Raiders complete home-and-home sweep of Blades

Lucas Punkari
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Raiders complete home-and-home sweep of Blades

There’s often a play or two that can change the dynamic of a game when a pair of junior hockey rivals meet up.

On Friday night, it was a 10-second sequence late in the second period that proved to be key for the Prince Albert Raiders against the Saskatoon Blades.

After Donovan Buskey sprawled out to make a right pad save on forward Kirby Dach, Cole Fonstad picked up the loose puck and flung it towards Noah Gregor, who raced in sniped a shot by Dorrin Luding with 20.3 seconds left on the clock to tie the game up at two.

“That was pretty crazy,” Gregor said. “I had a breakaway just before that and then they were able to come back down the ice for a scoring chance, but Buskey made a huge save to keep us in it.”

“When Dach got the puck at the hashmarks I was just trying to make myself as big as possible as he came in on net,” Buskey added. “I wasn’t sure who had the puck after I stopped it, but to see Noah go down and score that goal was a great feeling.”

The Raiders would build off of that momentum changer in the third period as Aliaksei Protas scored with 9:27 to go and Fonstad shot the puck into an empty net with 9.1 seconds left to give the team a 4-2 triumph and improve their regular season record to 17-0 at the Art Hauser Centre.

“I thought we were a little bit disjointed out there,” Raiders head coach Marc Habscheid said. “We weren’t really crisp and we took some penalties at bad times once again, which got us into trouble.

“I didn’t like the first two goals on our goalie (Buskey) but I thought he was really good the rest of the way. That save he made at the end of the second was the turning point for us as it could have easily been a 3-1 lead for them.”

After two sub-par showings against the Swift Current Broncos prior to Christmas, Buskey was solid for the second straight meeting with the Blades as he turned aside 34 shots and earned first star accolades.

“Obviously those two games against Swift Current weren’t what I was expecting for myself,” Buskey said. “I wanted to come back here and play better for the guys as they are always working hard in front of me.

“I think the biggest key for me in these last two games was just sticking with things mentally. If you give up a goal or fumble the puck, you just have to stay focused and make the next save. You can’t let those things rattle you.”

Gregor and Fonstad extended their point streaks to five games Friday as Gregor scored twice and had an assist, while Fonstad had a pair of helpers to go along with his empty net marker.

“Noah probably could have had five goals tonight,” Habscheid said.

“That line (which includes Ozzy Wiesblatt) has had a lot of synergy here as of late and Fonstad’s has had an extra step in his game here since we came back from Christmas.”

The Raiders did receive a scare almost nine minutes into the opening frame as blueliner Max Martin was on the wrong end of a knee-on-knee collision with Blades defenceman Brandon Schuldhaus.

Martin was helped off of the ice following the play, which saw Schuldhaus receive a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct, but he was able to return for the final 40 minutes.

“He was favouring the (right) knee a little bit there as the game went on, but Max is a tough guy and he wanted to play,” Habscheid said. “When you see an older player like that want to keep going out there even though he’s hurting, it really helps to create the culture that we want in the dressing room.”

Gary Haden and Kristian Roykas-Marthinsen scored for the 21-11-5-0 Blades, who are currently mired in a three game losing streak ahead of a road game with the 7-25-2-1 Swift Current Broncos on Sunday afternoon.

Luding turned aside 32 shots for the visitors, while blueliner Dawson Davidson had an assist on Roykas-Marthinsen’s goal as the teammates extended their point streaks to five games.

The 33-2-0-1 Raiders will now prepare to welcome the 11-24-0-1 Regina Pats to town for a 6 p.m. clash Sunday.

The two sides will then square off in Regina at 4 p.m. Tuesday to kick off the 2019 portion of the regular season.

Post-Game Notes

A season high crowd of 3,330 made their way into the Art Hauser Centre for Friday’s contest, which surpassed the total of 3,107 fans that attended a 5-2 win for the Raiders over the Brandon Wheat Kings on Saturday, Dec. 8.

The Raiders did not dress Lane Kirk, Brett Leason and Ian Scott, while Zachary Ashton, Majid Kaddoura and Brandon Machado were the Blades scratches.

Friday’s Scores

  • Regina 3 Brandon 2 (Ethan Kruger – 35 Saves)
  • Moose Jaw 4 Swift Current 3 (Tristin Langan Overtime Winner – Two Goals and One Assist)
  • Edmonton 7 Calgary 3 (Zach Russell – One Goal and One Assist)
  • Victoria 6 Lethbridge 2 (Dante Hannoun – Four Goals and One Assist – Third Career Hat Trick)
  • Medicine Hat 4 Kootenay 1 (James Hamblin – Two Goals)
  • Vancouver 6 Red Deer 0 (David Tendeck – 28 Shots – Second Shutout This Season and Fifth Career – Tristen Nielsen – One Goal and Two Assists)
  • Kamloops 3 Kelowna 2 (Zane Franklin Overtime Winner – Two Goals)
  • Tri-City 3 Portland 2 (Parker AuCoin -Overtime Winner – Kyle Olson – Two Assists)
  • Prince George 2 Seattle 1 (Taylor Gauthier – 29 Saves)
  • Everett 3 Spokane 1 (Connor Dewar – Two Goals)

Around the WHL

Overage forward Jared Legien, who had 50 points in 61 games with the Victoria Royals and the Regina Pats, was added to the Vancouver Giants roster this week and recorded a goal and two assists in his debut with the team Friday in a 6-0 win over the Red Deer Rebels.

