Game Preview: Game 49 @ Kelowna
SETTING IT UP: The Raiders (19-26-3-0) wrap up their BC Division road swing tonight in Kelowna with a meeting against the Rockets (16-26-3-0). The Raiders suffered their first loss of the road trip last night in Kamloops, falling by a 6-4 final to the Memorial Cup hosts. Prince Albert held a 3-2 lead after 20 minutes in Kamloops, but the game would be tied heading into the third period. Kamloops scored twice in the final frame to win, and snapped Prince Albert’s four game winning streak in the process. Kamloops started their three game weekend on the right foot, winning their second straight game, after beating the Portland Winterhawks on Wednesday night. It’s a battle between two teams fighting for the final playoff spot in their respective divisions, with the Rockets currently holding the eighth seed in the Western Conference, while the Raiders are slowly catching up to the rest of the pack in the Eastern Conference. The Raiders are hoping that the Rockets slide down the standings, as they own Kelowna’s first round draft pick in this year’s WHL Prospects Draft.
| 2022-23 Head to Head |
| February 4, 2023 @ KEL |
| 2022-23 Regular Season Leaders |
| Goals — S. Stanick, K. Sorensen (17) |
| Assists — L. Kosior, S. Stanick (27) |
| Points — S. Stanick (44) |
| Power-Play Goals — K. Sorensen, L. Kosior (9) |
| Game-Winning Goals — Multiple tied (3) |
| Penalty Minutes — T. Goldsmith (77) |
| Plus/Minus — K. Sorensen (6) |
| Wins — T. Chaika (11) |
| Goals-Against Average — T. Chaika (3.35) |
| Save Percentage — T. Chaika (.891) |
FRIDAY RECAP: The Raiders couldn’t quite contain the high powered Blazers offence on Friday night, but they gave Kamloops all they could handle. After falling behind 2-0 in the first five minutes of the game, the Raiders roared back to take a 3-2 lead after the first. Eric Johnston, Carter Anderson, and Landon Kosior scored for the green and gold in the opening stanza, with Kosior’s marker coming on a Raider powerplay. Kamloops tied things up in the second with a shorthanded goal, but the Raiders answered right back on the same powerplay as Brayden Dube scored to put PA up 4-3. Kamloops evened the score again in the second, as both teams were tied 4-4 heading into the third. Ryan Hofer and Caeden Bankier scored for Kamloops in the third, while the Raiders couldn’t find a goal in the final frame. Hofer had a hat trick for the Blazers in the win.
SOLID ROAD TRIP FOR KOSIOR: While he didn’t score in the first game of the road trip in Prince George, overage defenceman Landon Kosior has been rolling ever since. In his last three games, Kosior has combined for eight points (3G-5A), and has a +6 rating through the four games on the road.
UP NEXT: The Raiders will head back home after tonight’s game for a few days, although they will have to wait until next weekend before their next home game. They travel to Swift Current on Friday night, before playing back in the Art Hauser Centre in front of fans in the second half of a home and home against the Broncos. After that, they will get set to host the Regina Pats on Friday, February 17th in front of a jam packed crowd, in anticipation of Connor Bedard playing in his possibly final game in Prince Albert.
