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WHL Prince Albert Raiders

Raiders Tie the Game Late and Beat Slough Sharks 4-3 in a Shootout

December 1, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Prince Albert Raiders News Release


The Prince Albert Raiders saw a 2-1 third period lead disappear on Friday night, but a late game tying goal from Sloan Stanick sent things to overtime and then a shootout. Stanick also scored the lone shootout goal to give the green and gold a road win against the Swift Current Broncos, who rebranded themselves as the Slough Sharks on Friday.

Swift Current got off to a quick start, scoring 1:05 into the game, as Connor Hvidston opened the scoring. From the left circle, Hvidston threw a puck on net that got a fortunate bounce and got past Chase Coward to give the home side a 1-0 lead on their first shot of the game.

While the first goal of the game came early in the first period, it was the only goal in the opening 20 minutes, as Swift Current took their 1-0 lead into the middle frame.

Prince Albert tied things up 4:41 into the second, as captain Eric Johnston found the equalizer. He received a pass from the slot from Ryder Ritchie, and was wide open to step into a shot. Johnston leaned into a low shot that beat Joey Rocha five hole. His third goal of the season made it a 1-1 game.

The Raiders struck again less than four minutes later, as another defenceman found his way onto the goal sheet. After his first shot was blocked, Terrell Goldsmith fired another shot on goal, and this time it was Prince Albert's turn to get a fortunate bounce. The low shot hit something in front and found its way past Rocha to give the Raiders their first lead of the contest, as Goldsmith's second goal of the season made it a 2-1 game.

The green and gold would take their one goal lead into the third period, but would start things off shorthanded, as Goldsmith was given a minor penalty at the end of the period, giving Swift Current two minutes of powerplay time to start the third.

The Slough Sharks would use 1:44 of that powerplay time before they tied things up. After having the puck in the Raiders end for most of the man advantage, a nice passing play led to the game's tying goal. Ryan McCleary sent a pass to Rylan Gould, who one touched a pass to the crease for Brady Birnie. All the forward had to do was tap the puck home into an empty net, and his 10th goal of the season made it a 2-2 game after a tic tac toe setup.

Swift Current gained their second lead of the night with 10:11 left in the third, as former Raider Tyson Laventure found the back of the net. Working in the zone down the left wing, Laventure cut back and fired a shot from the high slot. His shot zipped past Coward for his 11th goal of the season, and it gave the Slough Sharks a 3-2 lead.

The Raiders, desparate to find a tying goal, pulled Coward to bring out the extra attacker with two minutes left in the third. With 25 seconds left in regulation, Sloan Stanick tied things up. After a scramble ensued in the Slough Sharks crease, Rocha was down on his side trying to track the puck. It came out front for Stanick, and he buried a shot into the middle of the net, squaring the score at 3-3. The clutch goal was Stanick's ninth tally of the season, and it sent things to overtime.

Nobody was really able to generate any high scoring chances in the extra frame, which meant a shootout would be needed to find a winner in this one.

The first two rounds went without a goal, as Krzysztof Macias and Ryder Ritchie were stopped on the Raider shots, while Tyson Laventure and Connor Hvidston failed to score for Swift Current. Stanick was the third shooter for the Raiders, and he made no mistake, sniping a shot bar down past Rocha. Josh Filmon was sent out to try and force a fourth round, but Chase Coward stoned him to give the Raiders a 4-3 win to start a three in three weekend.

Coward stopped 31 of 34 shots in the win for Prince Albert (14-12-0-2), while Rocha stopped 43 pf 46 shots in a losing effort for the Slough Sharks.

The Raiders are back in action tomorrow night as they pay a visit to Medicine Hat to take on the Tigers for the first time this season. Puck drop is 8pm Sask time.

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