The Pilot Butte, Sask. product has been playing in the SJHL this season with the Yorkton Terriers and was third in league scoring at the Christmas break with 52 points in 32 games.

Forwards Davis Koch and Jared Dmytriw are the other 20-year-old players in the Giants lineup at the moment as blueliner Matt Barberis has been sidelined with an injury since Nov. 16.

Meanwhile, the Portland Winterhawks acquired the rights to forward Bobby Brink from the Prince George Cougars Friday in exchange for a seventh round pick in 2019, along with conditional second and fourth round picks in 2021.

Brink, a 17-year-old forward from Minnesota, has 33 points in 19 games this season for the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers and was named the MVP of the World Junior A Challenge in Bonnyville, Alta. earlier this month after leading the United States to a goal medal.

He’s currently committed to the NCAA’s Denver Pioneers and could be a potential first round choice at the 2019 NHL Draft in Vancouver.

Pre-Game Notes

The Raiders enter Sunday’s matchup with the Pats with a 4-0 advantage in the season series, with their most recent win coming in a 5-2 affair at the Brandt Centre on Dec. 1.

After a pair of wins over the Brandon Wheat Kings this week, the Pats are now nine points back of the Calgary Hitmen for the second wild card spot in the Eastern Conference.

Saturday’s Schedule

  • Edmonton vs. Red Deer – 8 p.m.
  • Lethbridge vs. Kootenay – 8 p.m.
  • Portland vs. Seattle – 8 p.m.
  • Victoria vs. Medicine Hat – 8:30 p.m.
  • Kamloops vs. Kelowna – 9 p.m.
  • Tri-City vs. Spokane – 9 p.m.
  • Prince George vs. Everett – 9 p.m.

Sunday’s Schedule

  • Vancouver vs. Calgary – 3 p.m.
  • Moose Jaw vs. Brandon – 4 p.m.
  • Saskatoon vs. Swift Current – 4 p.m.
  • Red Deer vs. Edmonton – 5 p.m.
  • Regina vs. Prince Albert – 6 p.m.
  • Medicine Hat vs. Lethbridge – 7 p.m.
  • Prince George vs. Kamloops – 7 p.m.

Hunt planning similar approach to trade deadline

Lucas Punkari
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Hunt planning similar approach to trade deadline

With the top team in the Western Hockey League, all eyes are on the Prince Albert Raiders and what they will be doing to possibly improve their roster ahead of the Jan. 10 trade deadline.

However, general manager Curtis Hunt’s game plan will look familiar to what he’s done in recent years.

“From our perspective, things haven’t really changed,” Hunt said during the WHL’s Christmas break. “If you look back at last year, we were able to make moves that improved our depth by bringing in guys such as Jeremy Masella and Kody McDonald, who were both able to come back this season.

“If there’s something that makes sense for the Prince Albert Raiders that makes ourselves a better team, we’re going to do that.”

One of the key aspects of the trade deadline for Hunt is to make sure that any new additions to the lineup doesn’t mess up the strong chemistry that this year’s Raiders squad has.

“It’s easy to say that getting in this guy or that guy might help the team, but that’s not always the case,” Hunt said. “You need to be really mindful of the situation your team is in, no matter where you are in the standings.

“We have an incredible group of young men here that are committed to the common goal. They work together and they are all accountable to each other, which has been a big part of our success.”

Prior to the WHL Christmas Break on Dec. 16, a couple of major moves had taken place by teams looking to strengthen their rosters for a playoff run.

The Lethbridge Hurricanes acquired forwards Jake Leschyshyn and Nick Henry from the Regina Pats for Jadon Joseph, Ty Kolle and seven draft picks, while the Red Deer Rebels added forwards Brett Davis and Cameron Hausinger from the Kootenay Ice in exchange for River Fahey, Austin Schellenberg, Justin Svenson, Chase Bertholet and five draft picks.

“Like everyone else, we’re just watching to see what other teams are doing,” Hunt said. “There’s teams that have elected to make their big moves earlier but there are others that have made smaller moves, as we’ve seen a lot of movement on the 2000-born players this year.

“It really comes down to what any individual is prepared to do to make a trade that will set the market. What I think is a good deal might be one that someone thinks is too expensive in terms of the picks and players that are exchanged.”

Unlike last year’s trade deadline, which saw 155 total assets dealt in a little over two weeks following the holiday hiatus, the WHL is not allowing any 15-year-old or 16-year-old player that has signed a standard player agreement to be traded under any circumstances.

The first deal since Christmas took place Friday afternoon as the Portland Winterhawks acquired the rights to forward Bobby Brink from the Prince George Cougars for three draft picks.

