By Jeff D'Andrea

Raiders shutout for first time in 60 games; send 2 to WJC camp

Dec 9, 2018 | 6:03 PM

SASKATOON—For the first time in 60 games, the Prince Albert Raiders did not register a goal.  

Nolan Maier made 32 saves as the Saskatoon Blades (19-10-3-1) blanked the Raiders on Sunday at the SaskTel Centre.

That’s the Raiders’ second regulation loss on the season, the last one coming back on Oct. 6, a 4-3 defeat to the Red Deer Rebels. The Raiders are now 28-2-0-1 on the season.

“I thought it was tight-checking, there wasn’t a lot of room out there,” Raiders assistant coach Jeff Truitt said. “You couldn’t really spring guys, their gaps were real close, they take the body—not so many thunderous hits but they get in the way and make you go around them.

“We did have our looks. We had a post on the power play and had some good looks too. Maier, give him credit. He played well. You have to work for those, you’re going to see everyone’s best every night.”

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The Raiders held the Blades from scoring the Teddy Bear Toss score for 25:14, but Tristen Robins eventually beat Ian Scott on a partial break after receiving a go-ahead pass from Blades’ newcomer Nolan Kneen. That stood up as the only goal of the contest.

The Raiders power play went dry, going 0-5 despite scoring power play goals in five of their last seven contests.

Three of those man-advantages came in the first period, but the Raiders couldn’t capitalize.

“If you get the power plays and you score on them, then they have to play more a little more tentative,” Truitt said. “Because if your power play gets on the ice again, you’re in a rhythm and going. But if the penalty kill, if you know you can kill those off, you can be a little bit more aggressive.” The Raiders’ kill was a perfect 4-4.”

The Raiders played their third game in as many days, after sweeping the Brandon Wheat Kings with a pair of 5-2 victories on Friday and Saturday.

Leason’s streak halted

For the first time this season, Brett Leason did not register a point. His streak ends at 30 games, with 28 goals and 64 points. He still leads the WHL in both of those categories.

His 30-gamer is the longest scoring streak in the WHL internet era, dating back to the 1996-97 season. This year, it’s 14 games longer than any other streak, active or otherwise. Cody Glass is riding a 16-game streak with the Portland Winterhawks.

Good luck with Team Canada

Leason and Raiders goaltender Ian Scott will head to camp with Team Canada, hoping to make the squad for the 2019 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Scott will leave for Canada’s camp leading the WHL in pretty much every goaltending category, with a .943 save percentage, a 1.61 goals against average, 23 wins and four shutouts. He stopped 26 of 27 shots on Sunday in Saskatoon. 

Belarussian beauties

Raiders’ Sergei Sapego and Aliaksei Protas enjoyed their first win of the 2019 World Junior Division 1A Tournament in Fussen, Germany as member of Team Belarus. Sapego scored a goal as Belarus defeated Norway 5-3 to kick off their tournament with a victory. Fitting in to Sunday’s game, Blades forward Kristian Roykas-Marthinsen is a member of the Norwegian outfit.

Scoring Summary

First Period

No scoring.

Second Period

1-0, Blades, Tristen Robins from Nolan Kneen, 5:14

Third Period

No scoring.

One last push before the holidays

The Raiders will play three more games before the holiday season. They’ll play the Edmonton Oil Kings on Wednesday at the Art Hauser Centre, before a home-and-home against the Swift Current Broncos. The road leg will be on Friday, before both teams will return to the Art Hauser Centre on Saturday for the Raiders’ Teddy Bear Toss Night.

Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW