PA Liberal Association Chair resigns in protest over Carney environmental policies

Jason Kerr
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PA Liberal Association Chair resigns in protest over Carney environmental policies

Former Liberal Party candidate says she would still vote for party, but won’t volunteer or donate given current direction

Jason Kerr

Daily Herald

The Chair of the Prince Albert Federal Liberal Association has resigned in protest of Prime Minister Mark Carney’s environmental policies.

Estelle Hjertaas, a Prince Albert lawyer and former Liberal Party candidate, announced she was resigning as PA Liberal Association Chair in a letter to the Liberal Party of Canada’s National Board of Directors on Dec. 7.

Hjertaas said she would still vote for a Carney-led Liberal Party were an election held today, but will not donate continue to serve as Chair given the party’s environmental record under his leadership.


“I can’t volunteer for a party that isn’t prioritizing the environment and is rolling back the environmental policies that I was really proud of,” Hrjertaas said in an interview with the Daily Herald.

“I am, in my letter, asking Mr. Carney to be a bold leader, and I think he can. If anyone can do this, it’s him. He has all-star credentials in so many fields. He understands climate change. I think he could be the absolute visionary leader that we need in Canada and globally. I think he has that opportunity, and I think he could still do it, but I’m not seeing that from him now.”

Hjertaas has been a federal Liberal Party volunteer for more than 20 years. She worked in the party office, and ran as a candidate in the 2019 and 2021 federal elections.

Hjertaas said she made it clear in 2019 that she opposed the TransMountain project, but would support building another pipeline if it led to “goodwill and positive environmental policies” in Alberta and Saskatchewan. She also hoped it would help convince the oil industry to move forward with Net Zero targets in exchange.

Instead, Hjertaas said the move backfired. She said voters on both sides of the issue were angry about the waste of public dollars while pro-pipeline voters didn’t like how long it was taking to build.

“I did not ever detect any goodwill generated from building the TransMountain pipeline, and by 2021 costs had exploded and people were angry about that,” Hjertaas wrote in her resignation letter. “Alberta has now rolled back environmental policies, the oil companies quietly dropped Net Zero language, and now the federal government has removed a number of the environmental policies that I was proud to see as a candidate.”

Hjertaas criticized the Carney government for cutting their tree-planting pledge by half. Previously, the government promised to plan two billion trees by 2031, but will now only plant one billion.

She also criticized the government’s investments in carbon capture and storage, saying it is very expensive and doesn’t reduce emissions. She said promises to add more LNG terminals would cause the same environmental and health issues as fracking. She also said the federal government has not seriously explored “the opportunities presented by regenerative agriculture and rewilding, despite it being a part of most recommendations on how to address climate change.”

Hjertaas also opposed dismantling consumer carbon pricing, the Zero Emission Vehicle Standard, the oil and gas sector emissions cap, the framework to eliminate fossil fuel subsidies and the Clean Electricity Regulations, among other issues.

Hjertaas said climate change is “an existential crisis” and if current climate models hold, the past few years will look great in comparison.

“This is the biggest issue,” she said in an interview. “It’s not a popular issue. I understand that, but Mr. Carney has the knowledge and he has the background on this that he could be a bold leader to do something about it. Everyone I knew who really cared about climate change voted for him as leader because they thought he was going to be the person to take action on it.

“I can’t speak for tonnes of people, but those people have been disappointed.”

In her letter, Hjertaas wrote that it wasn’t easy to be a Liberal candidate in a very conservative rural riding. By putting her name forward, she wrote, she faced plenty of online—and sometimes in-person—abuse.

She said the personal cost was worth it she was standing up for something she believed in, but that is no longer the case.

The Prince Albert Daily Herald reached out to the Liberal Party of Canada for comment but did not receive a response by press time.

Hjertaas said the Liberal Party’s environmental policies were what convinced her to switch her support from the NDP to the Liberals two decades ago. She’s disappointed in the party’s direction, and said she’s not the only one.

“What I’ve heard from other party members is that I’m not alone in feeling this way,” she said. “I hope that other people say similar things and that that leads him (the Prime Minister) to change course and announce some significant environmental policies.”

@kerr_jas • jason.kerr@paherald.sk.ca

New acquisition Gorzynski torches Rockets for 5 points in penalty-filled Raider win

Jason Kerr
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New acquisition Gorzynski torches Rockets for 5 points in penalty-filled Raider win

Christmas came early for the Prince Albert Raiders on Friday.

The 2026 Memorial Cup host Kelowna Rockets sent the Raiders into the holiday break on a high note, gifting Prince Albert nine power play opportunities in a penalty filled 8-3 Raider win at the Art Hauser Centre.

“You’ve got to be a disciplined team if you want to go far in this league,” said forward Aiden Oiring who scored one of Prince Albert’s five power play goals. “That’s a good game for us to practice that. We might see these guys again in the future. You never know.”

Owen Hayden’s high-sticking penalty a little over three minutes into the first period was a harbinger of things to come. The Raiders already led 1-0 thanks to a Linden Burrett goal 1:18 into the first when Hayden went to the box. Roughly a minute later, Justice Christensen hammered a one-timer past Kelowna starting goalie Harrison Boettiger for a 2-0 lead.

