So far, the Prince Albert Raiders and Edmonton Oil Kings are delivering your typical solid post-season series.
After two games, the series shows the potential of possibly being a longer one, which has been rare in recent WHL post-seasons. In 2023, only two of the eight best-of-seven first round series went past five games with four of those sets being sweeps. In 2024, only one of the eight first round series went past five games and there were also four series sweeps.
In this year’s battle between the Raiders and Oil Kings, a split of the first two games is a fair result for both teams. The Oil Kings claimed Game 1 this past Friday at the Art Hauser Centre 3-1 with an empty-net goal.
Edmonton held a 40-32 edge in shots on goal, but the Raiders left that contest with a feeling of what might have been. There were times in that contest it seemed like nerves of playing the first game of the post-season might have gotten to the Prince Albert side.
The Oil Kings first two goals by Gracyn Sawchyn and Landon Hanson respectively came off mistakes by Prince Albert players. Sawchyn scored short-handed 29 seconds into the contest on a misplayed puck by Raiders 20-year-old star netminder Max Hildebrand. Hanson’s tally at the 9:03 mark of the second came off the Edmonton side intercepting a pass by Raiders breakout rookie defenceman Daxon Rudolph in the Prince Albert zone.
The Raiders failed to score on six power-play chances in Game 1 and that included a double minor for high sticking against Sawchyn late in the second period. Prince Albert had the WHL’s third best power play in the regular season, clicking with a 28.2 per cent success rate, so normally, the Raiders would be good for one or two goals if they have six power-play chances in one game. It can be argued the Raiders weren’t at their best in Game 1, but it was a game they still could have realistically won.
One night later on Saturday at the Art Hauser Centre, the Raiders came out with a big bounce back 6-1 win. While the final result was a sound one for the Raiders, the Oil Kings dealt with their share of “what ifs” that might have changed the momentum of the contest.
The visitors controlled the first period holding a 19-6 edge in shots on goal only to be foiled by Hildebrand doing Hildebrand things to keep pucks out of the Prince Albert net. Raiders captain Justice Christensen one-timed home a shot from the left faceoff circle in the Edmonton zone to put the hosts up 1-0 with 35.6 seconds remaining in the first.
The Oil Kings had an outstanding opening frame and found themselves down 1-0 in the first intermission. Christensen’s goal swung the momentum for the rest of Game 2 in favour of the Raiders.
After 20-year-old winger Rilen Kovacevic pushed the Raiders lead out to 2-0 at the 2:35 mark of the second, the Oil Kings had a chance to turn momentum back into their favour. Edmonton star right-winger Lukas Sawchyn scored at the 6:01 mark of the second on the power play to cut the Prince Albert lead to 2-1.
Right after scoring, he was cross checked to the ground by Christensen. Christensen was given a roughing minor on a penalty that didn’t need to be taken. Had the Oil Kings scored on that ensuing power play to even things up at 2-2, the complexion of Game 2 all of a sudden looks different.
Instead, the Raiders came up with a big penalty kill. Moments after that kill, Raiders star 20-year-old left-winger Niall Crocker scored on the power play for his first of two goals in the contest and away the Prince Albert side went.
The Raiders success on the power play returned going 2-for-4 in Game 2. The Oil Kings had to lament being 1-for-9 with the man advantage in Game 2. Edmonton also held a 43-26 edge in shots on goal in the contest too.
Following the game, Kovacevic, who helped the Moose Jaw Warriors win a WHL championship last season, said experience was going to be the best teacher for the Raiders players and getting more time skating in the post-season will benefit the team. That was likely best seen with Rudolph, who turned 17-years-old in early March.
The skilled rearguard had some nervous moments in Game 1. Rudolph proceeded to bounce back nicely in Game 2 looking calm and composed in picking up three assists and posting a plus-two rating in the plus-minus department.
Oil Kings overage centre Marshall Finnie, who is known to be one of the WHL’s best agitators, tried to get under Rudolph’s skin. Rudolph held his ground in strong fashion and has not spent any time in the penalty box so far in the post-season. After staying out of the penalty box in Game 1, Finnie collected a goaltender interference minor for getting an extra shot in at Hildebrand and a 10-minute misconduct for having too much lip on the ice in Game 2.
The one-on-one battle between Rudolph and Finnie has become a notable side plot in the series. As the series goes on, more side plots will likely emerge.
The series should continue to be a tight one with the Raiders sporting a 39-23-5-1 record in the regular season, while the Oil Kings posted a 37-27-2-2 mark. The two clubs met five times in the regular season with the Raiders winning three of those contests.
Both clubs have a feistiness that is suited for playoff hockey. Expect this series to have a few more twists and turns before it finally closes out.
Return of the Thunderbirds, other notes
The Seattle Thunderbirds are doing their best to put a scare into the Everett Silvertips.
