By Jeff D'Andrea

New Raider Schmidli sinks his teeth into Swift Current

Jan 9, 2015 | 9:28 PM

Kris Schmidli was eager to show that he’s fully committed to being a Prince Albert Raider, and he did that in a number of ways in Friday’s 4-3 overtime victory over the Swift Current Broncos—the Raiders’ first overtime win of the year.

The 18-year-old Swiss import was flying all over the ice in his second game arriving to the Raiders in a blockbuster deal and was the game’s first start with a goal and two assists. He assisted on Reid Gardiner’s overtime winner and scored a beauty on a 2-on-1 in the third period.

But it was after that goal, his first as a Raider, that he really showed his newly found Green and Gold pride.

As part of his goal celebration, Schmidli actually bit the blade of his stick in celebration to pay tribute to the Raiders’ old pirate logo.

“When I got to the bench, the players were asking ‘what are you doing?’ I was like ‘it’s the logo! The pirate bites his stick, there,’” said a smiling Schmidli. “I’m a Raider now. It was my first goal, so I do this.

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“But don’t worry, it doesn’t come anymore.”

The Raiders and their fans have done lots to make him feel welcome, as well. After doing 900 CKBI postgame interviews in the Ches Leach Lounge in front of a live audience with Drew Wilson, Schmidli received laughs and warm ovations before, during and after his interview from the Raider faithful.

“That’s awesome, I never saw that (before),” said Schmidli on the crowd’s response. “Like, this is a family. I think we didn’t have that in Kelowna. This is awesome.”

Like he showed during his blade biting celebrating, Schmidli exudes a ton of confidence, which has garnered the respect of his peers. As the Raiders prepared for the overtime frame, with a 4-on-3 power play, Schmidli told Gardiner he’d get him the puck in good shooting areas.

As a matter of fact, Schmidli found Gardiner in two premier areas, but Gardiner didn’t pull the trigger. Finally, Schmidli gave it up top to defenceman and fellow-ex Rocket Jesse Lees, who then found Gardiner for the game-winning one-timer.

“We were kinda joking after the game. (Schmidli) told me before that he was going to find me and he found me twice there,” said Gardiner. “It kinda wasn’t in my wheelhouse I guess, but the third one I said ‘whatever’ and shot it. It was a very good screen by Jayden (Hart) in front and lucky enough to go in.”

That was Gardiner’s second goal of the game and his sixth goal in just three games against the Broncos this year.

It wasn’t just the offensive prowess of Schmidli and Gardiner that got it done. The Raiders faced the Broncos, who have seemingly always had a great power play ever since general manager and head coach Mark Lamb has been in charge. They came into the game with the league’s third best power play, clicking at 23.6 per cent, but couldn’t score on any of their three chances in the game.

“They blocked a lot of shots, they committed and they pressured them a little bit,” said Raiders head coach Marc Habscheid. “(Associate coach) Dave Manson takes care of the penalty kill and he does a really good job. He cares and puts a lot of time in there and guys respond to what he does.”

Summary

Like Schmidli, Austin Glover scored his first goal as a Raider in the first, before defenceman Jordan Thomson scored his first with the Broncos to tie the game. Reid Gardiner gave Raiders a 2-1 lead, only for Jake DeBrusk to tie it again at 2-2. Kris Schmidli gave the Raiders a 3-2 lead, again which was negated by Cavin Leth late in the third. On a 4-on-3 power play, Gardiner ended the game with a one-timer bomb.

Introducing the ‘Kelowna Raiders’ and the ‘Prince Albert Rockets’

On Friday, the Kelowna Rockets filled their final overage spot by acquiring Chance Braid from the Prince George Cougars. Braid, of course, played with the Prince Albert Raiders from 2011-2014.

The addition of Braid puts the Rockets up to four former Raiders on its current squad as Braid joins Leon Draisaitl, Josh Morrissey and Gage Quinney.

On the flipside, the Raiders have five former Rockets in their ranks, with the likes of Colton Heffley, Jesse Lees, Austin Glover, Kris Schmidli and Dalton Yorke.

Extra, extra

This year’s WHL trade deadline has been crazy, just ask Brycen Martin, who was traded away by the Swift Current Broncos twice within a two-day span. At first, Martin was dealt to the Kamloops Blazers in exchange for Josh Connolly and a second round pick on Tuesday, but that deal was scraped by the WHL after Connolly wouldn’t report to Swift Current. Martin was then dealt the next day to the Saskatoon Blades for Jordan Thomson and a 2016 first round draft choice.

On Thursday, the Raiders traded 19-year-old Cory Millette to the Seattle Thunderbirds for a sixth round pick in either 2016 or 2017. The Raiders acquired Millette back on Nov. 20 for a fifth round choice in 2016. Millette had three goals and four points in 17 games in his tenure with the Raiders.

Broncos defenceman Jordan Harris, who hails from Prince Albert, will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery. The 18-year-old defenceman’s last game was Dec. 6 against the Brandon Wheat Kings. Harris had six points in 29 games with the Broncos this season.

The Broncos were also without 20-year-old point machine Coda Gordon, who sustained a lower body injury in Wednesday’s 5-4 shootout win over the Calgary Hitmen.

Looking ahead

The Prince Albert Rockets Raiders will head to Regina on Saturday to take on the Pats, before playing their next two games at the Art Hauser Centre, Jan. 16 against the Kootenay Ice and Jan. 17 against the Medicine Hat Tigers.

jdandrea@panow.com

On Twitter: @jeff_dandrea