It was Christensen’s third power play goal of the season, and the start of a dominant night for the Prince Albert special teams.

“I just really liked our puck movement,” Raiders coach Ryan McDonald said when asked about the success with the extra man. “We created some fantastic looks. We created those opportunities, but capitalized on those chances. Guys put the puck to the net hard and we went to the net hard (and) recovered plays well.”

Several Raiders benefited from the Kelowna penalty-parade, by none moreso than new trade acquisition Brandon Gorzynski. Playing in just his second game after being picked up from Calgary, Gorzynski torched the Rockets for three goals and two assists. Four of those five points came on the power play.

After the game, the 6’2, 190 pound winger from Scottsdale, Arizona credited his teammates for the strong showing.

“They made it pretty fun,” Gorzynski said with a grin. “It’s pretty easy when you have guys like that to play with. It was a fun game to play.”

With Rockets defenceman Mazden Leslie in the box for cross-checking, Gorzynski beat Boettiger over the shoulder from the bottom of the face-off circle to give Prince Albert a 3-0 first period lead.

In the second, he stickhandled into the slot and flipped a back-hand into the top left-hand corner. The early second period goal gave the Raiders a 5-1 lead, and chased Boettiger from the Kelowan crease.

In the third, he took a Daxon Rudolph pass and wired a wrist shot into the top left-hand corner for this third of the night. Gorzynski and his new teammates celebrated by the bench while the officiating crew cleaned up roughly a dozen hats that came tumbling onto the ice.

“He plays hard,” McDonald said when asked about Gorzynski. “He leans on guys. He has a tremendous shot. You saw that one from the goal line on a half-wall board side cycle on the power play where he tucks it short-side shelf. (I’m) just really happy to see him get rewarded there with that third one and again, just really happy with his body of work since he’s been here.”

The combination of Oiring and Gorzynski paid plenty of dividends. Oiring assisted on all of Gorzynski’s goals, while Gorzynski drew the primary assist on Oiring’s third period power play marker.

Both players were pleasantly surprised with the results.

“Me and AO haven’t played much together, haven’t even practiced together, and we found each other a few times out there,” Gorzynski said. “It was kind of refreshing, and just exciting for the future.”

“We found each other down-low and (found) new plays where we’re not trying to force them,” Oiring added. “We’re just taking what they’re giving us and it’s working out.”

There was just one blemish on Gorzynski’s home debut: a whiffed second period pass that ended up on Dawson Gerwing’s stick. The big left winger from Meadow Lake wasted no time firing the puck over Prince Albert starter Dimitri Fortin’s shoulder with 3:30 to play in the second period.

It was the Rockets’ last goal of the game. The third period turned chippy, with both teams combining for more than 60 minutes in penalties. The Raiders continued their dominance in the third, firing 19 shots on Kelowna back-up Josh Banini, and scoring two more power play goals for a convincing 8-3 win.

“I think that’s what happens when you’re frustrated,” Gorzynski said. “They were frustrated and we kind of just let them do that. We’ll just score on you on the power play.”

News and Notes:

• Dimitri Fortin made 37 saves in the Prince Albert goal, 17 of which came in a busy second period. Fortin stopped Carson Wetsch on a breakaway midway through the second, then stopped Jaxon Kehrig on a 2-on-0 break not long after. Fortin then made a sprawling pad save on Levi Benson, who found himself all alone with the puck in the slot seconds before the buzzer sounded.

• The Raiders struck twice in the third period, but things could have been much worse if it wasn’t for Banini’s efforts. The Kelowna stopper’s biggest save came on defenceman Brock Cripps, who almost had the goal of the year. Cripps stickhandled passed three Rockets and around the goal, but Banini denied him with a sliding toe save on the attempted wrap-around.

• Riley Boychuk scored the third of Prince Albert’s five power play goals when he fired a wrist shot off the post and in with 6:54 to play in the second period.

• Jonah Sivertson’s goal 1:24 into the second period stood up as the game winner. Sivertson picked up the puck after a blocked shot and fired it high blocker side on Boettiger. Benett Kelly and Maddix McCagherty drew the assists.

• The Raiders dressed only 11 forwards on Friday. They were without Max Heise who has an upper body injury, but is expected back after Christmas. They were also without Alisher Sarkenov, who just finished representing Kazakhstan at the 2026 IIHF Division I, Group A U20 World Championship in Slovenia. The Raiders expect Sarkenov to be back in the lineup for their Dec. 27 game in Swift Current.

• Rockets assistant captain Mazden Leslie received a two minute minor for mixing it up with Aiden Oiring after the whistle, then received a 10 minute misconduct for tossing Oiring to the ice while heading to the penalty box. The scrum was one of several that broke out in the third period. The Raiders responded by putting their top unit out for the last half of the power play. That led to Gorzynski’s third goal, which made it 8-3 with 5:12 to play. After the game, McDonald said they didn’t put their top power play unit on the ice to send a message. It was just business as usual. “We started with the second unit and then the first unit goes out there again,” McDonald said. “You’re always trying to get reps and you’re always trying to fine tune things and get different looks.”

