For the second time in as many nights, special teams played a key role in a pre-season game between the Regina Pats and the Prince Albert Raiders.
Pats forward Cole Carrier had a shorthanded hat trick and the hosts potted a pair of power play goals as they cruised to a 6-2 victory over the Raiders at the Brandt Centre.
Cole Dubinsky, who leads the WHL in pre-season scoring with 10 points, scored twice on the man advantage.
His linemate Connor Bedard continued his strong play on Saturday as he helped to set up both of Dubinsky’s markers.
Carter Chorney had the other goal for the 3-0-1 Pats, who received a 27-save showing from Matthew Kieper.
The Raiders, who won their pre-season opener on Friday in a wild 8-6 contest against Regina, got their goals from Michael Horon and Evan Herman.
Max Hildebrand got the start in goal for the second straight night and turned aside 27 shots.
Prince Albert’s next game will be at the Art Hauser Centre on Friday at 7 p.m. as they’ll welcome the Saskatoon Blades to town.
The two rivals will conclude their exhibition schedule Saturday as they’ll square off at the Legends Centre in Warman at 7 p.m.
The Raiders will open up their 2021-22 Western Hockey League campaign on Friday, Oct. 1 at home against the Pats.
Post-Game Notes
Carrier’s hat trick performance was the second multi-goal night of his WHL career, as he scored twice in a 7-4 triumph over the Moose Jaw Warriors on March 3, 2020 in Regina.
As was the case on Friday, both teams suited up younger lineups with many players still at NHL camps.
The Raiders were without the services of Tikhon Chayka, Carter Serhyenko, Nolan Allan, Kaiden Guhle, Landon Kosior, Reece Vitelli, Ozzy Wiesblatt and Uladzislau Shyla, while the Pats did not dress Luke Bateman, Stanislav Svozil, Jake Johnson, Ryker Evans, Zack Stringer, Colby Wotton, Zane Rowan, Logan Nijhoff, Drew Englot and Matteo Michels.
Saturday’s Pre-Season Scores
- Seattle 6 Everett 4 (Mekai Sanders – One Goal and Two Assists – Game Played in Kennewick, Wash.)
- Edmonton 7 Saskatoon 3 (Carter Souch – Two Goals and Three Assists)
- Red Deer 5 Calgary 1 (Arshdeep Bains – Two Goals – Game Played in Siksika, Alta.)
- Medicine Hat 4 Lethbridge 3 (Daniel Baker – One Goal and One Assist)
- Moose Jaw 5 Swift Current 2 (Carter Anderson – One Goal and One Assist)
- Portland 3 Tri-City 0 (Dante Giannuzzi and Lochlan Gordon – Combined 28-Save Shutout)
- Prince George 7 Kamloops 6 (Riley Heidt Shootout Winner – One Goal and One Assist)
- Kelowna 4 Victoria 1 (Jake Lee – One Goal and One Assist)
Pre-Season Schedule
Sunday, Sept. 19
- Spokane vs. Tri-City – 3 p.m.
Wednesday, Sept. 22
- Kamloops vs. Vancouver – 8 p.m. (Game Played in Ladner, B.C.)
- Tri-City vs. Spokane – 8 p.m.
Thursday, Sept. 23
- Winnipeg vs. Brandon – 6 p.m.
Friday, Sept. 24
- Calgary vs. Edmonton – 7 p.m.
- Red Deer vs. Lethbridge – 7 p.m.
- Saskatoon vs. Prince Albert – 7 p.m.
- Regina vs. Moose Jaw – 7 p.m.
- Medicine Hat vs. Swift Current – 7 p.m.
- Kelowna vs. Kamloops – 8 p.m.
- Prince George vs. Vancouver – 8 p.m. (Game Played in Maple Ridge, B.C.)
