The Central Saskatchewan rivals split their weekend home-and-home series the road way!
After the Saskatoon Blades pulled out a 3-2 overtime decision Friday in Prince Albert, the Raiders bounced back Saturday for a 1-0 triumph on Nolan Maier Bobblehead Night and before a season-high crowd of 4,580 fans at SaskTel Centre. Each team has beaten the other four times in the season series, three times each in the other’s home rink. Belarus rookie Tikhon Chaika stopped 31 shots for his third shutout of the season while Chicago Blackhawks’ 2021 first round draft pick Nolan Allan scored the game’s only goal, beating Maier from the slot four seconds after a P-A power play ended with 7:48 remaining in the third period. Chaika was busiest in the first two periods, stopping 25 shots in the first 40 minutes. He denied countryman Egor Sidorov eight times after Sidorov tallied the extra time winner Friday. It was the sixth time the Bridge City Bunch have been blanked this season, ending a three-game winning streak plus a run of eight consecutive games with at least one point in the standings and seven straight home games with at least one point in the standings. The loss prevented the 32-19-4 Blue and Gold from taking over fourth place in the Eastern Conference after Moose Jaw lost 5-3 at home to Lethbridge. The Warriors remain a point ahead of the Blades. As for the Raiders, the win improved their record to 23-28-4, giving them sole possession of the eighth and final playoff spot in the East. The win also upped their streak of games picking up at least one point in the standings to five, four of those being wins. Saskatoon hit the road for three games next week…Tuesday in Red Deer, Wednesday in Edmonton and Saturday back in Prince Albert. Following is the official game summary from the W-H-L, plus Les Lazaruk’s Post-Game Show interviews with head coach Brennan Sonne and defenceman Aidan De La Gorgendiere…..
Prince Albert Raiders 1 at Saskatoon Blades 0 – Status: Final
Saturday, March 12, 2022 – SaskTel Centre – Saskatoon, SK
Prince Albert 0 0 1 – 1
Saskatoon 0 0 0 – 0
1st Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Kosior Pa (embellishment), 11:05; De La Gorgendiere Sas (tripping), 11:05; served by Sidorov Sas (too many men), 12:46; Wiesblatt Pa (instigator, major-fighting, 10-minute misconduct), 19:56; Rhinehart Sas (major-fighting), 19:56.
2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Herman Pa (roughing), 8:03; Pakkala Pa (checking from behind), 14:20.
3rd Period-1, Prince Albert, Allan 4 (Stanick, Sanders), 12:12. Penalties-Molendyk Sas (holding), 10:08; Stanick Pa (tripping), 16:11; Crnkovic Sas (holding opp. stick), 18:40.
Shots on Goal-Prince Albert 13-8-8-29. Saskatoon 16-9-6-31.
Power Play Opportunities-Prince Albert 0 / 3; Saskatoon 0 / 4.
Goalies-Prince Albert, Chaika 17-15-2-1 (31 shots-31 saves). Saskatoon, Maier 26-16-3-1 (29 shots-28 saves).
A-4,580
Referees-Ben Croker, Steve Papp (17).
Linesmen-Andrew Sawatsky (123), Levi Schutz (110).