• Gorzynski is quickly acclimatizing to life in Prince Albert, but said the deal that brought him here was unexpected. “I didn’t even think it would happen,” he said. “I loved being in Calgary. Nothing against them, but I know they’ve got a really good team here. I’m excited to be here, and that was a fun game to kind of encourage me to keep wanting to be here.”

• The Raiders are off until Dec. 27 when they take on the Swift Current Broncos in the first game of a home-and-home series. Game two is scheduled for Dec. 29 at the Art Hauser Centre. Puck drop is 7 p.m.

Marauders seek path back to Hoopla, prepare to face Crusaders in annual Food Bank Game

Jason Kerr
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Marauders seek path back to Hoopla, prepare to face Crusaders in annual Food Bank Game

It’s been a couple of years since the St. Mary Marauders Sr. Boys basketball team qualified for provincials, but this year’s squad plans on changing that trend.

The Marauder Boys started the season red hot, opening with eight wins in their first three tournaments, including an 84-62 victory over the O’Neill Titans of Regina in the Centennial Chargers Charity Classic championship match on Saturday.

“It’s a fun, energetic team,” said power forward John Halcro, who had 12 points in St. Mary’s win over O’Neill.

“We have a bunch of guys who just want to play basketball. Everyone’s buying into the program. Everyone’s bringing energy and it’s really helping our team.”

The Marauders entered this season with a smaller squad, but have racked up the wins with their team speed and up-tempo offence.

In Saskatoon, they defeated the Bedford Road Redhawks 86-74 in the A-side quarterfinals, then downed the North Battleford Vikings 75-64 in the semis, setting up a A-side final match-up with O’Neill.

“I think, (it’s) a good combination of leaders and Grade 12s, and then mix in some very energetic younger players, and I think we have a pretty good balance,” St. Mary head coach David Seto said. “Couldn’t ask for a better start, but it’s a long season so we’ll see what happens.

“I was very happy with the final (against O’Neill). I thought in every facet of the game we were playing pretty well.”

“The coaching’s been very good, and also the practices and intensity,” point guard Merddy Nkayilu added. “All the guys just want to win, and just prove to everyone that we’re a very good team and can compete against very good teams.”

The Marauders will hope to extend their winning streak on Wednesday when they meet their cross-town rivals, the Carlton Crusaders, in the annual Food Bank game. Last season, the Crusaders struck early and often on route to a 93-56 win on home court.

“We’ve got to outshoot them and … just play real big down low,” Halcro said. “They’re quite a big team, so I feel like we can outrun them. We just need to hit some shots and make sure they don’t get too dominant in the paint.”

This year, the Marauders will have home court advantage. Seto said the Crusaders are a big, physical team, but he’s confident it’s going to be a competitive game.

“It’s different styles. We are a little bit more, maybe, fast and like to run and gun a bit, and they obviously have size. It’s going to be different styles, but I think we’re both good teams and hopefully it will be a good game.”

Regardless of how Wednesday’s game plays out, the Marauders are laser-focused on getting back to Hoopla.

For Grade 12 starters like centre Tymoor McKay, this will be the last chance to qualify for high school basketball’s most prestigious tournament. He’s confident this year’s team will be the one to do it, but said the route won’t be easy.

“Hoopla is always the goal, for sure,” he said. “Of course, winning this game (the Food Bank Game) would be really crucial. It would help us in our rankings, but I think just keep continuing to win games (will help).

“Our team is a lot better than it has been in the past few years and I’m really proud,” he added. “I’ve been on the team for three years and it’s a great program…. I think we just need to trust in our shooting and our running because we’re a transition team. We need to just trust in our abilities and believe in each other.”

Wednesday’s annual Food Bank Game gets underway at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday at St. Mary High School. The cost of admission is a non-perishable food item. All items collected will be donated to the Prince Albert Food Bank.

For a full preview of the Carlton Crusaders Sr. Boys basketball team, see the Saturday, Nov. 29 edition of the Daily Herald.

Raiders trade Meunier and picks to Hitmen for Brandon Gorzynski

Jason Kerr
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Raiders trade Meunier and picks to Hitmen for Brandon Gorzynski

In exchange, the Raiders parted with forward Ty Meunier, a second round pick in 2026, and a conditional fourth round pick in 2027.

“I like everything about his game,” Raiders GM said when asked about Gorzynski. “I think he’s a 200 foot player. He’s got a rocket for a shot. He goes to tough areas. He’s an all-situation player, and we were really excited to pick him up. We think he compliments our group.”

The 18-year-old Gorzynski was the 15th overall pick in the 2022 U.S. Priority Draft. He was selected by the Dallas Stars in the fourth round of the 2025 NHL draft, and has 13 goals and 16 assists in 27 games with the Hitmen this season.