Brink, a 17-year-old forward from Minnesota, has 33 points in 19 games this season for the USHL’s Sioux City Musketeers and was named the MVP of the World Junior A Challenge in Bonnyville, Alta. earlier this month after leading the United States to a gold medal.

He’s currently committed to the NCAA’s Denver Pioneers and could be a potential first round choice at the 2019 NHL Draft in Vancouver.

Pachal leads Raiders comeback over Blades

Lucas Punkari
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Pachal leads Raiders comeback over Blades

The first game back from the Christmas break wasn’t going the Prince Albert Raiders way after 40 minutes as they found themselves down 3-2 to the Saskatoon Blades at the SaskTel Centre Thursday night.

That’s when Raiders captain Brayden Pachal took things into his own hands.

In his first game back from a two-game suspension, the 19-year-old from Estevan tied the game up with a power move in front of the net at the 6:28 mark of the third period and then slid a puck past the five-hole of Blades netminder Nolan Maier just 33 seconds into overtime as the top team in the Western Hockey League picked up a 4-3 win in Saskatoon.

“I’m more of a stay at home guy so I think it was just a bit of luck for me being in front of the net there,” Pachal joked after the game. “Cole (Fonstad) made a great play to get a shot off and I was just able to be in the right spot to slide the rebound home.

“We were a bit sloppy in the first two periods and the coaches made it clear to us that we weren’t playing at our best. The leadership group really stepped up in the room and talked about playing better out there and executing our game plan.”

While Pachal’s goals proved to be the difference maker, it was Noah Gregor and Fonstad who led the way on offence for the 32-2-0-1 Raiders, who are currently on a four-game win streak.

Fonstad had a trio of helpers Thursday, while Gregor scored twice and also had an assist on Pachal’s overtime winner.

“Noah’s been amazing for us,” Pachal said. “He really leads by example and he’s been doing what he was expected to do for us when he was traded here.”

Raiders rookies Kaiden Guhle and Ozzy Wiesblatt also helped out as they each had two assist evenings.

It was the second straight game that Guhle had dished out a pair of helpers, as he previously accomplished that feat in a 7-5 home win over the Swift Current Broncos on Dec. 15.

“When Sergei (Sapego) was gone (at the Division I World Juniors for Belarus) he really took advantage of his opportunities,” Pachal said of Guhle, who has nine points in 32 games. “He was the first overall pick (in 2017) and he’s definitely deserving of that.”

Donovan Buskey bounced back from a rough showing prior to Christmas against the Broncos, as he turned aside 23 shots to improve to 8-0 on the season.

One of the biggest positives of the night for the Blades was their power play, as they went two-for-five on the man advantage.

“That’s going to be huge for us as we get closer to the playoffs as special teams play will be key for us to be able to win the close games,” said Blades forward Tristen Robins, who led the way on offence with two assists.

“I think both teams were trying to get the turkey out of our systems so we had some slow legs out there, but I think there’s a lot more that we could be showing against them. I think you’ll see us at our full potential in Prince Albert tomorrow.”

Max Gerlach, Kyle Crnkovic and Eric Florchuk all scored for the 21-10-5-0 Blades, who have lost two straight overtime affairs.

Maier made 27 saves in a losing effort and was especially busy in the third period when his team was outshot 9-3.

The East Division rivals will be back in action Friday night at the Art Hauser Centre for a 7 p.m. affair.

Post-Game Notes

Heading into Friday’s affair, the Raiders have won three out of four meetings against the Blades, with Saskatoon’s lone win coming in a 1-0 affair at the SaskTel Centre on Dec. 9.

With his two goal showing Thursday, Pachal has found the back of the net nine times this year and is tied with Moose Jaw’s Josh Brook and Vancouver’s Bowen Byram for the most goals among WHL blueliners.

In addition to Pachal, the Raiders also welcomed back Sergei Sapego and Aliaksei Protas back to their lineup as they returned from finishing second with Belarus at the Division I World Juniors earlier this month.

Lane Kirk, Brett Leason and Ian Scott did not dress for the Raiders, while the Blades scratched Zachary Ashton, Majid Kaddoura and Randen Schmidt.

Thursday’s Scores

  • Regina 3 Brandon 2 (Sergei Alkhimov – Two Goals)
  • Swift Current 4 Moose Jaw 3 (Alex Moar Overtime Winner – Joel Hofer – 39 Saves)

Sunday, Dec. 16 Scores

  • Lethbridge 6 Calgary 4 (Jordy Bellerive – Two Goals and One Assist)
  • Edmonton 7 Kootenay 4 (Brett Kemp – Two Goals and One Assist)
  • Tri-City 4 Portland 3 (Kyle Olson Overtime Winner – Riley Sawchuk – Two Goals and Two Assists)
  • Spokane 6 Seattle 5 (Eli Zummack Overtime Winner – Adam Beckman – Two Goals and Two Assists)
  • Vancouver 2 Prince George 1 (Brayden Watts – Two Goals)

