WHL Prince Albert Raiders

Hildebrand's 37 Saves Helps Raiders Knock off Blazers 3-1

Published on December 12, 2023 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Prince Albert Raiders News Release


The Prince Albert Raiders rebounded from a Saturday loss nicely, finding their way back into the win column with a 3-1 victory over the bottom ranked Kamloops Blazers on Tuesday night at the Art Hauser Centre. Luke Moroz scored his second goal of the season, while Eric Johnston scored a powerplay marker and Sloan Stanick scored one of the nicest goals of his WHL career. Backstopping the green and gold to the win was Max Hildebrand, who was solid between the pipes again with a 37 save performance.

The Raiders wasted no time opening the scoring, finding the first goal of the game just 2:39 into the first period. In their first shift of the game, Brayden Dube connected with Luke Moroz. From the right half wall, Dube fed a pass to the tape of Moroz who was wide open in the slot. Ripping a shot, Moroz sniped the puck past Dylan Ernst top shelf to give the Raiders a 1-0 lead. The goal was Moroz's second goal of the season, after scoring his first career WHL goal just two weekends ago in Medicine Hat.

Prince Albert was given the only two powerplays of the first period, but failed to score on either one. Outshooting the Blazers 17-12 after 20 minutes of play, the green and gold took a 1-0 lead into the second period.

Just like they did in the opening frame, the Raiders scored in the first five minutes of the second period, this time doubling their lead. On their third powerplay of the game, Prince Albert needed just 11 seconds on the man advantage to take a 2-0 lead. Sloan Stanick ripped a shot from the left circle that was stopped, and Harrison Lodewyk swept the puck back to the point. Waiting for the pass was Eric Johnston, who fired a bullet on net from the point. The shot got past a screened Ernst high on the blocker side, and the Raider captain collected his fifth goal of the season to give the Raiders a two-goal edge 4:49 into the middle frame.

Max Hildebrand faced as many shots in the second period as he did in the first, making 12 more saves. His biggest save to that point in the night came on a Blazers powerplay. After a faceoff win, Emmitt Finnie found a wide-open Jordan Keller sitting in the right circle. Finnie fed Keller a one timer, but Hildebrand got across from his right to his left to make an outstanding save to deny Kamloops of their first goal of the night.

After 40 minutes of play, the two clubs were even on the shot clock with 24 apiece, but the Raiders held the edge on the scoreboard, taking a 2-0 lead into the third period.

6:05 into the final frame, Sloan Stanick scored one of the best goals for the Raiders all season. Stepping out of the penalty box, the forward was given a pass from Lodewyk, and he was off to the races on a breakaway. Stanick was hauled down from behind in the slot with no penalty about to be called, but he kept working at the play. Getting back to his feet, Stanick side stepped a Blazer defender, before making a beautiful deke on Ernst. Faking a forehand shot, Stanick deferred to his backhand and slipped home his 13th goal of the season. The incredible individual effort gave Prince Albert a commanding 3-0 lead near the midway mark of the third.

With 1:07 left in the third, Hildebrand's shutout bid came to an end, as the Blazers got on the board with the extra attacker. After being robbed in the first period, Keller got his revenge and potted home his eighth goal of the season to make it a 3-1 game, and put a bit of a damper on an otherwise sound performance from the Raiders, especially the play of Hildebrand.

The final buzzer sounded and the green and gold came out on the right side of a 3-1 win. Hildebrand stopped 37 of 38 shots taken towards him, picking up his 11th win of the season, as Prince Albert improved to 17-14-0-2 on the season.

The Raiders wrap up the first half of the season on Friday night at home against the Kelowna Rockets. Puck drops at 7pm.

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Western Hockey League Stories from December 12, 2023


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