“We think he can play with anybody in our line-up,” Hunt said. “That will be a coaching challenge to figure out the best chemistry moving forward, but I think we’re a good team. We’re a real good team now. I think we’re a better team today.”

Ty Meunier is the biggest piece headed the other way. The former seventh overall pick from the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft scored 14 goals and added 15 assists in 68 games his rookie season. This year, the St. Albert, Alta. product has six goals and nine assists in 29 games.

“I wanted to be more patient with Ty,” Hunt said. “I think more of this is a little bit of his frustration—maybe a sophomore jinx, maybe be wanted more than we could give him now or maybe that he’d earned now, but you know what? I think this is a good move for him too.

“Calgary is building around that age group. They’ve got a real good group of young players, him included. We’re real appreciative for what Ty’s done for us and we certainly wish him the best of luck moving forward.”

Hitmen GM Garry Davidson said they were happy to get a player of Meuneir’s calibre.

“Ty is a skilled player who will be a great addition to our young forwards,” Davidson said in a press release. “We believe he has potential to grow into an impactful offensive player for the Hitmen both this year and beyond.”

The Raiders are on a five-game winning streak and currently sit on top of the WHL’s Eastern Conference. Their 48 points are one more than the second place Medicine Hat Tigers. The Raiders also have two games in hand on the Central Division leaders.

When asked if there was any hesitancy to tinker with a roster having so much success, Hunt said they evaluate everything, but couldn’t pass up a chance to add Gorzynski.

“This is a bigger, stronger kid … and a guy we think just gets us that much closer to the ultimate goal,” Hunt said. “Certainly you’ve got to play the games and we’ve got a lot of hockey to play, but we’re excited about the move.”

The Raiders are back on the ice Wednesday night when they take on the Regina Pats at the Brandt Centre in Regina. Puck drop is 7 p.m.

News and Notes:

• The Gorzynski trade was the second deal of the day for the Calgary Hitmen. They also acquired Regina Pats leading scorer Julien Maze in exchange for a pair of third round picks.

Raiders defeat Blades with second period offensive outburst

Jason Kerr
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Raiders defeat Blades with second period offensive outburst

The Prince Albert Raider spotted the Saskatoon Blades a two goal lead before roaring back to win their third game in three days on Sunday.

Brayden Dube, Brock Cripps, and captain Justice Christensen all scored in a dominant second period where the Raiders outshot the Blades 18-10, scored three goals, and erased a 3-1 Saskatoon lead.

“We got our skating legs going,” Raiders head coach Ryan McDonald said when asked what the difference was in the second period. “(We) continued to play north, play behind, won the backboards, created some o-zone time and then won the back walls. Again, our battle level, we just continued to increase it as the game went on.”

The Blades responded quickly in the third period after falling behind in the second. Former Raider Tyrone Sobry fired a wrist shot from the point past a heavily screened Dimitri Fortin to tie the game up at four just 2:20 into the final frame.

However, Raiders forward Evan Smith put the Raiders up for good a few minutes later when he drove to the net, outmuscled a Saskatoon defenceman, chipped the puck over sprawling Blades goaltender Evan Gardner.

“A real gutsy win (and) gusty weekend,” McDonald said. “Three in three is never an easy thing, especially the short turnaround from Saturday 7 p.m. to Sunday 4 p.m. Again, the guys used everything that was in the take and battled right until the end and did a fantastic job.”

Sunday afternoon’s affair opened the way you would expect when two divisional rivals meet. Christensen and Blades captain Tyler Parr dropped the gloves for a spirited fight just 37 seconds into the first period. It was the second fight of the year for the Raider captain, and the third for Parr, who enthusiastically clapped his hands on the way to the penalty box after the officials stepped in.

The goals game quickly once the scoring started. Kayden Harsanyi and Kazden Mathies put Saskatoon up 2-0 with goals just 20 seconds apart.

Daxon Rudolph cut the lead to one with his 13th of the season just 35 seconds after Mathies scored, but Tristen Doyle restored Saskatoon’s two goal lead with a power play marker nearly three minutes later.

The Raiders responded early in the second. Brayden Dube hammered a one-timer past Gardner on the power play just 1:09 into the period. Brock Cripps made it 3-3 when he drove to the net and deflected a Connor Howe pass over the goal line.

The Raiders took the lead on one of the strangest goals of the season. Justice Christensen tried to feed Rudolph a cross-ice pass from the blueline, but the puck bounced off the legs of Blades centre Cooper Williams, then off the skate of winger Ben Bowtell, before trickling through Gardner’s legs.

The Raiders are back on the ice Wednesday night when they take on the Regina Pats in Regina. Puck drop is 7 p.m.

News and Notes

• Fortin made 22 stops to earn the win for Prince Albert. Gardener made 30 saves in the Saskatoon crease.

• The Raiders were 1/2 on the power play. The Blades were 1/4.

Raiders score 5 unanswered goals to defeat Hurricanes on Teddy Bear Toss night

Jason Kerr
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Raiders score 5 unanswered goals to defeat Hurricanes on Teddy Bear Toss night

It took roughly seven minutes of game time on Saturday before the Art Hauser Centre ice was covered with teddy bears.