Saturday, Dec. 15 Scores

  • Brandon 6 Saskatoon 5 (Stelio Mattheos Overtime Winner – Three Goals and One Assist – Second Hat Trick This Season and Third Career)
  • Moose Jaw 6 Regina 3 (Tristin Langan – Three Goals and One Assist – Second Hat Trick This Season and Third Career – Justin Almeida – Two Goals and Four Assists)
  • Lethbridge 5 Kamloops 2 (Jordy Bellerive – One Goal and Two Assists)
  • Edmonton 3 Calgary 2 (Andrew Fyten Overtime Winner – One Goal and One Assist)
  • Kelowna 2 Medicine Hat 1 (Roman Basran – 31 Saves)
  • Tri-City 3 Portland 2 (Aaron Hyman Overtime Winner – Nolan Yaremko Two Goals)
  • Victoria 4 Vancouver 2 (D-Jay Jerome – Two Goals)
  • Everett 6 Seattle 1 (Riley Sutter – Two Goals)

Friday’s Schedule

  • Saskatoon vs. Prince Albert – 7 p.m.
  • Brandon vs. Regina – 7 p.m.
  • Moose Jaw vs. Saskatoon – 7 p.m.
  • Calgary vs. Edmonton – 8 p.m.
  • Victoria vs. Lethbridge – 8 p.m.
  • Vancouver vs. Red Deer – 8 p.m.
  • Kootenay vs. Medicine Hat – 8:30 p.m.
  • Kelowna vs. Kamloops – 9 p.m.
  • Tri-City vs. Portland – 9 p.m.
  • Everett vs. Spokane – 9 p.m.
  • Prince George vs. Seattle – 9:30 p.m.

Raiders prospects get a taste of the WHL

Lucas Punkari
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Raiders prospects get a taste of the WHL

Prince Albert Raiders fans got a glimpse into the team’s future over the last couple of weeks as a few of their top prospects made their way into the lineup.

For 2018 second round bantam pick Tyson Laventure, having the likes of Nolan Allan, Brett Balas and Braydon Clark around helped him out as the 15-year-old forward from Lloydminster made his Western Hockey League debut last week.

“It’s a great bonding situation for us,” Laventure said. “We are all in the same boat and we’re able to relate with what we are all going through.

“Having the older guys being able to help us through everything has been huge. It’s made this process a lot easier.”

Laventure got to play in three games prior to the Christmas break and will be looking to build off of that experience as he returns to the OHA Edmonton prep program, where he has 43 points in 22 games.

“It was a really fast pace out there but it was what I expected,” Laventure said. “There were a few nerves but I felt like that went away after a couple of shifts.

“This entire season has been a positive experience for me. I’ve been able to play a harder and physical game and our team has really come together as a group.”

While Allan had already played on a number of occasions this year, and was joined for one game by forward prospect Cohner Saleski, Clark played in his first six games over the last two weeks.

The 16-year-old defender from Langley, B.C. is in his second season with the Valley West Giants midget program, where he leads the BCMML in penalty minutes with 177.

“I’d like to limit the amount of penalties I’ve taken but I feel like it’s been an okay season for us,” Clark said.

“It’s been a great experience here with Prince Albert and I’m hoping to take the leadership skills that I gained from being surrounded by the older guys here. I have a better idea of the pace of the WHL now, and I think that should help me out when I look to gain a spot on the roster next year.”

Balas’ debut in the WHL came halfway through a home game last Saturday night as he replaced Donovan Buskey in goal during a 7-5 win over the Swift Current Broncos.

“I was excited to get into the game and the boys helped me out quite a bit with their communication on the ice,” said Balas, who is playing in the AJHL with the Calgary Canucks this year. “It got a little hectic at times, but (head coach) Marc (Habscheid) told me to stay calm out there and that helped a lot of the nerves go away.”

According to Raiders general manager Curtis Hunt, the experience all three players gained over the last two weeks should bode well for them as they attempt to make the leap into the WHL on a full-time basis for the 2019-20 campaign.

“I think the biggest thing for them is just to see how hard our top players work and how professional they are at this level,” Hunt said.

“I’m sure if you talk to Ian Scott, Parker Kelly and Noah Gregor, they all learned quite a lot when they went to their first NHL camps and saw first hand how hard they prepare up there. It’s the exact same thing for our younger guys.”

Springer excited to be part of the Broncos future

Lucas Punkari
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Springer excited to be part of the Broncos future

Although he was focussed on helping his team to a 6-1 win over the Yorkton Maulers Friday at the Art Hauser Centre, Prince Albert Mintos forward Dawson Springer couldn’t help but look towards the future.

The 16-year-old forward from Rocanville is slated to make his Western Hockey League debut tonight in Prince Albert for the Swift Current Broncos after he signed a standard player agreement with the team Thursday.

“I started to think about it before the game on Friday and I got the shivers a little bit,” Springer said. “It will probably hit me more on Saturday as I’m getting ready to get on the ice.”

Having previously attended a camp with the Brandon Wheat Kings two years ago following his second season of bantam hockey with the Notre Dame Hounds, Springer wasn’t on the radar for any WHL teams until earlier this fall when he was listed by the Everett Silvertips.

