Stanick Scores Overtime Beauty to Lift Raiders to 4-3 Win over Wheat Kings
February 20, 2023 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Prince Albert Raiders News Release
The Prince Albert Raiders picked up their fourth straight win on Monday afternoon, defeating the Brandon Wheat Kings 4-3 in overtime. Evan Herman scored twice, while Sloan Stanick scored a play of the week candidate with his overtime heroics. Niall Crocker rounded out the scoring for the Raiders in the win.
The Raiders opened the scoring on their only powerplay of the first period. Ryder Ritchie fed a pass to the point for Landon Kosior along the right wall. Kosior walked the line and sent a wrist shot on goal that Niall Crocker deflected in front. The tipped shot beat Carson Bjarnason for Crocker's 12th goal of the season. The goal did require a lengthy video review for the possibility of the puck being tipped in with a high stick, but the goal was confirmed by the officials, giving Prince Albert a 1-0 lead 10:15 into the game.
That lead only lasted 1:05, however, as the Wheat Kings tied things up. A turnover in the Brandon zone was pounced on by Nolan Ritchie. The Wheat Kings captain gathered the puck and worked his way in alone on a breakaway. With Sloan Stanick chasing, Ritchie deked to his backhand and slipped a shot five hole past Tikhon Chaika. His 20th of the season made it a 1-1 game after one period of play.
The two sides exchanged quick goals to start the second period. It took just 45 seconds for the Wheat Kings to score in the middle frame, as Dawson Pasternak scored to give Brandon a 2-1 lead. Just past the two minute mark, the Raiders tied things back up. In his 200th WHL game, Evan Herman let a shot go from the slot that beat Bjarnason. The captain's 13th goal of the season made it a 2-2 game.
2:38 later, the Wheat Kings took their lead right back on the man advantage. Luke Shipley beat Chaika with a shot from the circle to make it a 3-2 game on his ninth goal of the season.
Both of Brandon's second period goals came on the powerplay, taking advantage of just two Raider penalties in the middle frame. With 40 minutes in the books, the Wheat Kings held a 3-2 lead, with a 21-13 edge in shots.
As if one goal wasn't good enough, Herman potted another one home midway through the third period. The Raider captain fired another shot from the slot, beating Bjarnason with his 14th goal of the season, and it was a huge one to tie the game at 3-3.
For the fifth time this season, the Raiders would need overtime to find a winner.
It took just 1:05 into overtime to find the winner, and it was a beautiful goal from Sloan Stanick that ended it. Criss crossing with Keaton Sorensen near the right circle, Stanick dropped the puck off for his linemate and cut in towards the slot. Sorensen fed a pass back to Stanick, who was left alone in front after a Wheat King defender failed to pick him up. Stanick stick handled, then went between his legs and beat Bjarnason for a play of the week candidate. The goal gave the Raiders a 4-3 win, and two points on the trip to Brandon, and also gave Prince Albert their fourth win in a row.
Tikhon Chaika stopped 30 of 33 Brandon shots in his second straight start in the win, as the Raiders improved to 23-28-3-0 on the season.
Prince Albert finds themselves now six points back of the Medicine Hat Tigers for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The green and gold are back in action this weekend with a home and home set against the Saskatoon Blades.
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