A crowd of 2,678 watched as Prince Albert Raiders forward Brayden Dube stole the puck from a Lethbridge Hurricanes defenceman and made a perfect back-door pass to Aiden Oiring who tapped it into a gaping net.

Fans wasted little time sending wave after wave of stuffed toys whirling over the glass while the Raiders poured off the bench to mob Oiring and his linemates in the corner.

“Definitely fun,” Oiring said with a grin after the Raiders defeated the visiting Hurricanes 5-1. “Being a part of a lot of Teddy Bear Toss goals, but never being the one who scored it, it’s definitely a great feeling. Looking around and everyone coming to hug you off the bench is definitely a great feeling.”

Oiring’s goal did more than send the Art Hauser Centre crowd into a frenzy. It tied up a hockey game the Raiders had thoroughly dominated without leading.

The Raiders outshot the Hurricanes 8-3 before Oiring’s goal, but trailed 1-0 after a loose puck bounced right to Owen Berge in the slot. The Edmonton product showed great patience before depositing it behind Prince Albert starter Steele Bass less than three minutes into the first period.

“Just have a short memory on the bench and on the ice,” Oiring said when asked how the Raiders handled being down early despite dominating the game. “Unlucky bounce kind of for Basser and the guys on the ice, but you’ve got to go out there next shift and keep playing our game.”

The Raiders did just that, firing 33 shots on target in the first two periods, and chasing Lethbridge starter Koen Cleaver with five unanswered goals.

“We know we’re a good team,” said Raiders defenceman Benett Kelly, who had a goal and an assist in Saturday’s win. “We knew we were playing well before that bounce happened. We know we’ll play well after that bounce. We just have to stick to that mindset of ‘we know we’re a good team, so just play like it.’”

The rally started with Dube’s pass to Oiring. The line of Oiring, Dube, and Max Heise gave the Hurricanes fits all night. They combined for the Teddy Bear Toss goal in the first, and were at it again for the highlight of the night in the second.

Heise fed Oiring a seeing-eye pass after the latter snuck in behind the Lethbridge defence. Oiring then deftly maneuvered around Cleaver before sliding the puck into the empty net. Oiring was tripped up on the play, and slid face-first across the goal line not long after the puck did.

“They continue to keep getting better and better,” Raiders coach Ryan McDonald said.

“The speed they possess, that line, and the puck possession and their ability to attack down the middle and then create offence but also exit fast and play through the neutral zone fast makes them a really complete line.”

They didn’t do it all by themselves though. Daxon Rudolph scored the game winner with roughly four minutes to play in the first. His shot from the point snuck through Cleaver’s equipment and trickled into the net with 3:44 to play, making it 2-1.

Ty Meunier made it 3-1 early in the second when he hammered a one-timer off the post and in following a great feed from Riley Boychuck. Kelly made it 4-1 just after the midway point on another one-timer. This time it was Maddix McCagherty who put the puck on a platter.

Oiring capped it off with his highlight reel goal four minutes later.

Prince Albert Raiders forward Brayden Dube tries to evade Lethbridge Hurricanes defenceman Fraser Leonard during Prince Albert’s 5-1 win over Lethbridge at the Art Hauser Centre on Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025. — Jason Kerr/Daily Herald

“I think we controlled the blue lines really well,” Oiring said. “Not a lot of turnovers coming back our way. We like to keep going north, getting it deep and then getting on our forecheck there and making it hard for their D-men to break it out. I think we did a good job of doing that and just making it hard for them to bring the puck out.”

“We really liked our pace tonight—our breakout pace, our neutral zone pace, our neutral zone puck decisions, getting into the o-zone,” McDonald added. “Our pace continued to pick up in the o-zone and (we) let the puck do the work. We had some fantastic o-zone movement, had some great slings, and again, got rewarded.”

Leif Oaten replaced Cleaver in the Hurricanes crease at the start of the third period and was nowhere near as busy. The rookie third round pick out of Calgary only needed to make seven saves as penalties bogged down the Raider attack.

Lethbridge had only four power plays all game, but three of them came in the third period.

In the Prince Albert goal, Steele Bass got his second start of the WHL season, and his first since being called up from the SJHL’s Battlefords North Stars.

Bass was solid in the third period, stopping all eight Lethbridge shots he faced for his second career WHL win.

“Basser made the big saves for us when he needed to,” McDonald said. “(He was) just fantastic. Again, great goalie. Great kid. Works his butt off. He made some real tough saves on some penalty kill situations. When he was called upon he was there and did a great job for us.”

The Raiders are back on the ice Sunday afternoon for their third game in three days. They take on the Saskatoon Blades at the SaskTel Centre. Puck drop is 4 p.m.

News and Notes:

• Boychuk had two assists on Saturday, giving him 23 on the year. The Raiders’ number two overall pick from 2023 now has 28 points in 29 games. Last season he had 29 points in 63 games.

• Raiders defenceman Hubert Clarke had the hit of the night when he bowled over Lethbridge winger Kade Duell at the Prince Albert blue line.

