Carson Latimer had a goal and an assist, while Tikhon Chaika stopped 32 of 33 shots, as the Prince Albert Raiders downed the Swift Current Broncos on Friday night. With the win, Prince Albert moved into a share for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
The Raiders looked like they had opened the scoring with just over nine minutes left in the first period when Evan Herman knocked home a loose puck after a Landon Kosior point shot. However, the goal was immediately waved off, but nobody on the Raider bench knew what for. After a conversation between the officials and linemen, the call stood, and the goal was called off. With no video review of the play in the building, the game mysteriously remained scoreless.
Leaving that play behind them, the Raiders regrouped and broke the ice on the first powerplay of the contest. Nolan Allan sent a pass down low for Sloan Stanick, who tried to feed a centering pass in front for Landon Kosior, but the attempt was redirected by a Bronco defender . The deflection caught Isaac Poulter off guard, and the puck bounced past the netminder and in. Just 15 seconds into their man advantage, Prince Albert took a 1-0 lead.
The remainder of the first period was fairly back and forth, but the Raiders were able to take their 1-0 lead into the second period.
The Broncos found an equalizer just 27 seconds into the second period during four on four play. From the half wall, Eric Van Impe threw a centering pass to the slot for Cole Nagy. Corralling the dish, Nagy loaded up and wired a shot through Chaika. The former Raider found his 14th goal of the season, tying the game 1-1 very early into the middle frame.
4:27 into the second, Carson Latimer put the Raider back on top by one with a beautiful shot from the right circle. Keaton Sorenson dropped a pass for Latimer, and he walked in on Poulter. With almost nothing to shoot at, Latimer lifted a forehand shot over Poulter’s shoulder, tucking the puck into the top corner. After surrendering the early tying tally, Prince Albert made up for it, going up 2-1.
Vlad Shilo made it a 3-1 Raiders lead with a powerplay marker with 6:44 to go in the second. From the point, Remy Aquilon sent a pass to the right circle for Shilo, who unleashed a wicked one timer top shelf past Poulter. With their second powerplay goal of the evening, Prince Albert went up by a pair.
After 40 minutes, the Raiders went into their biggest period of the season leading the Broncos 3-1.
Unsatisfied with the disallowed goal back in the first period, Herman made up for it with an empty net marker with 2:33 left in regulation. His 26th goal of the season put the game out of reach, as the Raiders went up 4-1.
With the win, Prince Albert moved into a tie with the Broncos for the eighth playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. The Broncos finished their regular season on Friday night, while the Raiders have a chance to take sole possession of the eight seed with a win on Saturday in their regular season finale against the Brandon Wheat Kings.
Puck drop from the Art Hauser Centre is at 7 p.m.
@kyle_kosowan•sports@paherald.sk.ca
