Hildebrand, Raiders take game one

The Saskatoon Blades and Prince Albert Raiders kicked off their opening-round playoff series in Saskatoon, where Max Hildebrand’s 41 saves and a three-goal second period was enough for the Raiders to take game one.

“He was in control most of the night against some lethal shooters, but he was the difference tonight,” said Jeff Truitt, head coach of the Prince Albert Raiders.

The Blades got the scoring started in the final minute of the first period. Recent 50-goal scorer and Anaheim Ducks prospect Egor Sidorov found the short side on the power play.

Less than a minute into the second, fellow European import player Alexander Suzdalev jumped on a turnover in the offensive zone, beating Raiders goaltender Max Hildebrand down low.

Suzdalev took a stick to the mouth on the goal leading to a four-minute power play opportunity, but the Blades couldn’t get a three-goal lead.

Aiden Oiring got the Raiders on the board with a shot through traffic, fooling Austin Elliott near the midway point of the game. Two minutes later, Easton Kovacs would tie the game.

Things went from bad to worse when a miscue at the Blades bench caused a too-many-men penalty, which the Raiders capitalized on. Ryder Ritchie completed a one-timer from Sloan Stanick to give the road team a 3-2 lead late in the second period.

“Once we got the traction going, we got a big power-play goal and we got up 3-2,” Truitt said.

“We get that other one and we get a little daylight. But we knew they were going to come back, they’re too good of a team.”

The Blades only gave up 29 goals all season when killing a penalty, but the Raiders weren’t done with special teams scoring. A bouncing puck inside the zone and a Niall Crocker rebound found their way past Elliott for a second power-play goal for the Raiders, the eventual game-winner.

“In hockey, you make your own luck as much as you can,” said Brennan Sonne, Saskatoon Blades head coach.

“If we’re doing things the way we have in our culture, and when we’re at our best, they don’t even get to the net.”

The Blades pulled their goalie with more than three minutes to go, and Sidorov scored almost the same goal as he did in the first period, from nearly the exact same spot.

But it wasn’t enough though as the Raiders held on for a 4-3 win.

“We stopped doing the things that we need to be a really good hockey team,” Sonne said. “I thought there were some good things we did in the offensive zone. I thought we showed some flashes, but I don’t think we played Blades hockey. So that will be the main thing we address.”

The Blades finished with 44 shots to the Raiders’ 20, with Trevor Wong and Egor Sidorov getting eight shots each. Prince Albert went two for three on the power play while Saskatoon scored one goal on five opportunities.

The Blades host game two on Friday at 7 p.m. at SaskTel Centre. Games three and four in Prince Albert are on Tuesday and Wednesday at the Art Hauser Centre.