23 seconds to score again. The Raiders had to get the cycle set up once they entered the zone from centre, but then the same thing happened again. Oiring put the puck out of the corner to Rudolph, he made the simple fake, then sent the pass to Christensen who blasted home his second of the night at 10:38.

The 5-on-4 would expire, but the Raiders would go back on the powerplay for 4:00 thanks to a double minor for high sticking from Adam Titlbach. It took exactly one minute, but the Raiders found the back of the net when Riley Boychuk sent the puck from the right point down to the corner, then Oiring one touched it out to the slot for Max Heise to fire home his third of the season on a onetimer at 15:43.

After 2: Raiders 4 – 0 Giants, shots 18-2 Raiders, 26-8 Raiders overall

The third period saw the Raiders and Giants each trade a powerplay, but neither team was successful in a period the Raiders mostly dominated. It wasn’t until late where the Raiders forecheck started to wear the Giants down. A Giants defender tried to play the puck out of the right side point, but Evan Smith crashing in held the puck in for Alisher Sarkenov behind the net. He sent a quick feed out front for Ben Harvey who had his onetimer blocked, but he battled for the rebound and potted his third of the season at 16:09.

Then in the final minute of play, Brock Cripps came down the right wall and entered the Giants zone looking towards the net like he was going to shoot. Instead, he dropped the puck back to the right wall where Jonah Sivertson stepped into the play and fired a wrist shot home for his second of the season at 19:10.

FINAL: Raiders 6 – 0 Giants, shots 16-6 Raiders, 42-14 Raiders overall

With 14 saves on the night Michal Orsulak earned his first career shutout and his third straight win of the season.

Riley Boychuk has seven assists on the season and is the only Raider with a point in every game. Boychuk has 0G-7A, with six of those assists coming on the powerplay.

In their second game with the Raiders this season, both Justice Christensen and Alisher Sarkenov earned their first two point of the year, including two goals from Christensen and a first goal in the WHL for Sarkenov.

Both Jonah Sivertson and Ben Harvey have goals in each of the last two games for the Raiders.

The Raiders get one night off before welcoming the Kamloops Blazers to town on Friday.

by Nick Nielsen

Raiders powerplay fires on all cylinders in shutout over Giants

What's Trending