In a game where every inch counts, the Prince Albert Raiders got the space they needed to put the Red Deer Rebels into a deep hole.
The Raiders got two goals from Alisher Sarkenov, and a couple of big saves from Michal Orsulak on route to a 4-2 win at Marchant Crane Centrium on Tuesday.
However, it was a late second period tally from Aiden Oiring that counted only after a video review which proved to be the difference.
“(We were) just excited to get that goal,” Raiders head coach Ryan McDonald said after the game. “It’s a puck that went across the goal line and a one went up on the board for us.”
There was plenty of doubt about whether the goal would even count. Initially, it looked like Red Deer starting goaltender Matthew Kondro had made the save of the game after snagging Oiring’s shot with his catcher.
The save came while Kondo struggled to his feet after being knocked into the back of the net by one of his own defenceman.
The Rebel goaltender stood up smiling with the puck lodged firmly in his glove, while Oiring protested that the puck had crossed the goal line before the save.
After a short review, the video goal judge ruled in favour of the Raiders. The goal gave Prince Albert a 3-2 lead in a game where they initially trailed 2-1.
“We knew they were going to start fast and needed to match it,” McDonald said. “(We) simplified our game and got rewarded with a couple goals. (It) was 60 minutes of grind it out hockey.”
The Raider had Alisher Sarkenov to thank for getting them to the second period tied at two. Although Prince Albert outshot their hosts in the opening frame, they fell behind 2-1 thanks to a pair of Rebel power play goals. The first came from Patrick Spiarz at 10:55. The second came courtesy of a Kalder Varga wrist shot that snuck through Orsulak’s equipment and slid across the goal line.
Sarkenov initially put the Raiders up 1-0 near the midway point of the first, then scored his second of the night with one minute remaining in the second.
Both were ugly, workmanlike goals that saw the Astana, Kazahkstan product drive to the front of the net and get rewarded for his efforts.
“Their line (Sarkenov-Sivertson-Cootes) played great,” McDonald said. “They were able to get pucks underneath, hunt, (and) use their feet to get on the forecheck. They got hungry around the goalmouth and were rewarded for it.”
Orsulak also played a big role in the Raider win. The import goaltender from Tremosna, Czechia faced down multiple breakaways with the game tied at two. However, his biggest save came later off Rebels captain Talon Brigley.
With the Raiders protecting a one-goal lead, Brigley took a cross-crease feed from Owen DeWitt, but fired the puck off Orsulak’s pad and out. The play caused the goal judge accidentally turn the goal light on, although play continued without a stoppage.
It was the most important of Orsulak’s 18 saves on the night.
“He made some bigtime saves for us at bigtime moments,” McDonald said. “That’s what he’s there for.”
The Raiders hemmed Red Deer in their own end of the ice as the clock ticked down. Owen Corkish eventually sealed the win on an empty net goal with 15.1 seconds to play.
The victory means the Raiders can sweep the series with a win on Wednesday. Puck drop is 7 p.m.
News and Notes:
• For the second straight game, the Raiders were without forward Max Heise, who left Game 1 after getting injured on his first shift. McDonald said Heise is considered day-to-day.
• If the Raiders win on Wednesday, they will be the first Eastern Conference team to advance to the second round. Saskatoon and Edmonton also play Game 4 in their series on Wednesday, as do Medicine Hat and Regina. However, both series will require at least five games to settle. The only other Eastern Conference series (Calgary and Brandon) does not resume until Thursday. Calgary leads that series 3-0.
• The Raiders were 0/2 on the power play. The Rebels were 2/4.