After going all in for a load up to win the WHL title in 2023, the Thunderbirds failed to qualify for the WHL Playoffs in 2023-24 posting a 27-38-2-1 record. That development didn’t surprise anyone.
They turned heads returning to the WHL Playoffs this season finishing eighth in the Western Conference with a 30-33-4-1 mark and winning four straight heading into the post-season.
They were 16th in the overall WHL standings making them significant underdogs on paper facing the Silvertips in a best-of-seven first round series. The Silvertips finished first overall in the WHL with a 48-12-4-4 mark.
They are minus one of their top players. Star left-winger Carter Bear was lost for the campaign in a 6-5 road win over the Tri-City Americans due to an Achilles laceration on March 7. In 56 games with the Silvertips, Bear had 40 goals and 42 assists for 82 points to go with a plus-33 rating in the plus-minus department.
In Game 1 Friday at the Angel of the Winds Arena in Everett, the Thunderbirds skated away with a 3-2 victory. Hayden Pakkala, who is a former member of the Raiders, had one goal and one assist for Seattle skating through his final post-season as an overager. Thunderbirds star netminder Scott Ratzlaff, who has a signed NHL entry-level contract with the Buffalo Sabres, made 45 saves to pick up the win in goal.
Defenceman Landon DuPont, who is an exceptional status player skating in the WHL full time as a 15-year-old, picked up helpers on both Silvertips goals.
One night later on Saturday at the Angel of the Winds Arena, the Silvertips were up 2-1 until Thunderbirds 20-year-old left-winger Nathan Pilling deflected home a shot from captain Braeden Cootes with 29.7 seconds remaining in the third to force a 2-2 tie and overtime.
Silvertips captain Eric Jamieson scored at the 7:33 mark of overtime to deliver Everett to a 3-2 victory that evened the series at 1-1.
Ratzlaff made 44 saves to give the Thunderbirds a chance to win Game 2 of the series and go up 2-0 in the set.
The Thunderbirds host Games 3 and 4 at the Accesso ShoWare Centre in Kent, Washington, on Tuesday and Friday respectively. It is plausible that Seattle could get an upset win in the series. Overall, Thunderbirds tenured general manager Bil La Forge and long time head coach Matt O’Dette have to be given major credit for the rabid rebuild of their club.
The Brandon Wheat Kings found out Monday a one-game WHL imposed suspension was handed down to 20-year-old star offensive-defenceman Luke Shipley. At the end of the Wheat Kings 4-3 loss to the Lethbridge Hurricanes in Game 2 of their first round series on Saturday at the VisitLethbridge.comArena, Shipley was given a major penalty for cross-checking and a game misconduct. Hurricanes centre Jordan Gustafson also received a one-game for a cross check thrown at the end of the game during all the post-game activities that included Shipley’s penalty. Gustafson was given a minor penalty on the play.
The Spokane Chiefs found out on Monday they will be without superstar right-winger and WHL scoring champion Andrew Cristall for one game due to a WHL imposed suspension. Cristall was given a major for cross-checking and a game misconduct with 3:45 to play in the third period of his club’s 7-5 victory in Game 2 of a first round series against the Vancouver Giants played at the Langley Events Centre in Langley, B.C., on Sunday.
On Monday, the WHL suspended Swift Current Broncos 16-year-old left-winger Sawyer Dingman one game for an obscene gesture. In the Broncos 6-3 loss to the Tigers at Medicine in Game 2 of their first round series on Saturday, Dingman gave the middle finger salute to the 5,947 spectators in attendance at Co-op Place after leaving the contest taking a roughing minor inside the final minute of the third period.
On Monday, Tigers captain Oasiz Wiesblatt was named the WHL’s player of the week for picking up five goals and one assist in helping his team take a 2-0 first round series lead over the Broncos. Victoria Royals netminder Johnny Hicks was named the goaltender of the week.
Hicks picked up two wins in staking the Royals out to a 2-0 series lead over the Tri-City Americans. He posted a shutout, gave up just two goals and recorded a .962 save percentage in those two wins. Chiefs 16-year-old centre Mathis Preston was the WHL’s rookie of the week.
In helping the Chiefs take a 2-0 series lead over the Giants, Preston had a hat trick in the Chiefs 7-5 Game 2 win on Sunday.
On Friday, the feel good moment of the WHL Playoffs so far came in Medicine Hat. Tigers 20-year-old netminder Harrison Meneghin made 21 saves to pick up a 4-0 shutout victory over the Broncos in Game 1 of their series played before 5,458 spectators at Co-op Place. The win was Meneghin’s first start since the unexpected passing of his father, Derek. Meneghin found out about his father’s passing after the Tigers 5-2 regular season ending win over the Hitmen in Calgary on March 23, which gave the Tigers the Central Division title and top spot overall in the Eastern Conference.
Darren Steinke is a Saskatoon-based freelance sportswriter and photographer with more than 20 years of experience covering the WHL. He blogs frequently at stankssermon.blogspot.com.
