By Jeff D'Andrea

Raiders go pointless in three-game weekend

Feb 11, 2018 | 6:43 PM

The Prince Albert Raiders are going to be glad they don’t have to play anymore three-games-in-three-nights situations anymore. The Raiders went through the three-game weekend without a point, after coming into the weekend on a nine-game point streak.

They fell 6-5 to the Swift Current Broncos Sunday at the Art Hauser Centre, after a 6-3 defeat Saturday to the Saskatoon Blades and a 5-1 loss in Swift Current to the Broncos.

“We’re obviously disappointed in not getting any points on the weekend, but as far as our play and how we play, the effort and everything, it’s tough to be upset,” Raiders head coach Marc Habscheid said.

The Raiders did show resiliency on Sunday. Down two 5-3 heading into the third period, the Raiders seemed to take control and have the Broncos on their heels.

They got within a goal after Raiders forward Kody McDonald tried to centre the puck, but instead it went off Stuart Skinner’s blocker, both of his shoulder blades and into the net. Cole Fonstad then tied it for Prince Albert with over six minutes to play.

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“We went into the dressing room after the second leading in shots and we thought we were outplaying them,” Raiders forward Kody McDonald said after scoring twice in the game. “They had a couple lucky ones we thought. Just never giving up and coming out with a hard effort. We came out a little bit short, but it was a good effort.”

But then one constant over the three-game weekend reared its ugly head: unforced turnovers.

Raiders defenceman Jeremy Masella fell in his own zone while handling the puck. Former Raider Matteo Gennaro picked it up, and gave it to Max Patterson who capped off his Gordie Howe hat trick and led to the Broncos’ 6-5 victory.

Turnovers led to a ton of goals against this weekend, which put extra pressure on their own crease.

Between the three games, the Raiders’ goaltending duo of Ian Scott and Curtis Meger combined to make 77 saves on 94 shots on the weekend, for a 0.819 save percentage on the weekend and a 5.67 goals against average.

“We need a save,” Habscheid said. “It’s a tough position, but it’s the most important position.”

Kelly out

Raiders forward Parker Kelly served his first game of his suspension after a checking from behind on Saskatoon Blades forward Kirby Dach on Saturday in the Raiders’ 6-3 loss to the Blades.

The length of Kelly’s suspension has yet to be determined by the WHL, but he was banned from Sunday’s matchup against the Broncos. This is Kelly’s first suspension since he broke into the league  

Dach was scratched for the Blades’ Sunday afternoon affair against the Regina Pats. Voice of the Blades Les Lazaruk said Dach will be out indefinitely, but Dach’s condition is better than expected after early evaluations.  

Scoreboard watching

The Raiders’ playoff picture gets a little bit more difficult, as both of the teams they’re chasing for wildcard positions played a three-point game on Sunday. The Saskatoon Blades beat the Regina Pats 2-1 in a shootout, meaning the Raiders are now four points back of the Blades for the second wildcard spot and nine back of the Pats for the first.

Scoring Summary

First Period

1-0, Broncos, Andrew Fyten from Beck Malenstyn and Giorgio Estephan, 3:25

1-1, Raiders, Nikita Krivokrasov from Eric Pearce, 7:33

2-1, Broncos, Andrew Fyten from Beck Malenstyn, 17:41

2-2, Raiders, Jordy Stallard from Cole Fonstad (power play), 19:22

Second Period

3-2, Raiders, Kody McDonald from Curtis Miske, 1:59

3-3, Broncos, Glenn Gawdin from Max Patterson and Tyler Steenbergen (power play), 4:23

4-3, Broncos, Josh Anderson from Glenn Gawdin, 9:33

5-3, Broncos, Tyler Steenbergen from Colby Sissons and Glenn Gawdin, 11:36

Third Period

5-4, Raiders, Kody McDonald from Jordy Stallard and Brayden Pachal (power play), 4:54

5-5, Raiders, Cole Fonstad from Jordy Stallard and Zack Hayes, 13:18

6-5, Broncos, Max Patterson from Matteo Gennaro, 15:58

Up next

The Raiders will get a little rest after their three-games-in-three-nights stretch this weekend. They’ll play the Brandon Wheat Kings in a home-and-home series. Both teams will meet in the Art Hauser Centre on Friday before crossing the border to Manitoba on Saturday.

Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW