The demons have finally been exercised for the Everett Silvertips.
Everett captured their first Ed Chynoweth Cup in franchise history with a 7-2 victory over the Prince Albert Raiders in Game 5 of the WHL Final at the Art Hauser Centre. Everett won the best-of-seven series four games to one.
The Silvertips had made the playoffs each season since they joined the league in the 2003-04 season and had faced their fair share of playoff heartbreak over the years.
Head coach Steve Hamilton says it was a long time coming for the fanbase.
“It’s hard to put into words, to be honest with you. The support we’ve had in Everett, it’s just an unbelievable franchise. It’s an unbelievable fan base and this has been just a team above all. I couldn’t ask for more from them. It’s been a special group and a special year. And I just have all kinds of love and respect for them.”
The Silvertips got out to a 2-0 lead after twenty minutes thanks to goals from Shea Busch and Mattias Uyeda.
The Raiders pulled within one thanks to a Brayden Dube tally just 3:38 into the second period.
Just over 11 minutes later, Brek Liske wired home his fourth of the playoffs. Everett added a Shea Busch power play goal late in the frame to take a 4-1 advantage after the second period.
In the third, the Silvertips erased any chance of a Raider comeback with Busch completing the hat trick at the 6:17 mark and Nolan Chastko striking less than a minute later.
Justice Christensen had a power play goal for Prince Albert and Landon DuPont added a power play tally late for Everett.
Everett won all three games played in Prince Albert in the series. They became the first to win a title over the Raiders at the Art Hauser Centre since the 1976 Spruce Grove Mets according to WHL History. The Mets defeated the Raiders 9-2 at the then named Communiplex to capture the Abbott Cup in five games.
Hamilton says he was proud of the way his team performed once the series to shifted to Hockeytown North.
“I’ll be honest with you, I wouldn’t have had us winning three in PA on the bingo card. We felt like we got to get one and then if you can get a chance to get two, but I thought our guys were just very, very dedicated and did what was required. It wasn’t always pretty, but we found a way and that’s been our team all year.”
Everett only lost two games en route to winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup, matching the 2025 Medicine Hat Tigers who also accomplished the feat a season ago.
“We never talked about anything beyond what’s right in front of us.” Hamilton explained. “We have a remarkable ability to reset ourselves when we’re less than our best and you don’t get that without tremendous leadership. You don’t get that without real camaraderie, just a special special bond between these guys.”
The Silvertips will be the WHL representative at the 2026 Memorial Cup in Kelowna which begins on Friday, May 22 when the host Rockets take on the OHL champion Kitchener Rangers. Everett will open the tournament against the QMJHL champion.
Raiders hold heads high despite falling short of ultimate goal
For the first time in franchise history, the Prince Albert Raiders were defeated in the WHL final.
After wins in 1985 and 2019, Prince Albert came short of capturing their third title in franchise history. The Raiders captured their second consecutive East Division banner with a 52 win regular season and secured the Eastern Conference Championship, defeating the reigning champion Medicine Hat Tigers in six games.
“I’m just extremely proud of the guys and the group and how hard they worked and everything that they’ve accomplished.” Raider head coach Ryan McDonald said in a postgame interview with the Herald. “(I’m) heartbroken for them as well too, the way it ends. But again, I’m just really proud of how they continued to battle and that never quit attitude.”
“That group in there was truly special and it was just an absolute pleasure and a privilege coming to the rink every single day to step on the ice with them. Whether it was in a practice setting or video room or whatever it may be, just being around them was an absolute pleasure all year. Again, I can’t think of the staff, my back office staff, my coaching staff, the front office staff, the dressing room, just how hard they competed every single day.”
Friday night also marked the final game for Raider captain Justice Christensen in the WHL. He was originally listed by the club ahead of the 2022-23 season and he skated in 299 career games, including the playoffs.
He quickly became a fan favorite in Prince Albert due to his hard hitting, gritty and physical style of play.
Christensen is signed to play pro hockey next season for the Grand Rapids Griffins of the American Hockey League. Grand Rapids is the affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings.
When asked about his time in PA, Christensen says it was an incredibly special time in his life.
“It’s been incredible really. I think the reason why I’m so emotional right now is because of the memories and the journey I’ve been through to get here. To spend four years on the same team as there’s not many things people get to say that I was able to spend four years here and be a captain for two and just have so many memories and yeah it was great I couldn’t say a bad thing about my time in PA.”
The Raiders also graduate Aiden Oiring and Brayden Dube, who played their final games as well on Friday night. Both were trade acquisitions in the 2022-23 seasons with Oiring coming over from the Winnipeg ICE and Dube being part of the Nolan Allan trade with the Seattle Thunderbirds.
Oiring is committed to play college hockey next season for the University of Nebraska-Omaha while Dube will rejoin former Raider teammate Max Hildebrand with the Bemidji State Beavers this coming fall.
McDonald says all three graduating 20-year-olds represented the organization extremely well.
“Three young men who are tremendous ambassadors of the Prince Albert Raider logo. Guys who are Raiders through and through, and once a Raider, always a Raider. I just can’t thank them enough. It’s been such a pleasure working with them for the four years. Justice Aiden and Brayden, I wish them nothing but success in their future endeavors.”
