By Jeff D'Andrea

Raiders’ Stallard reaches milestone, Pachal scores OT winner vs Hitmen

Mar 10, 2018 | 9:53 PM

They needed overtime, but the Prince Albert Raiders picked up a huge 4-3 victory over the Calgary Hitmen. That extends the Raiders’ winning streak to nine games, which continues to be team’s longest in the Western Hockey League’s ‘internet era’ dating back to the 1996-97 season. The Raiders’ franchise record for most wins is 15 in the 1985-86 season.

But even more importantly than that, the Raiders are now on the brink of guaranteeing a playoff spot. Saturday’s win, combined with the Saskatoon Blades’ 4-2 loss to the Brandon Wheat Kings, means the Raiders are just one win away from guaranteeing a wildcard spot.

If the Raiders win one of their four remaining games, or pick up two points from a pair of overtime and/or shootout defeats, they will lock up a postseason ticket. If the Blades lose any of their games in regulation, the Raiders will go through as well.

For Jordy Stallard in particular, it was a huge night. Not only did he help the Raiders extend the winning streak, but he also got over the 200-point plateau with a goal and two assists—putting him at 201 points in his career. To accomplish the milestone against Calgary, where he was drafted and played his first 158 games for, added to the moment.

“It’s pretty exciting. I’ve been very fortunate to play with a bunch of great players over my four years,” Stallard said, who has 84 goals and 201 points in 234 career WHL games. “The biggest thing right now is that win. That win is huge for us and we just got to keeping it going in the four games we have left.”

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Stallard got the assist on Brayden Pachal’s OT winner. Pachal has two overtime winners in his career and both have come at the Hitmen’s expense. Last year, Pachal scored the 3-2 extra time goal on Jan. 22, 2017 at the Scotiabank Saddledome.

“He’s our secret weapon in overtime,” Raiders head coach Marc Habscheid said. “Whenever we need a goal in overtime, we just kind of slide him out and we know he’s the go-to guy.

“He made a great play, he’s a smart kid. He’s mainly a defender but he’s a smart kid and knows when to jump up in the play, and be courageous and go to the net. It’s a great play.”

“Overtime is very exciting and I got a couple opportunities against the same team and I was lucky enough to score,” Pachal said. “I think the big thing in overtime is puck possession, and if you a get it to my teammates, get open and use my speed and hockey IQ to be open for my teammates and hopefully make a big play.”

The game seemed to be a bit of a struggle against the Hitmen, who have points in six of their last seven games despite having been eliminated from the playoffs.

The Raiders didn’t have a lead until the third period after scoring two quick goals in the first six minutes of the frame. But Mark Kastelic scored nine minutes into the period to tie it up and eventually force overtime.

Habscheid said the team felt a little hockey hungover after the big and emotional 6-4 victory over the Moose Jaw Warriors on Friday. The Raiders struggled in the first 40 minutes, but outshot the Hitmen 26-2 in the third period. If it wasn’t for Hitmen goaltender Matthew Armitage, overtime wouldn’t have occurred.

“We knew Calgary was playing good and we talked to the guys about it, but you could just feel it for the first period for sure and most of the second, there was no energy in the group—even in the crowd,” Habscheid said. “In the third, you could see we started to pick it up and outshot them badly. Their goaltender was the difference. It wasn’t an easy game, but we found a way to win.”

Elite company

Cole Fonstad is in some pretty impressive company. He’s the most recent Raider to hit 50-assist plateau since Leon Draisaitl did so in 2013-14. Not only that, but Fonstad is also last Raiders’ 17-year-old to get at least 50 helpers since Scott Hartnell did so in 1999-00 year.

Scoring Summary

First Period

1-0, Hitmen, Mark Kastelic from Conner Chaulk and Jakob Stukel, 13:46

Kastelic gives the Hitmen a 1-0 lead shortly after the media timeout pic.twitter.com/HsZZIyJEzH

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) March 11, 2018

Second Period

1-1, Raiders, Jordy Stallard from Curtis Miske and Cole Fonstad, 1:27

Stallard stuffs in his 43rd of the season, great feeds from Miske and Fonstad pic.twitter.com/xgBpw3qfgn

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) March 11, 2018

2-1, Hitmen, Carson Focht from Tristen Nielsen and Cael Zimmerman, 16:13

Innocent looking play but Focht snipes past Scott, 2-1 Hitmen with 3 minutes left in the 2nd pic.twitter.com/cNpzTZ6KYF

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) March 11, 2018

Third Period

2-2, Raiders, Vojtech Budik from Curtis Miske and Regan Nagy (power play), 5:51

Bada bing bada Budik with an absolute rocket on the power play to tie the game 6 minutes into the third pic.twitter.com/Ee4ZS6sBPl

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) March 11, 2018

3-2, Raiders, Curtis Miske from Jordy Stallard, 6:38

Miske scores right after to make it 3-2. Jordy Stallard got the assist on the play, that’s his 200th career WHL point pic.twitter.com/AekHDqlmai

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) March 11, 2018

3-3, Hitmen, Mark Kastelic from Tristen Nielsen and Riley Stotts (power play), 9:02

Kastelic scores his second of the game on a wrap around to tie this one at 3-3. We’ll take the third period media timeout. Raiders lead in shots 30-19 pic.twitter.com/wVA9sjEkpk

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) March 11, 2018

Overtime

4-3, Raiders, Brayden Pachal from Jordy Stallard, 4:09

It is Pachallllll over, Brayden Pachal, just like he did last year, scores the OT winner to beat the Calgary Hitmen. This time 4-3. That extends the Raiders winning streak to 9 games. pic.twitter.com/XAl9uVFLuI

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) March 11, 2018

Wrapping up the regular season

The Raiders will close out their regular season with a four-game week. They take on the Moose Jaw Warriors on Tuesday in the Friendly City, before heading to the Queen City to take on the Regina Pats on Wednesday. The Raiders will play a home-and-home series against the Saskatoon Blades Friday and Saturday, with the Raiders’ home leg coming on Friday.

Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW