NEWS PHOTO JAMES TUBB
Prince Albert Raiders goaltender Max Hildebrand makes a pad save in the first period of Game 2 Sunday at Co-op Place. The Medicine Hat Tigers won the game 5-4 in overtime, taking a 2-0 series lead.
jtubb@medicinehatnews.com@ReporterTubb
The Prince Albert Raiders have shown an ability to push back in the WHL playoffs. As the second-round turns back to Hockeytown North, they’re going to need even more resiliency.
The Raiders return to Prince Albert trailing the regular season Eastern conference champion Medicine Hat Tigers 2-0 in the best-of-seven, second round series. Medicine Hat opened the second round with wins at Co-op Place with a 6-4 victory Saturday in Game 1 before preventing a full comeback bid Sunday with a 5-4, overtime win to take Game 2 and the series lead.
In both games Prince Albert pushed to tie the contest. In Game 1, the Raiders scored first and after trailing 5-1 through 40 minutes, scored three goals to leave the game with a sense of confidence they carried into game 2.
“This is a very resilient group, they continue to work all the way until that final buzzer and that’s been our mentality for a lot of years,” Raiders interim head coach Ryan McDonald said following Sunday’s OT loss. “Our guys will just continue to keep working.”
In the overtime game, Medicine Hat led 2-0 after 40 minutes before the Raiders and Tigers traded six goals in the final frame that saw Prince Albert score the last two, tying the game up at 4-4 and forcing overtime. They didn’t get the end result they wanted but McDonald liked how they showed fight throughout and made it a one-shot game.
“The gutsy effort to continue to fight and to continue to push,” McDonald said. “Our first period where we continue to keep the shots to a minimum and we had our opportunities to score as well too. Just good details throughout and a really good push in the third where we come to life and get pucks in behind and get on the forecheck.”
Prince Albert ran into penalty troubles in both games with a combined eight trips to the box, allowing five power play goals. They did find success on their own power plays, scoring three goals on nine chances, also allowing two short-handed goals Sunday. It’s puck management that McDonald says has to be a focus against an offensive team like the Tigers.
“They’re a team that thrives on momentum and puck management is extremely crucial against these guys and special teams,” McDonald said. “We have to make sure that we’re disciplined and not taking unnecessary penalties.”
The Raiders were without leading-scorer Tomas Mrsic through the first two games of the series as he recovers from an upper body injury suffered after taking a skate to the face on April 4 in Game 5 of the first-round series with the Edmonton Oil Kings.
It’s the second series in a row the Raiders have fallen behind, trailing Edmonton 3-1 in the first round before notching three straight wins, including two at the Art Hauser Centre, to win the series 4-3. They’ll look to show the same pushback starting Wednesday night when they host the Tigers for Game 3 at home. There were few tickets left online by press time for Games 3 and 4 at the Art Hauser Centre.
It’s a return home in front of the same supporting, Raider faithful who gave them a lights and sirens parade out of town, that will provide some comfort as they look to get back into a series for the second time.
“We have an extremely passionate fan base there,” McDonald said. “There’s nothing like playing at home. So for us, it’s get home, get a good days rest and get back to work.”
