
The longest winning streak in the WHL this season is officially over after the Prince Albert Raiders knocked off the Tri-City Americans 5-3 on Friday night at the Art Hauser Centre.
Raider head coach Jeff Truitt says the Raiders were able to take care of business in their own end and a hot start was key.
“That was a big first period for us. I thought we controlled the play. We moved the puck extremely well. I thought we skated and put pressure on them. In the second period, it was a little bit of a grind out type of period. We expected that because we knew there was going to be a push. Third period, it’s a tight game. They get one early in the period and they continue to build their way. The special teams kind of came up here a little bit for us on our side. I thought that our team played really good defensively, for the most part, we picked up a lot of junk inside the slot.”
Tomas Mrsic would get the Raiders out of the gate quickly as the St. Louis Blues prospect would go coast-to-coast and wire home his 9th goal of the season just 0:47 into the opening frame. Lukas Dragicevic and Aiden Oiring assisted on the play.
Ethan Bibeau would double the Raider lead at the 15:01 mark with his fifth goal of the season. The 17-year-old would tip a Dayce Derkatch shot past Nathan Preston for his fifth goal of the season. Oli Chenier received the secondary assist on the play.
Shots favored Tri-City 14-8 after twenty minutes.
It would take just 0:25 into the third period for the Americans to trim the Raider lead to just one. On an odd man rush, Jake Sloan would pick a corner for his eighth goal of the season. The lone helper was credited to Jackson Smith.
A bouncing puck would end up in the back of the Raider net just four minutes later as Nick Anisomovicz would get credit for his third goal of the season at the 4:44 mark.
Brandon Whynott would give the Americans their first lead with his 12th goal of the season at the 11:05 mark coming unassisted.
After a double minor against Terrell Goldsmith, the Raider power play would tie the game at the 14:11 mark as Krzysztof Macias would strike for his third goal of the season at the 14:11
Another penalty against the Americans would send the Raiders to the power play late in the third period. Cash Koch would be given a five minute major for check to the head and a game misconduct.
Tomas Mrsic would give the Raiders the lead on the ensuing power play with his 10th goal of the season at the 17:00 mark. The play looked eerily similar to the Anisomovicz goal for Tri-City earlier in the period. Dragicevic and Macias provided the helpers.
Truitt says Mrsic is a special player and has a drive to become better.
“He’s such a dynamic player. He’s a good player with speed, he’s a great shot, does a lot of things right. He’s contributed to our program hugely, but over the last two or three games, he’s really taken it up a level. He’s hungry, he’s battling hard, and he’s getting rewarded for that hard work. And that’s what you expect from the elite player. He’s getting better and better along with a lot of other guys. He just stepped up on the score sheet here tonight, and you expect that from him.”
Mrsic would ice the game with an empty net tally to complete the hat trick. Oiring assisted on the play.
“That’s obviously pretty special.” Mrsic said about his first WHL hat trick. “I think it all comes down to how we played as a team. That first period was great, second period was great. You let down in the third there, but that pushback was unreal, and thank you to all the guys. That’s how it happened.”
Max Hildebrand made 38 stops for the Raiders to earn the victory. Nathan Preston made 25 stops for the Americans.
Prince Albert returns to action on Saturday night when they welcome the Edmonton Oil Kings. Puck drops at 7 p.m.
Around The WHL
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Jordan Keller netted a hat trick as the Kamloops Blazers downed the Vancouver Giants 6-2
Ben Riche scored twice as Saskatoon edged Edmonton 3-2
Prince George knocked off Kelowna 4-3 thanks toa 31 save performance from Joshua Ravensbergen
A third period goal from Tanner Howe helped Regina edge Brandon 4-3