With one minute left in the period, the Raiders tied the game. After a shot from Aiden Oiring, the puck was stopped and a mess started to form in front of the goal. Benett Kelly got a whack at it, then Oiring collected it again and realized he didn’t have a lane to shoot, so he passed to the left of the net for Alisher Sarkenov waiting to pot his second of the game at 19:00.
After 1: Raiders 2 – 2 Rebels, shots 13-7 Raiders
The second period started with some 4-on-4 that didn’t lead to much offence, and after a couple of powerplays exchanged back and forth the Raiders would take a lead.
At the 16:27 mark, Aiden Oiring got a chance on goal and was stopped, but a Rebels defenceman crashed into goaltender Matthew Kondro. Daxon Rudolph didn’t have a clear shot but played the puck behind the goal for Brayden Dube, and he centred it back out front for Oiring. Matthew Kondro was still down and out on the goal line, but he stuck his glove up to rob Oiring. Play stopped, the play went under review, and it was determined that Kondro’s glove crossed the line to give Oiring’s first of the playoffs.
After 2: Raiders 3 – 2 Rebels, shots 8-7 Rebels, 20-15 Raiders overall
The third period was a defensive one with the Raiders giving up the only penalty halfway through the period, but they were able to kill it off.
The Rebels would eventually pull their goaltender, but that’s when the Raiders put pressure on. Rudolph wouldn’t get an assist but would fire the puck in from his own end, but missed the net. Maddix McCagherty was streaking in to beat the icing call, and that line went to work on the forecheck. The puck eventually came out to centre for Justice Christensen, he passed ahead to McCagherty to cause a 2-on-1, and he made an unselfish play into the middle for Owen Corkish who scored his first of the playoffs at 19:44.
After 3: Raiders 4 – 2 Rebels, shots 6-5 Raiders, 26-20 Raiders overall
With an assist on the night, both Braeden Cootes and Daxon Rudolph have a point in each of the three games the Raiders have played this series with an identical 2G-4A.
The Raiders now have a 3-0 series lead and have a chance to close out their first round series with the Rebels Wednesday in Red Deer.
