Raiders Clinch Playoff Spot with Win Over Wheat Kings
April 17, 2022 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Prince Albert Raiders News Release
Prince Albert, Sask. - The Prince Albert Raiders are back in the WHL Playoffs!
On Saturday night, Evan Herman and Keaton Sorensen each potted a pair of goals for the Raiders (28-35-4-1) in a 5-1 win over the Brandon Wheat Kings (35-28-3-2) at the Art Hauser Centre.
Vladislav Shilo and Sloan Stanick each had a pair of assists in the win. Carson Latimer picked up the other Raider goal.
Coupled with a Regina Pats loss to the Winnipeg ICE, the win clinched the eighth and final spot in the Eastern Conference for the Raiders. That sets up a first round series with the top-seeded ICE.
Herman got the scoring started midway through the opening period. Stanick carried the puck into the zone on the right wing. He found Herman cutting to the net through the slot and the The Pas, Man. product lifted one-timed the puck through Carson Bjarnason for his 27th goal of the year.
At the 7:42 mark of the second period, Herman extended the Raiders' lead. He drove wide around the Wheat Kings' defence on the left wing before cutting across the face of the goal. He lifted a backhander over Bjarnason before crashing into the goaltender to give him his second of the night and 28th of the year, making it a 2-0 game.
Sorensen struck shorthanded less than two minutes later to put the Raiders up three. He took the puck down the right wing to set up a two-on-one rush. Sorensen kept and wired a shot over the blocker of Ethan Kruger, who took over in goal for Bjarnason, to give the Raiders forward his 11th goal of the season.
Brandon cut into the lead with 8:49 to play in the middle frame. Marcus Kallionkieli put a shot towards goal that was stopped by Tikhon Chaika. The rebound popped into the slot and Brett Hyland put it past the Raiders netminder to make it a 3-1 game after two periods.
The Raiders restored their three-goal lead 4:14 into the third period. Shilo slipped a pass through the Wheat Kings defence to a hard-charging Latimer who redirected it past Kruger for his 18th goal of the year.
Sorensen struck for a second time to wrap up the scoring with 4:05 remaining in the contest. Shilo was able to get around Roger McQueen before trying to drag the puck around Kruger, but the Wheat Kings goaltender poked it off his stick. The puck ricocheted off McQueen and the crossbar before settling in the blue paint. Sorensen was in the right place to bang in the loose puck for his second of the game to make it a 5-1 contest.
Chaika was solid in goal for the Raiders again, stopping 19 shots to pick up his 22nd win of the year. His best came late in the game on a Mason Ward breakaway, flashing the leather to keep the Wheat Kings at bay.
Bjarnason made 12 saves for the Wheat Kings before leaving the game with an injury. Kruger stopped 17 of 20 shots in relief.
The Raiders now turn their attention to the Winnipeg ICE as they start their best-of-seven series with Games 1 and 2 on Friday and Saturday night at Wayne Fleming Arena. Both games begin at 6 p.m. CST.
The series shifts back to the Art Hauser Centre for Games 3 and 4 on Tuesday, April 26 and Wednesday, April 27. Puck drop for both is 7 p.m. CST.
Ticket information for Season Ticket Holders will be sent out on Monday. Single-game tickets for Games 3 and 4 will go on sale on Wednesday.
Western Hockey League Stories from April 17, 2022
- Bedard Dazzles in Season Finale, Scores 50th in Win over Warriors - Regina Pats
- Warriors Finish Regular Season with Loss in Regina - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Hitmen Fall to Hurricanes in Final Regular Season Game - Calgary Hitmen
- Oil Kings Wrap up Development Camp - Edmonton Oil Kings
- Jr. Winterhawks Claim Third-Place Awards at USA Hockey National Championships - Portland Winterhawks
- Warriors Finish Regular Season with Trans-Canada Clash - Moose Jaw Warriors
- Americans Finish Season with Victory over Silvertips - Tri-City Americans
- Pats Host Warriors in Final Game of 2021-22 Season - Regina Pats
- Silvertips Look Ahead to First-Round Matchup with Giants Following Loss in Kennewick - Everett Silvertips
- Loss Doesn't Keep Cougars from Playoffs - Prince George Cougars
- Chiefs Clinch Playoff Spot with 4-2 Win over Victoria Royals - Spokane Chiefs
- Playoff Tickets on Sale - Prince George Cougars
- Royals' Season Comes to an End Following 4-2 Loss in Do-Or-Die Contest with Chiefs - Victoria Royals
- Rockets Close Regular Season with Win - Kelowna Rockets
- Chiefs to Face Kamloops Blazers in First Round of Playoffs - Spokane Chiefs
- ICE Eliminate Regina, Host Prince Albert in Round 1 - Winnipeg Ice
- Raiders Clinch Playoff Spot with Win Over Wheat Kings - Prince Albert Raiders
- Giants to Face the Everett Silvertips in Round 1 of the 2022 WHL Playoffs - Vancouver Giants
- Pats Edged by ICE, Eliminated from Playoffs After Raiders Win - Regina Pats
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