WHL Prince Albert Raiders

Raiders Fall to Oil Kings in Final Game of Road Trip

Published on January 19, 2022 under Western Hockey League (WHL)
Prince Albert Raiders News Release


Edmonton, Alta. - The Prince Albert Raiders (15-19-1-1) dropped a 4-1 game to the Edmonton Oil Kings (27-9-2-1) on Tuesday night at Rogers Place.

Reece Vitelli scored the lone goal for the Raiders in the loss. The Raiders posted a 2-2 record in their four-game trek through Alberta.

In a first period that featured no scoring, Tikhon Chaika was the busier of the two goaltenders. He turned aside all 15 shots for the Raiders. At the other end, Keaton Sorensen had the Raiders' best chance at scoring. He fought off an Oil Kings defender at the side of the net and attempted a wraparound. Sebastian Cossa was able to slide over and met Sorensen at the left post to deny the Red Deer, Alta. product.

It was a penalty-filled second period in Edmonton as the teams combined for eight power plays in the middle frame. The Raiders had five chances on the man advantage, but weren't able to solve Cossa. Evan Herman had the best chances with the extra attacker. First, his one-timer attempt was robbed by a sliding Cossa. On a different power play, Herman beat Cossa but not the right post.

After not scoring on five power plays, the Raiders broke the deadlock with a shorthanded goal. Vitelli, who broke his stick earlier in the shift and had to hustle to bench to get a new one, colleced a Landon Kosior clearing attempt in the neutral zone and found himself in on a breakaway. Vitelli's first five-hole attempt was stopped by Cossa, but he had time to find the rebound and lift it over Cossa for his 13th goal of the year, giving the Raiders a 1-0 lead with 2:25 to play in the second.

The Raiders kept the lead until the 7:08 mark of the third period, just after a penalty expired. Chaika made the initial save off Jake Neighbours in front, but the puck found Dylan Guenther on the halfboards. Guenther threw the puck towards the net and it got past Chaika to make it a 1-1 game.

With 6:57 to play, the Oil Kings took the lead. Carter Souch put a shot on goal that was stopped by Chaika, but the rebound popped up to Luke Prokop who knocked it out of the air and over the Raiders goaltender to give Edmonton a 2-1 advantage.

Less than a minute later, Edmonton doubled their advantage. Jaxsen Wiebe took a pass between the faceoff circles and was able to skate into a wrist shot that beat Chaika to make it 3-1 for the Oil Kings.

Josh Williams rounded out the scoring for the Oil Kings when he hit the empty net with 2:56 to play.

Chaika finished the game with 44 saves on 47 shots by the Oil Kings, tying a career high for shots faced in a game. Cossa stopped 21 shots for Edmonton.

The Raiders return to the Art Hauser Centre this weekend for a pair of home games come on Friday and Saturday against the Winnipeg ICE and Medicine Hat Tigers, respectively. Puck drop for both games is 7 p.m. Tickets are available at SaskTix.ca.

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Western Hockey League Stories from January 19, 2022


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