Raiders Suffer Narrow 3-2 Loss to Tigers
December 14, 2022 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Prince Albert Raiders News Release
The Prince Albert Raiders fell just short to the Medicine Hat Tigers on Wednesday night, falling 3-2 to their Eastern Conference foes.
The Tigers scored twice in a 27 second stretch just past the five-minute mark of the first period to jump out to a quick 2-0 lead. Tomas Mrsic started things off with a harmless looking shot from the high slot, that Tikhon Chaika stopped most, but not all of, with his glove. It glanced off his glove and trickled in behind him for the ice breaker, as Mrsic tallied his fifth goal of the season to make it a 1-0 game.
Just 27 seconds later, that lead became 2-0, as Dallon Melin scored his sixth goal of the season. Melin tried to throw a cross crease pass to a teammate, but it deflected off of a Raider defender's leg and in past Chaika. The two quick markers put the visitors up early by a 2-0 spread.
The Raiders got on the board with 5:32 left in the first period, as Cole Peardon struck. After a long shot from Easton Kovacs was stopped by Beckett Langkow, a big rebound popped right into the slot. Crashing in, Peardon fired a shot off the rebound and beat the Tigers' netminder five hole. The rookie's third goal of the season cut into the lead, making it a 2-1 game, which is how the period would end, with the Raiders leading in shots 11-8.
The second period was a quiet one, as both teams failed to find the back of the net. The Raiders got their best chance of the frame on a Keaton Sorensen breakaway try. The Raider overager was hooked on the play and drew a penalty, which started the first of two Raider powerplays of the period and the game. Both teams could not find a goal on any man advantage in the second period, as it was still a 2-1 Tigers lead heading into the third period.
The third Tigers goal of the game came at a crucial point in the game, with 3:31 remaining in regulation. Shane Smith sniped a shot home from the left circle for his 11th goal of the season, making it a 3-1 Medicine Hat lead.
After a Tigers timeout in the last minute of the third period, the Raiders cut into that lead once again. Carson Latimer sent a quick pass in front for Sloan Stanick, who tipped home his tenth goal of the year to make it a 3-2 game with 45.8 seconds left on the clock.
The late push back fell one goal short, however, as the Tigers held on for the 3-2 win on the road.
With the loss, the Raiders fall to 10-19-2-0 on the season, and will play their final game before the holiday break on Saturday night at home against the Spokane Chiefs. Puck drop is 7pm.
Western Hockey League Stories from December 14, 2022
- Raiders Suffer Narrow 3-2 Loss to Tigers - Prince Albert Raiders
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- Game Time Changed December 30 - Winnipeg Ice
- Chiefs Continue Road Trip in Swetlikoff's Hometown of Regina Wednesday - Spokane Chiefs
- Americans Hit the Road on 6-Game Winning Streak - Tri-City Americans
- Samuel Honzek Invited to Slovakia's World Junior Selection Camp - Vancouver Giants
- Winterhawks Call up Defenseman Nicholas Andrusiak - Portland Winterhawks
- Game Day Preview December 14 at Prince Albert - Medicine Hat Tigers
- Pats Back Home Versus Spokane - Regina Pats
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