• Saturday night was blowout night in the WHL. The Raiders-Hurricanes contest was one of the closer affairs. In the East, the Medicine Hat Tigers trounced Swift Current 10-2, while the Calgary Hitmen hammered Red Deer 9-0. Out west, the Penticton Vees scored early and often in an 8-1 win over Portland.

• It’s not often two teams combine for 12 goals and still can’t say they’re the highest scoring game of the night. That’s what happened on Saturday, however. The Tigers and Broncos combined for 12 goals, but were still one shy of the 13 the Kelowna Rockets and Regina Pats treated fans to at the Brandt Centre. Kelowna skated away with an 8-5 win.

• First overall pick Maddox Schultz was in the lineup for Regina. Schultz scored two goals, one of which came on a first period power play.

Sivertson shows offensive flair in Prince Albert

Jason Kerr
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Sivertson shows offensive flair in Prince Albert

Prince Albert Raiders forward Jonah Sivertson has two of the most talked about goals so far this season, but don’t expect him to, er, talk about it.

The Regina product dazzled fans and the Brandon Wheat Kings with his slick stickhandling on route to scoring the winning goal at Assiniboine Credit Union Place on Nov. 28.

One night later, he followed that up with another great display of patience and stickhandling that got the Raiders on the board in a 3-2 home loss to Medicine Hat.

So what does the former Regina Pat Canadian have to say about those goals? Well … not much.

“I had a couple buddies just say, nice goal, but two really good teams, Brandon and Med Hat,” Sivertson said when asked about the highlight reel tallies. “We came out a little slow against Brandon, but we got our legs going and we grinded it out and ended up winning a really good hockey game 2-1.

“Medicine Hat, kind of the same story. We had a slow first period, and then I thought we played really well in the second and third. Unfortunate bounce, but you can’t win them all.”

It turns out, Sivertson would rather talk about the team than the goals. But you can’t blame him. Although he’s only a rookie with the Raiders, Sivertson has plenty of big game experience.

He was part of the Regina Pat Canadians team that won the Saskatchewan U18 AAA Hockey League crown, then advanced to the Telus Cup, where they beat the Chevaliers de Lévis 3-2 in overtime to win the gold medal.

Now in the WHL, Sivertson wants to keep winning.

“It’s a big jump (to the WHL) for sure,” he said. “It’s really good hockey. All the guys welcomed me into the team, our 20-year-olds, it’s just been really fun to be here.”

Heading into Friday’s game against Swift Current, the Raiders are the class of the WHL’s East Division and Sivertson has been a big part it.

The Regina product has nine goals this season, 12th among all WHL rookies, plus seven assists in 27 games. At 6’3 and 193 pounds, he’s also been called on to throw his weight around on behalf of his smaller teammates.

While Sivertson may be hesitant to talk about his own play, his efforts haven’t gone unnoticed.

“He’s been contributing lots,” Raiders captain Justice Christensen said. “Those two goals like you talked about were beauties. That was nice for him. He’s just continuing to build his game. The defensive side’s getting a lot better. Offensive side, he’s a threat all over the ice.”

“He used his frame extremely well, got in between guys with some good leverage, got in on the forecheck, kept pucks coming north, played on his toes, and was a beast around the net,” Raiders coach Ryan McDonald said following the Nov. 29 loss to Medicine Hat.

“He doesn’t need too many opportunities when he’s coming downhill with the hands and the offensive IQ that he does have to make it count. What a goal.”

Sivertson scored plenty at the U18 AAA level. He was almost unstoppable at the Telus Cup, posting 14 points in just seven games against the best U18 teams in the country. Only WHL first overall pick Maddox Schultz had more.

The WHL pace is a lot quicker than the U18 AAA level, Sivertson said, but he’s enjoyed the challenge.

“It’s a faster and heavier game,” he said. “It can definitely be difficult to get used to. You’ve just got to manage your game and see what you can bring from there into this league.”

Offence scores in waves as Raiders skate to 7-4 victory

Jason Kerr
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Offence scores in waves as Raiders skate to 7-4 victory

The Prince Albert Raiders have relied on their incredible depth to open up a 10 point lead in the WHL’s East Division, and that depth propelled them to victory again on Friday.

The Raiders received seven goals from six different goal scorers in a 7-4 thumping of the Swift Current Broncos.  Owen Corkish led the way with two goals, including the game winner, but the rest of the offence came by all corners as the Raiders won their third straight game.

“The luxury of having depth of scoring has been tremendous for us this season,” coach Ryan McDonald said after the game. “We do it by committee.”

The list of contributors ran from leading goal scorer Max Heise, who notched his 14th of the season, to reliable stay-at-home defenceman Benett Kelly, who recorded his second of the season with less than seven minutes to play in the first.

Overagers Brayden Dube and Aiden Oiring chipped in, as did draft-eligible defenceman Daxon Rudolph.

The Raider offence came from all angles on Friday, as the club built up a 6-1 lead heading into the final 12 minutes of the third period and held on for the win.