His rights were then dealt to the Broncos, along with a fourth round pick in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft, in exchange for forward Max Patterson on Dec. 3.

“Everything came together pretty quickly after that,” Springer said. “They contacted me a couple of days after the trade and asked me what I thought about being a part of the team, and it all went from there.”

Following a 51-point campaign for the Melville Midget AA Millionaires last season, Springer has hit the ground running in his first Midget AAA campaign with the Mintos.

He has 30 points in 27 games, which puts him two markers behind Portland Winterhawks prospect Gabe Klassen for the team lead, and his 21 goals are the most in the league heading into Saturday’s slate of games.

“It’s taken a lot of work to get to this point,” Springer said. “I’ve taken so many shots over the years that it comes naturally for me now, but you have still have to work hard to get into the greasy spots.

“The physicality in Midget AA and Midget AAA is a little similar, but the speed of the game is much different as you have to move the puck quicker here. Plus, the goalies are a lot better.”

Springer will remain with the Mintos for the rest of the season, but he will be an affiliated player on the Broncos roster before attempting to make the jump in the WHL on a full-time basis for the 2019-20 campaign.

“I’m planning to work on my foot speed for sure and get some bigger legs on me,” Springer said. “My main focus is to gain a little size overall as I move up to a higher level.”

Mintos return to win column at home

Lucas Punkari
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Mintos return to win column at home

For the first time in over a month, the Prince Albert Mintos have won a Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League game at the Art Hauser Centre.

With a 6-1 triumph over the Yorkton Maulers Friday, the Mintos picked up their first victory in Prince Albert since a 7-1 affair against the Battlefords Stars on Nov. 8 and ended a five-game losing skid on home ice in the process.

“We’re starting do more of the little things,” Mintos forward Dawson Springer said. “We’re focussing more on the hard work that we need to do to win games, instead of making fancy plays.”

Although the Mintos held a 51-22 shot advantage during the contest, it took them a little bit to get rolling on offence.

“I thought we were a little tentative in the first and it wasn’t our best period, but the guys started to get things going and a number of players stepped up their level of play in the last 40 minutes,” Mintos head coach Ken Morrison said.

“We had a lot of shots on the power play tonight as well, which is why the shot total ended up being like it was.”

Chase Freidt-Mohr led the way for the Mintos with a goal and two assists, while Ashton Ferster and Springer each lit the lamp twice.

“They got the first goal of the game during the start of the second period and that really woke us up,” Ferster said.

“We were a little shaky early but once we started to play as a team, we were all clicking out there.”

Marek Schneider, Jake Huska and Andrew Schaab all had two assists for the hosts, who improved their record to 13-11-1-0 and are now in sole possession of seventh place in the standings.

Carter Woodside made 21 saves to the earn the win, with his lone blemish coming on a Massen Ziola shot in the second frame.

Aiden Elmy stopped 45 shots for the Maulers, who are at the bottom of the league table with a 4-24-0-0 mark.

As the Mintos prepare for a 1:30 p.m. clash with the 13-6-2-1 Notre Dame Hounds on Sunday at the Art Hauser Centre, they will do so without the services of four players.

Cohner Saleski, Alex Von Sprecken and Turner McMillen are all sidelined due to injuries, while Ethan Ironside has two games left in a six-game suspension for a gross misconduct penalty he took against the Saskatoon Blazers on Dec. 6.

“Alex’s injury is a day-to-day thing, so there’s a chance he could play on Sunday or on Thursday (against the Beardy’s Blackhawks), but everyone else won’t be back until after the Christmas break,” Morrison said.

Volunteers still needed for Canadian Juniors

Lucas Punkari
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With almost a month to go until the first stones are thrown at the Art Hauser Centre and the Prince Albert Golf & Curling Club, 2019 New Holland Canadian Juniors director of volunteers Jeff Fisher is inching towards his goal of having enough volunteers in place for the tournament.

“It’s hard to pin down an exact number that we need, but we’re hoping for 275 and we’re already at 245, so we’re really pleased with the response that we’ve had so far,” Fisher said.

However, the committee is still looking for some help in a few areas, such as work during the opening ceremonies, running the souvenir stand and compiling statistics during the games.

“We’re also looking for people to help with security, but it’s not the strong-arm type as some people hear that and get scared off,” Fisher said. “It’s more in regards to crowd control and making sure that people aren’t in areas where only the curlers are supposed to be.”

“We will also have a players’ lounge at the Prince Albert Inn during the event, so we want to have some people there to help run that.”

Fisher says that applications will be accepted until the start of January, which is when the schedules will be filled out and jackets will be ordered for the volunteers.

Those who are interested in helping out at the Canadian Juniors, which will run from Jan. 19-27, can contact Fisher at 306-960-2183 or via email at volunteers.jrnat2019@gmail.com

Applications are also accepted online at www.curling.ca/2019juniors.

