Halifax Raiders 3 ( 0-2-1) at Vancouver Whalers 4 (2-0-0)



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SETTING THE STAGE

The Halifax Raiders are arguably the most talented team in the SMJHL at the start of the S31 season. The Raiders traveled to Vancouver after dropping their first game by only one goal and losing their second game in a shoot out. The Whalers, who struggled to score goals during the entire preseason, won their only prior contest by a 2 to 1 score.

GAME SYNOPSIS

The Raiders started strong in the first period, winning the majority of the face-offs in the first few minutes of play. The advantage in puck possession paid off when Sepp Reiter and Niklas Flower scored about two and a half minutes apart early in the first period. The Whalers got back in the game on a lay goal by Adam Kaiser at 12:15. A goal by each team late in the second period made the score 3 to 2. The Whalers powerplay unit cashed in twice in the third period to edge out the Raiders 4 to 3. At a glance, special teams play and drawing 6 penalties to the Raiders 3 was the key to the Whalers victory. Shots on goal were roughly even for the game, suggesting that Halifax had the better of the play when they were able to stay out of the penalty box.


GAME HIGHLIGHTS

1st Period Highlights

Halifax opened up the scoring at 3:26 of the first period. Sepp Reiter coughed up the puck after a hit by Victor Lindstrom, but Marc Leclerc made a nice play to retrieve the puck, keep it in the zone and get it up the wing to Isaac Kaiser. The initial shot was stopped by Max Wehner, but the rebound went right to the waiting Reiter who put it into the open side for his first SMJHL career goal.


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Sepp Reiter goal to make it Halifax 1 - Vancouver 0
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After Halifax made it 2 - 0 on a goal by Niklas Flower from Jean-Luc Reflieux and rough and tumble Greta Iversen, Vancouver scored a key goal to keep them in the game. The Whalers had dumped the puck into the Halifax zone on a line change. Taro Tsujimoto got into the offensive zone quickly and intercepted a Greta Iverson pass. Tsujimoto found Frank Latta who got the puck back to the point to Adam Kaiser. Kaiser let the shot go with Latta screening in front of the net and Pel never saw the puck. The time of the goal was 12:15.



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Adam Kaiser celebrates goal making the score Halifax 2 - Vancouver 1</div>



2nd Period

After Vancouver tied the game at two on a goal by Ludwig Koch Schroder from Jon Ross and Steven Stamkos Jr. at 19:15 on the powerplay, Halifax scored what appeared to be the backbreaker at 19:43. The puck was retrieved by Niklas Flower in the corner and sent around the net to Reflieux. Reflieux found Joey Ryan in front for the go ahead goal to make it Halifax 3 Vancouver 2 with just 17 seconds remaining in the second period.


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Joey Ryan scores Halifax goal to make the score Halifax 3 - Vancouver 2</div>



3rd Period

It was a tough period for Raider Alexander Komarov who took two penalties that the Whalers capitalized on. First, Ludwig Koch Schroder scored the tying goal on the powerplay at 12:15 from Frank Latta and Dusty Cox.

Then, Schroder started the play up the ice from the Vancouver zone on the second powerplay. The Whalers passed the puck around until Ludwig Koch Schroder let the shot go just inside the blueline. Steven Stamkos Jr. deflected the shot in front of the net and by the glove of Pel for the game winning goal. Goal by Steven Stamkos Jr. - Halifax Raiders : 3 - Vancouver Whalers : 4.




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GAME WINNING GOAL - STAMKOS JR. makes it Vancouver 4 - Halifax 3</div>



THREE STARS

1 - Ludwig Koch Schroder (VAN) 2 Goals, 1 Assist, 6 Shots on Goal, 1 Hit +2
2 - Niklas Flower (HAL) 1 Goal, 1 Assist, 6 Shots on Goal, +2
3 - Joey Ryan (HAL) 1 Goal, 1 Shot on Goal, 1 Hit +2


TARO'S HONORABLE MENTION (The Fourth Stars)

* Jean-Luc Reflieux (HAL) 2 Assists, 4 Shots on Goal, 1 Blocked Shot, +2
* Steven Stamkos Jr. (VAN) 1 Goal, 1 Assist, 6 Shots on Goal, -1


When Mr Schroder took the ice for the first star honor, he was greeted with an interesting musical selection.




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