It wasn’t the start the Prince Albert Raiders planned.
The WHL East Division leaders were looking for revenge in a re-match with the Medicine Hat Tigers on Wednesday as they kicked off their four game Alberta road trip. However, the Tigers got all the scoring they needed in the first period, jumping out to a 4-0 lead and cruising to a 7-1 win.
“They’re a team that starts fast,” Raiders head coach Ryan McDonald said following the game. “We’ve got to make sure we’re ready to compete right from the puck drop. Systematically we’ve got to make sure our structure is tight. Again, we gave them some opportunities that they capitalized on and tilted the ice on us.”
The Tigers scored four times on their first 10 shots, and chased Raiders started Michal Orsulak from the net a little over 13 minutes into the first period. The score remained 4-0 until midway through the second when the two teams combined for four goals in less than two minutes.
Kadon McCann made it 5-0 Medicine Hat on the power play 11:38 into the second period, and Tigers captain Bryce Pickford made it 6-0 with another power play goal 53 seconds later.
Max Heise gave the Raiders some life with his 11th of the season on a great solo effort just 34 seconds after Pickford’s goal, but Jonas Woo restored Medicine Hat’s six goal lead just 28 seconds later.
“We talk all the time, we win or we learn,” McDonald said. “This is an opportunity for us to do some learning and get to some video and take a deep breath, but also make sure that we focus on the fundamentals.”
The final two period came close to getting out of hand on a number of occasions. Seven Raiders received either 10-minute misconducts or game misconducts, including goaltender Dimitri Fortin.
Fortin’s ejection came with 6:02 to play in the third period, forcing Orsulak to go back in the net. Six Tigers also received 10 minute misconducts or ejections.
The first scrum came after Raider forward Jonah Sivertson clipped Tigers starting goaltender Jordan Switzer while forechecking behind the Medicine Hat net. Pickford tackled Sivertson shortly afterwards. The two exchanged punches while Raiders defenceman Hubert Clarke tangled with Liam and Markus Ruck. Raider defenceman Benett Kelly and Tigers forward Noah Davidson also received 10 minute misconducts on the play.
The two teams were at each other again nearly six minutes later. Linden Burrett and Daxon Rudolph both received 10 minute misconducts while Fortin was ejected. Carter Cunningham also received a 10 minute misconduct for Medicine Hat.
Raiders captain Justice Christensen and Medicine Hat Tigers forward Riley Steen also received 10 minute misconducts after mixing it up during a line-change with 1:02 to play.
The Raiders are back on the ice Friday against the Calgary Hitmen. Puck drop is 8 p.m.
News and Notes:
• There were plenty of roughing minors and 10-minute misconducts handed out on Wednesday, but actual fights were rare. Aside from Jonah Sivertson’s tilt with Pickford, Raiders forward Evan Smith and Tigers defenceman Kyle Heger were the only other two players to drop the gloves. They tangled with 7:11 gone in the first period. Hegger was also penalized for checking to the head, while Smith also received two minutes for unsportsmanlike conduct.
• Tigers defenceman Jonas Woo did most of the damage on Wednesday. The Winnipeg product assisted on each of Medicine Hat’s first three goals before scoring midway through the second.
• The Raiders acquired Maddix McCagherty from the Wenatchee Wild in exchange for a pair of draft picks on Wednesday. The 19-year-old from Kelowna, B.C. has six goals and nine assists so far this season. The Wild received a fourth round pick in 2026 and a sixth round pick in 2027.
• Orsulak and defenceman Matyas Man have both been named to Czechia’s World Junior training camp roster. The Czechs open the tournament on Dec. 26 against Canada.
