The Prince Albert Raiders fought to the very end, but couldn’t pull out a Game 2 win against the Medicine Hat Tigers at Co-op Place on Sunday night, falling 5-4 in overtime.
Despite the loss, Raider interim head coach Ryan McDonald says there were a lot of positives for Prince Albert.
“There’s lots to like in our game tonight. I thought our first period, we came out, we trade chances with them. Shots are seven-seven getting out of it.we just continue to build as the game went on. We got behind on the scoreboard and then the push in the third. We got a really resilient group. Guys don’t back down and we continue to push in the third and continue to put pucks to the net and have guys land there and get rewarded.”
Oasiz Wiesblatt would open the scoring for the Tigers at the 16:24 mark of the opening frame as the Tiger captain tipped home a Bryce Pickford slap pass for his ninth goal of the playoffs. Tanner Molendyk had the secondary assist.
Oasiz is the younger brother of former Raider Ozzy Wiesblatt.
The lone goal of the second period would go to the Tigers as Gavin McKenna would dazzle the crowd with a highlight reel goal for his fourth goal of the playoffs, coming unassisted.
Prince Albert would find life at the 9:46 mark of the third period as Linden Burrett would wire home his first career WHL playoff goal off a faceoff win by Evan Smith.
Mathew Ward would respond for the Tigers just over a minute later with his first playoff goal. Kadon McCann and Ethan Neutens had the helpers.
A power play goal for Harrison Lodewyk would bring the Raiders within one. Riley Boychuk and Justice Christensen had the helpers.
McKenna would pick up his short handed tally of the game with just 2:15 left in regulation to seemingly ice the contest. Tanner Molendyk and Oasiz Wiesblatt had the assists.
Rilen Kovacevic would strike twice in the course of just thirty seconds to tie the game at four after regulation, once on the power play and one coming 6-on-5.
After a penalty against the Raiders, rookie forward Liam Ruck would score the winner for Medicine Hat with his second of the playoffs coming on a redirection from the mouth of the crease. Bryce Pickford and Tanner Molendyk had the helpers.
The special teams battle turned out to the difference maker for the Tigers, going two for five on the man advantage while also scoring two short handed goals.
McDonald says the Raiders will have some work to do in that department ahead of Game 3 in Prince Albert.
“That’s something we’re going to have to get to the video on and really dissect. A lot of it just comes down to execution and passing and making sure routes are being ran in the right direction. Tor us to get to the video and get our nose to the grindstone and continue to work on it.”
The Raiders trail the best-of-seven series two games to none with the series shifting back to the Art Hauser Centre for Games 3 and 4 on Wednesday and Thursday night.
McDonald says Prince Albert has played well in the third period in both games in the series and will look to build off that on home ice.
“Just continue to build off our third periods, play with that desperation and continue to invest by getting pucks in and behind and making sure we’re on top of our checks and then slowing them down as they try to transition because, you know, they’re a fast transition team and they want to play offense as quick as they can.”