“We played direct,” McDonald said. “We played simple. We played north in a hurry. We got pucks in behind, whether we’re spotting them to dots or getting in on our forecheck, used our feet to create our chances and really created some o-zone time.”

With Michal Orsulak away at the World Juniors, Dimitri Fortin got the start in goal for the Raiders. The Winnipeg product had a fairly quiet first 40 minutes, facing 12 shots and giving up just one goal.

Down 4-0 and with less than a minute to play in the second, the Broncos cashed in on one of their five power play opportunities when local product Parker Rondeau poked in a loose puck before Fortin could smother it. That was the only blemish through 40 minutes, as the Raiders smothered the Bronco attack.

At the other end of the ice, Prince Albert pelted Swift Current starter Aiden Eskit with 22 shots in 34 minutes of action. Joey Rocha came in in relief after Rudolph’s second period goal, which made it 4-0, and faired slightly better.

Rocha gave up two goals on 15 shots. The final goal, courtesy of Aiden Oiring, came with the goalie pulled.

“We were good in all three zones,” McDonald said. “Our breakouts, when we were rolling, we were getting pucks out quick, we were being direct, we were playing fast through the neutral zone and playing to the weak side, what creates our space for us.”

Friday’s game could have gotten out of hand when Dube shrugged off a Bronco defenceman and shovelled a cross-ice pass from Heise into an open goal to make it 6-1. However, the home-side rallied for three goals in the final 11 minutes to make it 6-4, and throw a scare into Hockeytown North.

McDonald gave the Broncos full credit for their play in the final frame.

“They started pushing,” he said. “They started flying (and) getting guys behind (the defence). That’s a really good learning lesson for us, making sure we’re managing pucks, (and) making sure we’re managing guys in front of us.”

Friday’s win was Prince Albert’s third straight Teddy Bear Toss victory. They’ll have a chance to go for four on Friday when they welcome the Lethbridge Hurricanes to the Art Hauser Centre on Saturday. Puck drop is 7 p.m.

Raiders Man and Orsulak eager for World Junior action

Jason Kerr
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Raiders Man and Orsulak eager for World Junior action

The Prince Albert Raiders’ loss is Czechia’s gain.

The Raiders will be without the services of goaltender Michal Orsulak and defenceman Matyas Man for the foreseeable future after both players were named to Czechia’s preliminary World Junior squad earlier this month.

The duo left Prince Albert on Thursday for the Czech training camp in Bemidji, Minn.

“I was so happy to see my name on the roster,” Man said prior to Raider practice on Tuesday. “Now it’s just on me to make the team, just to play good.”

The Czechs invited 27 players to their World Junior camp, but can only carry 26 for the actual tournament. Man is one of nine defenceman on the roster. It’s a deep corps that includes NHL prospects Vashek Blanar (Boston), Jakub Fibigr (Seattle), Adam Jiricek (St. Louis), Radim Mrtka (Buffalo), and Max Psenicka (Utah).

“I’m really happy and I’m really thankful … for the opportunity,” said Man, who has a goal and three assists in 25 games with Prince Albert this season. “I think I need to play the same way as I’m playing here. Just be tough, play hard, (and) be hard to play against. I think that’s my job.”

Orsulak is one of three goaltenders in a crowded Czech crease, and it’s unclear who will be the starter. Nashville Predators prospect Jakub Milota, the back-up on last year’s Czech World Junior team, was injured in mid-October. He’s back in action now for the QMJHL’s Blainville-Broisbriand Armada, but has only played three games.

The other goaltender, Matyas Marik, has shone with HC Motor Ceske Budejovice in the Czechia U20 league. In 20 games, he has a 1.43 GAAA and a .955 save percentage.

Orsulak has been no slouch in the Raider crease. As of Wednesday, he leads all WHL goalies with a 2.34 GAA and is tied with three other goaltenders, including potential Team Canada starter Joshua Ravensbergen of the Prince George Cougars, for the league lead in shut-outs. Orsulak also sits fifth among all WHL goalies in save percentage at .908.

Orsulak represented Czechia at the 2025 U18 World Junior Championship, but was unhappy with his play. He credits his time with the Raiders for helping him get back on track.

“Last tournament, the Under-18s, I had a bad tournament,” Orsulak said on Tuesday. “In the summer, if I don’t go here (Prince Albert), I don’t think make it to Under-20s now. Here in PA like this, (there are) good staff, good coaches, good guys.”

The Czechs take on Latvia (Dec. 19) and Slovakia (Dec. 23) in exhibition play before opening the tournament on Boxing Day against Canada.

Man expects facing Team Canada to be a surreal experience.

“I think it’s going to be one of the hardest matches of my life,” he said. “I see the roster and it’s a really good roster. I think it’s going to be a tough match. We need to make sure that we … don’t let them have too many good opportunities.”

The Czechs enter the tournament looking for a fourth straight trip to the podium after winning silver in 2023, and bronze in 2024 and 2025. Orsulak said he’s confident this year’s team can be successful, but they’ll need focus and discipline to do it.


