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WHL Prince Albert Raiders

Raiders Fall 5-4 in Prince George in Back-and-Forth Affair

October 12, 2024 - Western Hockey League (WHL)
Prince Albert Raiders News Release


The Prince Albert Raiders kicked off their BC road trip in Prince George, and came up just short, falling 5-4 to the Cougars on Saturday night. Brayden Dube, Niall Crocker, and Aiden Oiring all had two point nights, but a hat trick from Riley Heidt was the difference in the win for Prince George.

The Raiders got off to the quick start they needed, opening the scoring five minutes into the game. Brayden Dube put in some great work behind the Prince George net, forcing a turnover and setting up their first goal of the game. Stripping a Cougar of the puck, Dube fed a pass to the slot where Doogan Pederson was parked, and the Raider defenceman blasted a one timer past Joshua Ravensbergen. Pederson picked up his second goal of the season, giving Prince Albert their first goal of the BC road trip, and opening up a 1-0 lead early in the contest.

Prince George responded 2:07 later, as Riley Heidt tied the game for the home side. A great pass from Viliam Kmec sprung Heidt on a breakaway, and he was able to slip a shot five hole past Max Hildebrand. Heidt also scored his second goal of the season, as it tied the game at 1-1.

The only penalties of the first period came with 1:53 left on the clock, as Oli Chenier dropped the gloves with Patrick Sopiarz. The two were tangled up in the left corner in the Cougars zone, and gave each other a couple of shots to the chest before they agreed to fight. Sopiarz was able to get Chenier's helmet off quickly, but the Raider sophomore was able to wrestle with him, landing an uppercut before the two wrestled each other to the ice.

After 20 minutes, the Cougars outshot the Raiders 11-6, as the game was tied 1-1 heading into the second period.

2:42 into the second period, Aiden Oiring gave the Raiders their second lead of the night. Skating down the left wing, the centerman rifled a hard shot on goal that Ravensbergen got most of, but it trickled through him and just had enough gas to go over the goal line. Oiring picked up his second goal of the campaign, putting Prince Albert up 2-1.

Prince George tied the game with 12:41 left in the middle frame, as Borya Valis found the back of the net. At their own blue line, Jett Lajoie stole the puck from Justice Christensen, who was trying to leave a drop pass for Lukas Dragicevic. Lajoie turned on the jets down the other end of the ice with Valis streaking down the left wing. Entering the Raider zone and at the right circle, Lajoie sent a cross ice pass to Valis, who fired a one timer over a sprawling Hildebrand, finding the back of the net for the fourth time this season. His tally made it a 2-2 game.

Less than a minute later, the Cougars took the lead, scoring their first powerplay goal of the night. From the goal line on the left side of Hildebrand, Koehn Ziemmer poked the puck across the crease, and Heidt was able to fire home his second goal of the night, going top shelf to give Prince George a 3-2 lead.

Prince Albert responded with their first powerplay goal of the game with 5:59 left in the second, as Oiring connected with Niall Crocker, but the play was started by Tomas Mrsic. Skating down the right wing, Mrsic feathered a pass into the slot, which Crocker advanced to Oiring in the left circle. Oiring then sent a slap pass into the crease, and Crocker was able to bang home his second goal of the year. The pretty passing play tied the game up for the Raiders, as it became a 3-3 game.

The Cougars would add another powerplay goal late in the second, as Heidt completed the hat trick. At the right point, Valis sent a perfect pass to the left circle to Heidt, and he finished the play off, sniping a shot to the top right corner over Hildebrand's blocker. His third of the night gave the Cougars a 4-3 lead heading into the third period.

Prince George took their biggest lead of the night 5:29 into the third period, as Bauer Dumanski gave them a 5-3 lead with a shorthanded marker. After Matteo Danis won a faceoff in the offensive zone, Dumanski picked up the puck, wheeled to the high slot, and sniped a wrister glove side past Hildebrand. It was a clutch time for the defenceman to score his first goal of the season, as it gave the Cougars a 5-3 lead.

The Raiders would make it a one goal game with 6:59 left in regulation, as Brayden Dube made it a 5-4 game. Lukas Dragicevic set up the play, driving deep into the Cougars zone. Spinning around a defenceman, Dragicevic left the puck near the left circle, where it was poked by a Cougar onto Dube's stick. From point blank, the Raider winger fired a shot stick side over Ravensbergen, scoring his first goal of the year to make it interesting late.

Prince Albert pulled the goalie late in the third, but couldn't find the equalizer, as the Cougars held on for a 5-4 win.

The loss is Prince Albert's fifth straight. They'll look to get back in the win column on Monday afternoon in Kelowna. Puck drop is at 3:05 pm Sask time.

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