The Prince Albert Raiders bent, but didn’t break against the Calgary Hitmen on Friday night on route to a 4-3 win.
Raider head coach Jeff Truitt says it wasn’t the easiest win, but Prince Albert was able to persevere.
“I really liked our compete. I thought that we skated real well. I thought that we were on pucks. I thought that we carried the speed a bit. I like a lot about our game, our physicality. We’re not going to get pushed around and we showed that here tonight. It was kind of a team effort that way. We had to grind under some weird conditions there in that third period and we got it done.”
Justice Christensen would send the fur flying on teddy bear toss night with his fifth goal of the season with a hard slap shot from the point that would beat Calgary netminder Anders Miller. Dayce Derkatch and Daxon Rudolph assisted on the play.
Things would get chippy later in the first after Harrison Lodewyk laid a check on Hitmen defensemen Carter Yakemchuk causing a crowd. Later in the frame, Calgary’s Maxim Muranov would lay a hit on Daxon Rudolph that flared tempers even more early.
The Raiders would have a five-on-three going into the second period and the number one ranked power play in the WHL would take full advantage. Lukas Dragicevic would strike for his second goal as a Raider just 0:33 into the middle frame. Tomas Mrsic and Krzysztof Macias assisted on the play.
It was Dragicevic’s first goal since Oct. 18 in Victoria. The Seattle Kraken prospect says he was glad to contribute in the goal column.
“It feels good. Obviously the power play has been really good this year. It just fits that I got it on the power play and I play with good players on that line. They set me up pretty good and I just had to do the rest and it was a pretty easy tap in for me.”
Macias would score a goal of his own just over three and a half minute later. After a Hitmen turnover in their own end, Macias would beat Miller bar down with a wrist shot. Niall Crocker would provide the lone helper.
David Adaszynski would get Calgary on the board with his fourth goal of the season with a wrist shot high in the Prince Albert zone. Brandon Gorzynski and Kalem Parker assisted on the play.
It appeared Calgary had pulled within one later in the period when Tanner Howe crashed the crease and pushed Dimitri Fortin into the net. After a conversation, the officials of Cianna Lieffers, Bryce Sebastian, Jordan Carriere and Andrew Sawatsky waved off the goal.
At the 16:07 mark, Calgary had another opportunity to pull within one. The puck crossed the goal line but Hitmen forward Ben Kindel knocked over Dimitri Fortin and was sent off for goaltender interference.
Shots after two periods favoured Calgary 24-19.
Tisdale’s Connor Hvidston would pull the Hitmen within one with his seventh goal of the season just 1:02 into the third period. Carson Westch and Hunter Aura provided the assists.
Oliver Tulk would tie the game for Calgary with his 13th goal of the season on the power play at the 14:39 mark. Wetsch and Kindel assisted on the play.
The Raider power play would come up huge late in the third period at the 15:52 mark as Niall Crocker would deposit a rebound from outside the crease for his ninth goal of the season. Mrsic and Oiring provided the helpers.
Dimitri Fortin made 39 stops on the night for the Raiders in his third straight start since being acquired from Moose Jaw.
“He’s been calm and cool. He’s done his job. He’s made some key saves but he hasn’t had to make many circus saves here. He’s been pretty good and the guys in front of him have been good as well, but he’s been solid.”
The Raiders return to action on Saturday night when they travel to take on the Brandon Wheat Kings. Puck drops at 7 p.m.