“If we play as a team—a whole team—we can beat every (country),” he said.

The Raiders will be without the services of both players when they take on the Swift Current Broncos in Swift Current on Friday. Puck drop is 7 p.m.

News and Notes:

• The Raiders have recalled 2008-born goaltender Steele Bass from the SJHL’s Battlefords North Stars while Orsulak is away at the World Juniors. Bass won his only start with the Raiders back on Sept. 26 against the Regina Pats. He has a 3.00 GAA and a .924 save percentage in nine games with the North Stars this season.

• Defenceman Daxon Rudolph will represent the Eastern Conference at the inaugural WHL Prospects Game on Feb. 18. The game will feature the league’s top draft prospects in a one-game showcase at the Langley Events Centre, home of the Vancouver Giants. Medicine Hat Tigers forward Liam Ruck is the only other confirmed member of Team East. The rest of the roster will be unveiled in the lead-up to the game. This is the first time the WHL has hosted an event of this kind since 2000, when Kelowna hosted the WHL All-Star Game.

McCagherty enjoying hot start since joining Raiders

Jason Kerr
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McCagherty enjoying hot start since joining Raiders

It’s been a dream start to life in Prince Albert for Maddix McCagherty.

The 19-year-old forward has three goals in three games since coming over from the Wenatchee Wild in exchange for a pair of draft picks on Dec. 3. It’s even more impressive considering he joined the team on the road during a stretch where they played three games in three nights.

“It doesn’t even feel like I’m really (joining) a new team,” said McCagherty who had six goals and nine assists in 22 games with the Wild before being dealt. “It feels like everyone’s made me so welcome. I’ve really enjoyed it here so far.”

McCagherty had a little bit of help getting on the score sheet. His first goal in a Raider uniform came on Dec. 5 when Calgary Hitmen defenceman Axel Hurtig accidentally knocked the puck off his own goalie’s skate and into the net.

McCagherty received credit for the goal, and profited again from a favourable bounce the next night in Red Deer. Less than two minutes into the second period, the puck took a strange hop off the boards and bounced into the slot where McCagherty scooped it up and fired a wrist shot into the top right-hand corner.

While McCagherty benefited from a few favourable bounces, Raiders coach Ryan McDonald said it takes more than luck to score those goals. You have to be in the right place and the right time, something McDonald said the Kelowna product excels at.

“He puts himself in great spots—offensive spots inside the dots,” McDonald said after the victory over Red Deer. “His structure was great tonight, especially for a player coming in and learning all new things. He’s done a great job on the fly for us.”

McCagherty scored again the next night in Edmonton. The goal came 18 seconds after the Oil Kings took a 2-1 second period lead. Again, McCagherty was in the right place at the right time, grabbing a loose puck from behind the goal line and stuffing into the Edmonton net before goaltender Ethan Simcoe could slide across the crease.

McCagherty credited his linemates and the Raiders’ system for the hot start.

“I think the team plays such a great way,” he said. “We get a tonne of chances, and everyone plays the right way. Things have been going good. I’m hoping to just keep playing the right way and good things will happen.”

With nine goals in 25 games this season, McCagherty is on pace to smash his career single season high of 12, which he set in 62 games last year. While the Raider brass is grateful for the offence, they said it’s his all-round game that makes him effective.


“He can play in all situations throughout the line-up,” Raiders GM Curtis Hunt said in a press release shortly after acquiring McCagherty for a fourth round pick in 2026 and a sixth round pick in 2027.

“He will add speed and an element of physicality, but is also proven to have an adept touch around the net. We look forward to getting him in the lineup.”

“(He has) tremendous work ethic,” McDonald added. “Great two-way player. He gets into the hard areas (and) he’s hard on the forecheck.”

The Raiders have one more road game before McCagherty makes his home debut. They’ll take on the Swift Current Broncos at the InnovationPlex on Friday before facing the Lethbridge Hurricanes at the Art Hauser Centre on Saturday.

As a former Bronco, this won’t be McCagherty’s first time in either arena, but he’s looking forward to having the fans supporting him for the first time when he takes the ice in Prince Albert.

“I’m honestly super excited,” he said. “I remember whenever we were coming in and playing here the fans were always super loud and crazy. We love that, so I’m super excited. To be able to play every game home here, it’s going to be pretty cool. I’m looking forward to it.”

The Raiders face the Broncos at 7 p.m. on Friday. They return home to face the Hurricanes at 7 p.m. on Saturday, then travel to Saskatoon on Sunday to face the Saskatoon Blades at 4 p.m.

News and Notes:

• The Raiders will soon be without the services of defenceman Matyas Man and goaltender Michal Orsualk. Both players depart on Thursday to join the Czech World Junior team.

• Prince Albert Raiders forward Alisher Sarkenov scored the tying goal in the third period, then scored again in the shootout as Kazakhstan defeated Slovenia 5-4 in U20 World Championship Division I action. Kazakhstan currently sits fourth out of six teams with a 0-1-1-0 (wins-overtime wins – overtime losses – losses) record. They were off on Tuesday, but take on France on Wednesday.

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