Game Preview: Game 63 vs Winnipeg

SETTING IT UP: The Raiders (26-33-3-0) return home to take on the top ranked Winnipeg ICE (52-9-1-0). Prince Albert picked up their largest margin of victory on Sunday night in Saskatoon, beating their Bridge City rivals 8-1. Seven different scorers lit the lamp, with Keaton Sorensen scoring twice. Sloan Stanick had a goal and an assist in his 200th career WHL game. Tikhon Chaika stopped 32 of 33 Saskatoon shots, receiving first star honours in his best showing of the season. The Raiders will be seeing a lot of Winnipeg in the next week, with three meetings in the next six days. The ICE clinched first place in the Eastern Conference last night with a 4-1 win over the Brandon Wheat Kings.
2022-23 Head to Head |
September 28, 2022 vs WPG | 6-2 L |
December 3, 2022 @ WPG | 6-4 L |
January 18, 2023 vs WPG | 8-1 L |
March 14, 2023 vs WPG |
March 18, 2023 @ WPG |
March 19, 2023 @ WPG |
2022-23 Regular Season Leaders |
Goals — K. Sorensen (25) |
Assists — L. Kosior (39) |
Points — L. Kosior (56) |
Power-Play Goals — K. Sorensen (11) |
Game-Winning Goals — L. Kosior, E. Herman (4) |
Penalty Minutes — T. Goldsmith (91) |
Plus/Minus — L. Kosior (+7) |
Wins — T. Chaika (15) |
Goals-Against Average — T. Chaika (3.27) |
Save Percentage — T. Chaika (.893) |
EIGHT SPOT: The Raiders scored the most goals in a game this season last night in Saskatoon. After taking a 2-1 lead into the second period, the green and gold added three goals in both the second and third periods to take an 8-1 win out of the SaskTel Centre. Only four Raiders did not register a point in the win.
GORDIE HOWE HAT TRICK: Carter Anderson finished his night off with a fight in Saskatoon. After having a goal and an assist earlier in the contest, Anderson dropped the gloves with Jayden Wiens with 1:27 left in the third period, completing the Gordie Howe hat trick. Grady Martin also dropped the gloves, getting the upper hand on Tomas Zizka in the second period.
THE PLAYOFF PICTURE: In a log-jammed bottom of the Eastern Conference, the Raiders are still hanging around in the race for the final playoff spot. Currently five points back of eighth place, Prince Albert has six games left in the season to sneak in. Last season they were able to clinch a playoff spot on the last day of the regular season. A similar scenario may be lurking as the regular season enters its final two weeks.
STANDINGS:
6:Regina Pats—31-27-3-1 (66 pts)
7: Medicine Hat Tigers—27-26-8-1 (63 pts)
8: Swift Current Broncos—28-30-1-3 (60 pts)
9: Calgary Hitmen—26-27-5-3 (60 pts)
10: Brandon Wheat Kings—26-29-8-0 (60 pts)
11: Prince Albert Raiders—26-33-3-0 (55 pts)