Three Goal Third Period Helps Wheat Kings Beat Raiders 6-4
January 14, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Prince Albert Raiders News Release
The Prince Albert Raiders fought back from 2-0 down in the first period, but the Brandon Wheat Kings came out of the gates strong in the third period, scoring three times to win by a 6-4 final on Sunday afternoon.
The Wheat Kings scored twice in the opening half of the first period, scoring 2:52 into the game to take a 1-0 lead. With Krzysztof Macias in the box for tripping, Brandon was able to set up early on their first powerplay of the game. Rylen Roersma crashed the net and buried his 15th goal of the season on a rebound effort, giving Brandon an early 1-0 edge.
With 12:36 left in the first, Carter Klippenstein doubled the lead, as he also followed up on a rebound chance for Brandon. After a shot on goal hit traffic in front of the net, Joby Baumuller fed Klippenstein on the doorstep, and he beat Nathan Preston on the left post, scoring his sixth goal of the season to make it a 2-0 lead early for the Wheat Kings.
The Raiders came back in the second half of the period, scoring twice to make it a 2-2 game after 20 minutes. After Luke Moroz won an offensive zone faceoff, Jacob Hoffrogge ripped a shot on goal from the point. His shot deflected off of Dustin Renas in front and snuck past Ethan Eskit. Renas collected his first goal as a Raider with 8:41 left in the first to make it a 2-1 game.
After assisting on their first goal of the game, Moroz tied things up with a powerplay marker with 33 seconds left in the first. From the point, Justice Christensen gave Moroz a pass in the left circle, and the rookie forward did the rest of the work. Stepping into a shot, Moroz found a hole under Eskit's glove, as he scored his third goal of the season. After giving up the opening two goals of the game, the Raiders did a good job fighting back, as they went into the second period knotted at 2-2.
Prince Albert had a couple of chances to take the lead early in the second period, as they went on three separate powerplays in the opening seven minutes. They were unable to score, however, as the Wheat Kings stood tall on the penalty kill, thanks in part to Eskit making a couple of big saves to keep the game tied.
The Raiders took their first lead of the contest with 3:34 left in the second period, as Grady Martin got the monkey off his back. Terrell Goldsmith fired a one timer on goal from the point, and Martin was parked in front to get a stick on it, deflecting home his second goal of the season to give Prince Albert a 3-2 lead.
The Wheat Kings fought back to tie it right back up just 30 seconds later, as Hayden Wheddon scored to make it a 3-3 game. From behind the net, Klippenstein circled in front of Preston and found a wide open Wheddon parked right in front of the crease. With Easton Kovacs unable to get his stick in the way of the pass, Wheddon directed a shot on goal that beat Preston five hole as he was coming across from his post. Wheddon's third goal of the season made it a 3-3 game after 40 minutes of play.
The Wheat Kings took their lead back just 1:21 into the third period with their second powerplay goal of the game. Roger McQueen won a puck battle at the Raider blue line that allowed Brandon to set up in the offensive zone. Roersma then collected the puck and fed Luke Shipley who fired a shot on goal that Preston made the save on. The rebound sat in the crease and with players whacking away at the puck, Nolan Flamand was able to bury his tenth goal of the season to give the home side a 4-3 lead early in the final frame.
Matteo Michels gave Brandon a two goal lead with 10:39 left in the third. In the neutral zone, Michels gathered the puck and went into the Raider zone on a breakaway. With Jacob Hoffrogge and Easton Kovacs in pursuit, Michels broke free of both of them and beat Preston blocker side for his ninth goal of the season to make it a 5-3 game.
With 1:36 left in the third, Quinn Mantei added an extra insurance marker for Brandon, scoring shorthanded into an empty net to give the Wheat Kings a 6-3 lead.
With one second left on the clock, Doogan Pederson scored his first WHL goal, finishing a backhand play in front of the net past Eskit. The goal made it 6-4, which would be the final from Brandon. The Raiders are back in action on Friday night when they visit the Edmonton Oil Kings.
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