Mintos to honour Matechuk prior to Sunday’s game

Lucas Punkari
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Mintos to honour Matechuk prior to Sunday’s game

Prince Albert hockey fans will have a chance to salute Layne Matechuk on Sunday afternoon at the Art Hauser Centre.

The former Prince Albert Mintos blueliner, who was one of the survivors of the Humboldt Broncos bus accident in April, will be honoured by the team during a pre-game ceremony ahead of a 1:30 p.m. contest with the Notre Dame Hounds.

“Layne was one of the last guys to be released from the hospital a couple of months ago, and while he still has a way to go in his recovery, he’s feel well enough to go out and about now,” Mintos team manager Don Fauchoux said.

“As a result, we wanted to have the opportunity to do something special for him this weekend.”

The Mintos had a chance to catch up with Matechuk this past month, as he came to see the team during a road game with the Saskatoon Contacts.

“Him and his dad (Kevin) came down to watch us and it was pretty awesome to get the chance to catch up with him,” Fauchoux said.

Prior to moving up to the SJHL with the Broncos last season, Matechuk had 39 points in 83 Midget AAA contests with the Mintos from 2014-16.

“He made it in on our blueline as a 15-year-old and really blossomed over his two seasons with us,” Fauchoux said.

“He improved so much in his second season with us that Humboldt wanted to bring him in as an underage player.”

Regnier taking advantage of opportunities with Broncos

Lucas Punkari
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Regnier taking advantage of opportunities with Broncos

Earlier this month, Swift Current Broncos forward Ethan Regnier put together the most impressive night of WHL career against his hometown team.

During a game against the Prince Albert Raiders on Dec. 4 at the Credit Union iPlex, the 18-year-old had an assist on a first period goal on Tanner Nagel and fired a shot by Ian Scott with 1:44 to go in regulation to tie the contest up at two.

He would then score the only goal in the shootout as the Broncos stunned the top-ranked Raiders by a score of 3-2 and ended their 19-game win streak in the process.

“That was a pretty special night for sure,” Regnier said. “To be able have a game like that on home ice against a team like Prince Albert that is so deep with talent this year was pretty awesome.”

Last season, Regnier was part of a talented team with the Broncos as they won their third Ed Chynoweth Cup and their first since 1993.

With many players graduating or being traded from the team since then, along with an entire new coaching staff in place, the Broncos found themselves at the bottom of the league standings heading into a home-and-home series with the Raiders this weekend.

“There’s obviously been a lot of changes here but it’s also given guys a chance to step and be in more prominent roles,” Regnier said.

“We had a bit of a slow start as it took us a bit to get used to one another, but I think your starting to see a lot of improvement from our team and there’s lots of room to grow as we head into the second half.”

After recording eight points in 56 games last year and only suiting up for three contests in the playoffs, although he did play in two of the three round-robin games the Broncos took part in at the Memorial Cup, Regnier has increased his numbers this year as he sits tied for fourth in team scoring with 11 points in 31 games.

“I didn’t have a lot of ice time last year but I’ve been able to play quite a bit more this season and have some more opportunities,” Regnier said.

“I think the biggest improvement in my game as been with my defensive play. I’ve spent a lot of time working with the coaches and watching video to get help in that end of the ice, and I feel a lot better out there now.”

With just a handful of players back from the 2018 league champions, Regnier has also found himself moving into a leadership role on the roster.

“I was able to learn a lot from being around Glenn (Gawdin) and Tyler (Steenbergen) last year and seeing how they conducted themselves both on and off the ice,” Regnier said.

“I got see on a daily basis just what it took to be a leader in the room and hopefully I can help some of the younger guys out here along the way.”

As the Broncos prepare for the holiday break, the team’s main goal is to continue to improve as they look towards making a run to the post-season in 2020.

“Obviously we’d love to make a push this year but we know that it’s going to be a bit of a challenge,” Regnier said. “We have a lot of guys coming back next year, so we’re looking to get as many wins as we can and build a good base for the future.

“Our coaching staff has stressed to us that we’re going to be winning game through hard work and not on skill. There’s a lot of guys on this team that lead by example and I think you’ll see that mesh well with the young talent that’s in our locker room.”

Pre-Game Notes

The Raiders will be without captain Brayden Pachal for both games this weekend, as he was given a two game suspension for supplemental discipline from Wednesday’s matchup with the Edmonton Oil Kings.

Following a hit on Trey Fix-Wolansky in the first period, Pachal received a four-minute double minor for high sticking during a post-whistle scrum with Matthew Robertson.

The provincial rivals have split their two meetings this year, as the Raiders won 6-2 at the Art Hauser Centre on Nov. 9 and the Broncos prevailed in a 3-2 shootout affair at the Credit Union iPlex on Dec. 4.

After a 4-3 home win over the Regina Pats on Wednesday night, the Broncos improved their record to 6-23-1-1 and are now just three points back of the Pats for fifth place in the East Division.

On Thursday, the Broncos dealt forward Andrew Fyten to the Edmonton Oil Kings in exchange for a conditional fifth round selection in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft.

The 20-year-old from Sundre, Alta. had 17 points in 27 games this year for the Broncos, with whom he won a WHL title with this past spring.

