By Drew Wilson

Bartosak blanks the Raiders in playoff opener

Mar 23, 2013 | 12:07 AM

Rebels goalie Patrik Bartosak showed why he is the Eastern nominee for WHL goalie of the year with a 31 save shutout in a 3-0 Red Deer win over the Raiders in their playoff opener.

The home side got the 5,492 fans out of their seats after they barely sat down with a goal just :25 into the game. Brooks Maxwell deflected a Brady Gaudet shot from the left point past Raider goalie Luke Siemens after the Rebels won a face off in the Prince Albert zone.

Siemens would give his team a chance to come back stopping Rebels sniper Rhyse Dieno on a penalty shot as the 27 goal man in the regular season tired to go forehand-backhand-corner but Siemens out-guessed him.

After pressure in the Red Deer zone the Rebels would take a 2-0 lead at 19:04 of the opening period when Turner Elson would move around Raider defenseman Sawyer Lange on a 2-on-2 break, Elson fell when challenged by Josh Morrissey, but the puck went right to Dieno who sniped into the top corner.

The Raiders had several opportunities in the second period with four power plays in the middle frame including a 2-man advantage for 1:18. Their best chance was a Lange wrist shot off the post.

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Ironically after more pressure in the Rebel zone they would score again late in the second period when Cody Thiel converted a Wyatt Johnson rebound following a breakdown in the P-A zone.

Bartosak's biggest saves on the night came on shorthanded breakaways by Mike Winther and Anthony Bardaro.

The Raiders would end the night 0-for-7 on the power play and are 1-for-their-last 26, while killing off all five Rebel power plays.

In the post game interview on 900 CKBI head coach Steve Young said they created pressure and chances when they followed the game plan, and struggled when they didn't. He also said the power play floundered because they got away from a strategy of pumping shots on or at the net.

Siemens made 27 saves including the penalty shot stop on Dieno.

Game two in Red Deer is Saturday night at 7:30 with 900 CKBI coverage beginning after the 7 o'clock news. Games three and four are back at the Art Hauser Centre on Tuesday and Wednesday.

dwilson@panow.com

Twitter: RaidersVoice