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Prince Albert Raiders forward Noah Gregor has had his chances to score, but was unable to convert in his last five playoff games.
But he sure chose a great time to end that streak as he scored twice in the second period, including the game winning goal and insurance goal as the Raiders went on to beat the Saskatoon Blades 6-1 Friday night at the Art Hauser Centre. The Raiders are now one win away from advancing to the WHL Eastern Conference finals and have a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series. Game 6 will be at the SaskTel Centre in Saskatoon at 4 p.m.
Gregor gave the Raiders a 2-0 lead with this shorthanded effort.
Noah Gregor picks off a pass shorthanded, scores on the breakaway and puts the Raiders up 2-0. pic.twitter.com/TLTosWOndP
— Jeff D'Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) April 13, 2019
“It felt really good. I thought throughout the series, I’ve had chances to score. I haven’t played my best at times but I thought tonight was a good one for me.”
Gregor had the breakout game without Cole Fonstad, his trusted playmaking linemate throughout most of the season. Fonstad missed the game to an undisclosed injury (welcome to the playoffs), but Gregor eventually clicked with Brett Leason and Dante Hannoun. Hannoun also finished the game with two goals and an assist, like Gregor did. Leason had three helpers.
“[Gregor] was like the rest, he took a while to get going. We had to adjust the lines a bit, so it was a feeling out process,” Raiders head coach Marc Habscheid said. “When we adjusted them in the second, I think that helped for him and other guys too. We patched things together, that’s playoffs. You do what you got to do to find a win. I thought he stepped forward.”
Habscheid thought throughout the series, especially in Games 3 and 4, the Raiders had stretches were they played gripped their sticks a little tight. Habscheid’s message for Game 5 Friday was very simple.
“I told the guys, ‘just play,’” Habscheid said. “We were trying to play a perfect game or whatever. We hadn’t scored, so trying hard to score, all those emotions come in. They care. No doubt it’s an important game, so we never had to worry too much about them not trying hard enough—it was about trying too hard and being too careful.”
Maier’s fire and ire
It’s been a tail of two different Nolan Maier’s in the series so far.
He’s been almost impossible to beat this series at the SaskTel Centre. In Games 3 and 4, Maier was 2-0 with a .986 save percentage and a shutout while playing on Saskatoon ice.
But at the Art Hauser Centre, it’s been a much different story.
After Friday, Maier is now 0-3 in the series, with a .849 save percentage. He has also been replaced twice by call-up Koen MacInnes, who had previously never played an WHL game until this series.
Nachbaur major
With 5:08 left in a 6-1 game, Justin Nachbaur was issued a five-minute major for this hit on Dawson Davidson. Davidson needed to be helped to the bench and appeared to have been cut on the play.
Justin Nachbaur gets a 5-minute major for interference, for this hit on Dawson Davidson. Davidson needed help getting off the ice and appeared to be cut. pic.twitter.com/qEMuMr4EKX
— Jeff D'Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) April 13, 2019
Brook smart
On Thursday, Raiders rookie Jakob Brook was named as the WHL Eastern Conference Scholastic Player of the Year.
Brook maintained a 92 per cent average in his Grade 11 year, and he had his eye on this award.
“It’s awesome. It was a goal of mine coming into the year,” Brook said. “I was just hoping to get academic for the team. It just happened that I got it for our conference. It’s awesome. I worked hard for it and I’m happy I got it.”
Scoring Summary
First Period
No scoring.
Second Period
1-0, Raiders, Dante Hannoun from Max Martin and Brett Leason (power play), 2:51
Then with McKay in the box, Dante Hannoun did this and put the Raiders up 1-0 early into the second period. pic.twitter.com/Dr5BM1xNx0
— Jeff D'Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) April 13, 2019
2-0, Raiders, Noah Gregor (shorthanded, unassisted), 6:01
Noah Gregor picks off a pass shorthanded, scores on the breakaway and puts the Raiders up 2-0. pic.twitter.com/TLTosWOndP
— Jeff D'Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) April 13, 2019
2-1, Blades, Emil Malysjev from Chase Wouters, 9:07
On the delayed penalty, Emil Malysjev gets the Blades to within a goal. He beats Scott low on the glove side. 2-1 Raiders lead, 10:53 left in the second. pic.twitter.com/QXgV1UFiS3
— Jeff D'Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) April 13, 2019
3-1, Raiders, Noah Gregor from Dante Hannoun, 10:23
Noah Gregor again. What a period and game he's having. He walks by the whole Blades team and tucks one in. 3-1 Raiders lead, 9:37 left in the second. pic.twitter.com/4RetCSNG2j
— Jeff D'Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) April 13, 2019
Third Period
4-1, Raiders, Aliaksei Protas from Brett Leason. 1:01
The Viper strikes again. Aliaksei Protas makes it 4-1 Raiders, 1:01 into the third period. Great feed from Leason. pic.twitter.com/RhOObDDZ26
— Jeff D'Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) April 13, 2019
5-1, Raiders, Dante Hannoun from Brayden Pachal and Noah Gregor, 12:31
We're in Dante's Inferno now, as Hannoun makes it 5-1 with a real nice tip in front. 7:29 left in the game. pic.twitter.com/bL2TS7ga0R
— Jeff D'Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) April 13, 2019
6-1, Raiders, Sean Montgomery from Brett Leason and Jeremy Masella, 13:54
Snipin' Sean Montgomery makes it a 6-1 game now, with 6:06 left. And that'll do it for Nolan Maier. Just like in Game 1. AP Koen MacInnes into the game. pic.twitter.com/pBjWGBn8gl
— Jeff D'Andrea (@Jeff_paNOW) April 13, 2019
Looking ahead
Game 6 will be Sunday in Saskatoon at 4 p.m. If the Raiders win, they’re into the WHL Eastern Conference. A Blades win will force a Game 7 on Tuesday, 7 p.m. at the Art Hauser Centre.