That same day, the Broncos signed a deal with Prince Albert Mintos forward Dawson Springer, who they acquired from the Everett Silvertips earlier this month.

The Rocanville product, who could make his debut for the Broncos Saturday, has 19 goals this year to sit in a tie for first place in the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League with Cole Sillinger of the Regina Pat Canadians.

In addition to Regnier, Prince Albert’s Alex Moar is expected to be in the lineup for both contests this weekend for the Broncos

The blueliner has picked up two assists in 15 contests for the team after being acquired in a trade from the Silvertips.

Broncos forwards Eric Houk and Carter Chorney are both out until after the Christmas break due to injuries.

World Junior Update

The Belarus national junior hockey team, which features Prince Albert Raiders teammates Aliaksei Protas and Sergei Sapego, are no longer in control of their own destiny at the 2018 IIHF Division I World Juniors in Fussen, Germany.

Following a 5-1 loss to the tournament hosts on Thursday afternoon, Belarus are in second place in the six-team round-robin event on nine points, which has them two markers back of Germany.

In order to finish first in the tournament and earn a spot in next year’s World Juniors in the Czech Republic, Belarus will need to win in regulation over Latvia and have Germany lose to France on Saturday.

Protas and Sapego were both held off of the scoresheet Thursday.

Dominik Bokk, a St. Louis Blues prospect that was drafted by the Raiders in the 2017 CHL Import Draft, had a goal and an assist in the win.

Meanwhile, Raiders goaltender Ian Scott and forward Brett Leason were still in the hunt for a spot on Canada’s World Junior team after the first round of cuts were made Thursday night.

Following a 5-3 loss to a team made up of players from U Sports in Victoria, Hockey Canada parted ways with forwards Ty Dellandrea (Flint Firebirds) and Raphael Lavoie (Halifax Mooseheads), along with blueliners Calen Addison (Lethbridge Hurricanes) and Cameron Crotty (Boston Terriers).

Scott made 27 saves for U Sports in the contest, as Canada split goaltending duties between Michael DiPietro (Ottawa 67’s) and Matthew Villalta (Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds).

Leason, who was named to the 2019 CHL Top Prospects Game earlier in the day, did not suit up for the scrimmage.

Canada is expected to make their final cuts Friday night following a third and final scrimmage.

Friday’s Schedule

  • Moose Jaw vs. Regina – 7 p.m.
  • Brandon vs. Saskatoon – 7 p.m.
  • Kelowna vs. Calgary – 8 p.m.
  • Kamloops vs. Kootenay – 8 p.m.
  • Medicine Hat vs. Red Deer – 8 p.m.
  • Prince George vs. Victoria – 9 p.m.
  • Everett vs. Vancouver – 9:30 p.m.
  • Spokane vs. Seattle – 9:30 p.m.

Raiders outlast Oil Kings in overtime

Lucas Punkari
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Raiders outlast Oil Kings in overtime

In what was easily the wildest game at the Art Hauser Centre so far in the 2018-19 campaign, the Prince Albert Raiders found a way to keep their perfect record on home ice intact.

After Vince Loschavio redirected a shot from Matthew Robertson with 6.6 seconds to go to the tie game up for the Edmonton Oil Kings, Cole Fonstad would score three minutes into overtime as the Raiders improved to 15-0 in Prince Albert this season with a 6-5 victory.

“This was a huge win for us,” Fonstad said. “We showed the depth we have on our team tonight with a few guys out and our confidence was still there even when they tied it late.

“In overtime, it’s all about having possession. After I got the puck, (Noah) Gregor went off for a change so I took the puck back and tried to build up some speed. Max (Martin) was able to make a quick pass to me and I was able to get a shot off once I got in their zone.”

It was an interesting game for the Raiders, who were without goaltender Ian Scott, defenceman Sergei Sapego and forwards Brett Leason and Aliaksei Protas due to their participations with the Canadian and Belarusian junior national teams.

Already without some key weapons, the Raiders would later go down to four blueliners during the last half of the second period after Zach Hayes was left bleeding following a spirited tussle with Quinn Benjafield.

“We had gotten ourselves into a little penalty trouble earlier and then we were without our top two defenceman there for a bit after Hayes left,” Raiders head coach Marc Habscheid said. “With a shorter bench, that made things a little bit difficult.

“It was a good character win by the guys, especially as our lines were a little disjointed as the game was going on. They found a way to win and that’s what matters.”

Hayes returned to the ice for the third period, which coincided with an impressive charge by the home side.

Down 4-3 with 8:05 to go, Martin wired a shot past Todd Scott to tie up the game, with Carson Miller converting a great feed from Ozzy Wiesblatt 33 seconds later to put the Raiders out in front 5-4.

“We really like to have a next guy steps up mentality on this team,” Raiders forward Parker Kelly said.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s someone like Gregor the last couple of games or Miller tonight. It’s always someone different and it really shows how deep we are as a team.”

Gregor had two goals and an assist for the Raiders, who improved their record to 29-2-0-1, while Martin and Fonstad had a goal and two helpers each.

