By Jeff D'Andrea

Raiders stopped by Giants; Leason on top prospects; Bader gone

Jan 24, 2019 | 11:39 PM

The Prince Albert Raiders came into Thursday’s game averaging 4.6 goals per game, leading the Western Hockey League.

But they could only muster one against the Vancouver Giants, as they fell 3-1 at the Langley Events Centre in a showdown on Sportsnet.

For the Raiders, that’s only the fourth time all year they have been held to one goal or less. They’re now 40-6-0-2 on the season. The Raiders have now played all the B.C. division teams and finish with a 3-1-0-1 record.

For the Giants, that’s their season-high seventh straight victory. That gives them a 30-12-2-0 record on the year, best in the B.C. division and third in the WHL Western Conference.

Davis Koch scored a pair of goals for the Giants, including the game-winner in the second period and the empty netter from his side of centre ice with just under 30 seconds remaining in the game.

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But the biggest threat the Raiders faced on Thursday was in the Giants’ goal. Trent Miner made 31 saves on 32 Prince Albert shots to earn himself the first star of the game. He made a flurry of saves on Brett Leason, including this double late in the second period.

Brett Leason picks off a pass, but is then robbed twice by Trent Miner. Raiders still down 1-0 late in the second. pic.twitter.com/xMo0vcILx1

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) January 25, 2019

Miner also stopped Noah Gregor from point blank range with under five minutes left in the third.

Trent Miner has been excellent tonight, robbing Noah Gregor in close. He’s been a big part of the Giants’ 2-0 lead late in the third here pic.twitter.com/4wNKcIvbyb

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) January 25, 2019

Miner and the Giants held the Raiders to 0-4 with the man-advantage, which played a big part in the game as well.

“You have to take a lot at the quality opportunities that you’re getting and what you’re not getting on the power play,” Raiders assistant coach Jeff Truitt said. “If you’re not getting them, then you have to simplify and get pucks through and pucks on the net with traffic. There’s a lot of pucks that, not only on the power play but 5-on-5, that were there. We just didn’t get second opportunities on clear cut chances.”

Top Prospects Game

Raiders forward Brett Leason had a goal and an assist as his Team Orr beat Team Cherry 5-4 in overtime at the Sherwin-Williams CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game in Red Deer. He and Raiders head coach Marc Habscheid, who served as an assistant coach with Team Orr, were part of the largest comeback in Top Prospects Game history as they stormed back from a 4-1 deficit.

“It was a fun experience. It was good to be there with all the top prospects,” Leason said. “Now I’m finally back with my team and ready to get going.”

And despite being 19 years old and being passed over in the last two drafts, Brett Leason is highly ranked this year’s. TSN’s Bob McKenzie has Leason at 25^th overall in his most recent rankings, released earlier on Thursday.

Leason is also ranked 17^th among Northern American skaters by NHL Central Scouting, 30^th by ISS Hockey and 38^th by Future Considerations.

Bader no longer a Raider

Bryce Bader’s tenure as a Prince Albert Raider lasted only 13 days. The Raiders acquired Bader on Jan. 10 from the Calgary Hitmen in exchange for Quinn Olson, who is committed to the University of Minnesota-Duluth of the NCAA. Both teams also swapped conditional sixth round picks as well.

But on Wednesday, the Raiders announced that Bader left the team on Wednesday due to “personal reasons.” Bader flew to Calgary to write a final exam on Jan. 13 and did not re-join the team, the Raiders’ statement said.

The Raiders played six games since acquiring the big forward, but Bader never saw any game action with the Green and Gold. That also included a game against his former Calgary Hitmen teammates two days after the trade.

Scoring Summary

First Period

No scoring.

Second Period

1-0, Giants, Brayden Watts from Milos Roman and Trent Miner, 13:15

After the Raiders are stopped on a 2-on-1, the Giants come the other way and score courtesy of Brayden Watts. 1-0 Giants, 13:15 into the second period. pic.twitter.com/I7H3DhLVqV

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) January 25, 2019

Third Period

2-0, Giants, Davis Koch from Lukas Svejkovsky and Kaleb Bulych, 8:37

Quick transition from the Giants and Davis Koch puts up Vancouver 2-0 over the Raiders. Raiders with half a period left to respond. pic.twitter.com/8Fy06A2ukb

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) January 25, 2019

2-1, Raiders, Brayden Pachal from Kaiden Guhle, 18:32

The Raiders have life as Brayden Pachal scores through a Justin Nachbaur screen with 1:28 left and the goalie pulled. Raiders trail 2-1 and they take their timeout to try and tie this up. pic.twitter.com/vZ1Gan1JYj

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) January 25, 2019

3-1, Davis Koch (empty net, unassisted), 19:32

Davis Koch scores the empty netter to quiet the Raiders’ late push and make it a 3-1 game with 27.9 seconds left. pic.twitter.com/dga5xkr1jh

— Jeff D’Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) January 25, 2019

One more on the way back

The Raiders wrapped up their B.C. trip on Thursday, but they still have one more game in the western most province. They will take on the Kootenay ICE on Saturday as their last game of their six-game road swing.

After that, the Raiders will play their next two games at the Art Hauser Centre on the weekend, against the Edmonton Oil Kings on Friday and the Moose Jaw Warriors on Saturday.

Jeff.dandrea@jbpg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW