Game Preview: Game 64 @ Brandon
SETTING IT UP: The Raiders (26-34-3-0) hit the road to kick off a three in three weekend with a trip to Brandon to take on the Wheat Kings (26-30-8-0). The Raiders are coming off of a 4-3 home ice defeat to the WHL’s top ranked Winnipeg ICE. The Wheaties are coming back home after being doubled up 6-3 in Regina on Wednesday night. Prince Albert is seven points back of Brandon in the Eastern Conference standings. Brandon trails the Calgary Hitmen by two points for the eighth and final playoff spot. It will be a battle between a team looking to keep their playoff hopes alive, while the other looks to slide into a share of the eight seed. It will be the biggest game of the season for the Raiders.
| 2022-23 Head to Head |
| December 22, 2022 @ BDN | 5-4 L |
| December 7, 2022 vs BDN | 4-3 L |
| January 7, 2023 vs BDN | 6-2 W |
| February 20, 2023 @ BDN | 4-3 OTW |
| March 7, 2023 vs BDN | 4-3 L |
| March 17, 2023 @ BDN |
| 2022-23 Regular Season Leaders |
| Goals — K. Sorensen (25) |
| Assists — L. Kosior (41) |
| Points — L. Kosior (58) |
| Power-Play Goals — K. Sorensen (11) |
| Game-Winning Goals — L. Kosior, E. Herman (4) |
| Penalty Minutes — T. Goldsmith (93) |
| Plus/Minus — L. Kosior (+9) |
| Wins — T. Chaika (15) |
| Goals-Against Average — T. Chaika (3.29) |
| Save Percentage — T. Chaika (.893) |
ONE WEEK TO GO: As the WHL enters its final week of action, it means time is running out on the Raiders. With just five games left in the schedule and trailing by seven points in the standings with three teams to leapfrog, Prince Albert will realistically have to win the rest of their games and get some help along the way. While a berth in the postseason seems next to impossible for the club at this point, it will all come down to the action unfolding in the next eight days to see how the standings will finish.
CLOSE, BUT NOT CLOSE ENOUGH: The green and gold came oh so close to taking down the first place Winnipeg ICE on Tuesday night. A 2-0 lead after the first period proved insufficient, as Winnipeg scored four straight goals through the second and third period to go up 4-2. A late goal by Evan Herman on a shorthanded marker with around one minute left was as close as PA would come. 4-3 would be the final.
THE PLAYOFF PICTURE: The Calgary Hitmen took sole possession of eighth place in the Eastern Conference standings after a win on Thursday night, and they did it in convincing fashion, taking down the visiting Lethbridge Hurricanes 7-1. Prince Albert now trails Calgary by seven points for the eight seed.
STANDINGS:
6:Regina Pats—32-27-3-1 (68 pts)
7: Medicine Hat Tigers—27-26-8-1 (63 pts)
8: Calgary Hitmen—27-27-5-3 (62 pts)
9: Swift Current Broncos—28-31-1-3 (60 pts)
10: Brandon Wheat Kings—26-30-8-0 (60 pts)
11: Prince Albert Raiders—26-34-3-0 (55 pts)