Kelly and Miller had the other goals for the hosts.

Donovan Buskey improved to 6-0 on the season with a 30-save performance, with his best stop coming with 14 minutes to go in the third period as he made a sprawling blocker save to rob Brett Kemp on a two-on-zero breakaway that he had with Conner McDonald.

“That was huge for us as it pretty much saved our chances of winning the game,” Fonstad said. “Donovan made a number of great stops tonight and we’re really proud of how he played.”

McDonald had a goal and two assists to pace the offence for the 16-12-4-2 Oil Kings, who have lost two straight games and are tied with the Lethbridge Hurricanes for second place in the Central Division standings.

“There’s a lot of positives that we can take away from this game, especially as we head back home for two games this weekend (against the Calgary Hitmen and Kootenay Ice) before the Christmas break,” McDonald said.

“The biggest thing was just how we were able to tie the game up late and force overtime. A lot of guys would get discouraged and go through the motions after giving up the lead, but I’m really proud of how we were able to battle back.”

David Kope had a goal and an assist in the loss, while Jake Neighbours and Carter Souch joined Loschavio in finding the back of the net.

Scott turned aside 26 shots and Trey Fix-Wolansky recorded an assist to tie the absent Leason for the Western Hockey League scoring lead with 64 points.

Next up for the Raiders, who have a 16-point lead over the Saskatoon Blades in the East Division standings, is a home-and-home series with the Swift Current Broncos before the team heads off on its Christmas break.

The two sides will square Friday evening in Swift Current before returning to the Art Hauser Centre Saturday at 7 p.m. for the Raiders’ annual Teddy Bear Toss Game.

Post-Game Notes

Prior to Wednesday’s game, a moment of silence was held in honour of Raiders director of player personnel Ron Gunville, who passed away Tuesday at the age of 48.

A celebration of Gunville’s life will be held on Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Ches Leach Lounge in the Art Hauser Centre.

Tyson Laventure, the Raiders second round pick in the 2018 WHL Bantam Draft, made his WHL debut Wednesday and was joined in the lineup by first round pick Nolan Allan, who was taking part in his fifth game this year.

The Raiders have now won five straight games over the Oil Kings, in a streak that dates back to Dec. 2, 2017.

In addition to Scott, Sapego, Protas and Leason, the Raiders also did not dress blueliners Lane Kirk and Braydon Clark on Wednesday.

Thanks to his assist, which gave him the league lead over Portland’s Cody Glass with 43, Fix-Wolansky extended his point streak to 10 games.

That has him in a tie with Vancouver’s Davis Koch for the second longest active run in the league, with Glass’ having a 15-game streak ahead of attending Canada’s World Junior camp.

Not in the lineup for the Oil Kings on Wednesday were goaltender Dylan Myskiw, defencemen Jacson Alexander and Will Warm, plus forwards Vladimir Alistrov, Dylan Guenther and Andrei Pavlenko.

World Junior Update

Protas helped to set up two goals by Alistrov on Wednesday in Fussen, Germany as Belarus improved to 3-0 at the Division I World Juniors with a 5-0 win over Austria.

Sapego did not record a point during the contest, which saw former Oil Kings player Artyom Baltruk dish out three helpers and netminder Andrei Grischenko make 16 save to earn the shutout.

Belarus will be back in action Thursday at 1 p.m. against the host Germans, with the winner putting themselves in the drivers seat to earn an automatic promotion into next year’s World Juniors in the Czech Republic.

Dominik Bokk, a St. Louis Blues prospect that the Raiders took in the 2017 CHL Import Draft, has four assists in three games at the tournament.

Meanwhile, Canada opened up their selection camp for the World Juniors in Victoria, B.C. Wednesday night as Boston Terriers forward Shane Bowers scored the winning goal in the ninth round of a shootout for a 3-2 victory over a team made up of players from U Sports.

Oshawa Generals forward Jack Studnicka scored twice in regulation, with both of his goals being setup by Morgan Frost of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds.

Leason did not record a point, while Scott made 18 saves after replacing Michael DiPietro of the Ottawa 67’s halfway through the game, with his only blemish coming when Luke Philp tied the game with 8.1 seconds to go.

DiPietro also made 18 stops, while Matthew Villalta of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds played the entire game for U Sports and turned aside 28 shots.

The biggest story coming out of Wednesday’s scrimmage involved London Knights forward Alex Formenton, who suffered an apparent knee injury following a collision with Riley Sheen in the final seconds of overtime.

There was no update on his status following the game.

Wednesday’s Scores

  • Swift Current 4 Regina 3 (Andrew Fyten – Two Goals)
  • Lethbridge 5 Kelowna 1 (Taylor Ross – One Goal and One Assist)
  • Medicine Hat 4 Kamloops 2 (Ryan Jevne – Two Goals)
  • Spokane 4 Everett 3 (Jake McGrew Shootout Winner – Bailey Brkin – 43 Saves)
  • Portland 7 Victoria 2 (Joachim Blichfeld – Two Goals and Two Assists)
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