Dante Hannoun sunk the final dagger in the Saskatoon Blades' season on Sunday, scoring a hat trick in the Raiders' 6-3 victory. (Jeff D'Andrea/paNOW staff)

By Trevor Redden

Heroic Hannoun

High-flying Hannoun named player of the week

Apr 15, 2019 | 1:14 PM

With six goals and an assist in his last three games, Raider forward Dante Hannoun has been named the WHL On the Run Player of the Week.

The 20-year-old is now tied with Davis Koch of the Vancouver Giants for the league lead in post-season scoring with 14 points through 10 games. While Koch is even in points, no player league-wide has scored more than Hannoun in the playoffs as the forward has found the back of the net nine times so far, helping the Raiders advance to the Eastern Conference Championship for the first time since 2005.

With the series tied at 2-2 heading into game five on Friday, Hannoun did his part to lift the Raiders to two straight victories, recording back-to-back multi-goal games as Prince Albert eliminated the Blades. In game six, Hannoun lit the lamp three times for his first career playoff hat trick, and fourth overall. Even in a losing effort in game four, Hannoun provided some punch as his shorthanded tally was the lone Raider goal scored out of the 44 shots they directed at the Blades goal.

After spending the first 286 games of his WHL career with the Victoria Royals who selected him 11^th overall in 2013, Hannoun was acquired in January by Prince Albert in exchange for Kody McDonald and Carson Miller, with the teams exchanging draft picks as well. Hannoun quickly settled in as a Raider, scoring 10 times with 21 assists in 28 games in the second half of the regular season.

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However, the move was made with a playoff run in mind, and that’s where Hannoun had his biggest impact.

No player on the Raiders’ roster came into this spring with more playoff experience than the 5’6” centre, who had played in 32 post-season games with the Royals, producing 23 points.

The Eastern Conference Championship begins Friday night at the Art Hauser Centre against the Edmonton Oil Kings.

Games one and two will be in Prince Albert on Friday and Saturday at 7 p.m., with games two and three back in Edmonton next Tuesday and Wednesday, also at 7. If necessary, game five will be in Prince Albert on Friday, April 26, game six in Edmonton on Sunday, April 28, and game seven in Prince Albert on Tuesday, April 30.

Tickets for games one and two go on sale at the Art Hauser Centre box office Tuesday morning at 9 a.m., with online sales opening at 10.

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trevor.redden@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Trevor_Redden