By Jeff D'Andrea

Guhle scores absolute beauty in Raiders defeat

Nov 11, 2016 | 8:43 PM

Despite it being Nov. 11, the Prince Albert Raiders won’t want to remember much of their opening game of the B.C. road trip. They were outclassed by the Kamloops Blazers in a 5-2 decision Friday at the Sandman Centre in Kamloops.

The Raiders fall to 5-12-1 on the season and have one win in their last six contests.

The Blazers improve to 11-9-1. They have won their last eight games against Saskatchewan opposition dating back to last season. The Blazers also beat the Raiders 5-2 last season at the Art Hauser Centre.

“We couldn’t execute anything,” Raiders associate Dave Manson said. “I didn’t know what it was… We were caught scrambling all night.”

The game started out promising enough 7:42 in the game with a highlight reel calibre goal from Raiders 19-year-old defenceman Brendan Guhle.

Learn the signs

How often should you change your brakes?

3h ago

Missing pet

'She means the world to our family': Woman seeks help in finding missing pet parrot

Apr 18, 2024

BE CAREFUL ON THE ROADS

Semi flips outside P.A.; one of dozens of incidents on Sask. roads due to winter weather

Apr 18, 2024

He opened the scoring with a power play goal, going coast-to-coast with buttered toast and splitting the Blazers defence.

Unbelievable skill here from Guhle, goes coast to coast, splits the D, keeps his balance and finishes with his backhand on PP. PA 1-0 pic.twitter.com/pCka428kWd

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) November 12, 2016

Guhle has a pair of goals and three points in 11 games with the Raiders this season.

“It was a normal power play breakout, but then there was a parting of the seas at their defensive blueline,” Manson said. “Guhls read it and kept going, and he was rewarded for it. It was a great play from start to finish.”

But the Blazers poured it on as they scored the next four goals of the game.

Two Blazers that had big impacts on the game have strong local ties.

Garrett Pilon, the son of former Raider and long-time NHL’er Rich Pilon, had a goal and two assists and was named the game’s first star.

Connor Ingram, who won the Telus Cup with the Prince Albert Mintos in 2014, made 21 saves in the Blazers’ victory. Raiders defenceman Loch Morrison was Ingram’s teammate on that Mintos club.

Deven Sideroff scored his 11^th goal of the season in the first period, and added two more assists.

Shaun Dosanjh chased Ian Scott from the game by scoring the Blazers’ fourth goal of the game, off the end boards, off Scott and in. Scott surrendered four goals on 19 shots in the first 24:48 of the game. Nicholas Sanders made 16 saves in relief, including a penalty shot save on Rudolfs Balcers. Balcers would score the lone goal in the third period.

Reagan returns to old stomping grounds

Before the Raiders acquired 19-year-old defenceman Cameron Reagan, he played 99 games with the Blazers dating back to the 2013-14 season.

“You want to show them what they’re missing out on,” Reagan said on playing his former club before the game.

Reagan has two assists in 15 games with the Raiders.

Looking ahead

The Raiders will look to rebound on Friday against the Kelowna Rockets in their second of a five-game B.C. road swing. They will pick up against on Tuesday against the Victoria Royals and Wednesday against the Vancouver Giants before ending the trip Friday against the Prince George Cougars.

jdandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW