Reid to the rescue; Gardiner scores late to steal win for Raiders

Gardiner was the obvious choice for the game’s first star with his late-game heroics. His two goals give him 12 on the season and extends his point scoring streak to six games (three goals, nine points).

Raiders head coach Marc Habscheid talked about Gardiner’s ability to take the pressure of being one of the go-to guys on the team and how he’s risen to the occasion, especially at key moments.

“Especially in junior, your older players are usually your best players and they have to come through for you. As much as it’s great to get the accolades and got out for the first star, there’s a lot of pressure in that, too,” said Habscheid. “You’re expected to respond and expected to make the play at key times and he did that tonight. It’s a lot of fun but it’s a lot be asked for every night.”

The lone goal in the first 40 minutes of play was scored off the stick of Raiders forward Matteo Gennaro. Raiders centreman Jordan Tkatch won the puck from a scrum along the half-boards, and set up Gennaro nicely on the left faceoff circle to beat Brendan Burke clean on the blocker side.

That’s Gennaro’s fifth goal of the season as he adjusting

“I don’t mind it at all,” said Gennaro, who was drafted in the seventh round by the Winnipeg Jets in this past NHL Entry Draft, and played on the wing with the Jets in camp. “Naturally, I’m a centreman so I’ve had more experience playing centre but I’m starting to get comfortable playing the wing. I don’t mind it all, at the end of the day, it makes me a more versatile player.”

The Raiders had a full two-minute, 5-on-3 power play opportunity after a crazy flurry in front of the Hitmen net. At one point, two of the three Hitmen defenders didn’t have sticks still couldn’t score. The Raiders ended the night 0-6 on the power play, highlighted by that 5-on-3.

“I’ve been a part of a few 5-on-3’s and I’ve never seen two guys break their sticks at once. So it’s a 5-on-1 plus the goalie—when we watch video tomorrow, we’ll just throw it out in the garbage,” smirked Gardiner. “It wasn’t our best effort. I didn’t know what was going on.”

Jakob Stukel scored early in the third to tie the game, before Radel Fazleev scored shorthanded midway through the third period to put the Hitmen up 2-1.

After Gardiner’s two goals, Hitmen Jackson Houck hit the post with just over 20 seconds left, coming inches away from tying the game.

Rylan Parenteau made 24 saves on 26 shots for his sixth win of the year. Brendan Burke made 34 saves in goal for the Hitmen.

Raiders sixth ranked in the nation

The Raiders are in the sixth spot in the CHL Top 10 weekly rankings, which were released earlier on Wednesday. It’s the third straight week the Raiders have made the Top 10, they were ranked fourth last week and 10^th the week before.

The Raiders were also named as an honourable mention in the third week of the season.

Plenty of good seats still available

The Raiders may have been in the CHL Top 10 for the last 21 days, but that hasn’t shown up yet in their attendance. The Raiders announced an attendance of 2,040 for Wednesday’s game, a few days after the team posted an attendance of 2,033 on Halloween Saturday in a 4-2 loss to the Swift Current Broncos. The Raiders are now averaging 2,209 fans per game this season, down by 222 fans per game from what they averaged last year.

Determined Dalton

Before Wednesday’s game, Raiders defenceman Dalton Yorke was named the Hardest Working Raider for the month of October.

Wrapping up the homer

The Raiders will play their fifth straight home contest Friday against the Red Deer Rebels at the Art Hauser Centre. Like the Raiders, the Rebels are ranked in the CHL Top 10, coming in in the eighth position this week.

jdandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_dandrea

by Jeff D'Andrea

Reid to the rescue; Gardiner scores late to steal win for Raiders

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