Oil Kings forward battles with Gracyn Sawchyn battles with Raiders defenceman Daxon Rudolph in the second period as the Oil Kings take a 3-1 series lead. (Andy Devlin/Edmonton Oil Kings)

By Nick Nielsen

Raiders trail series 3-1

Raiders now face elimination after falling in Game 4

Apr 3, 2025 | 12:01 AM

After a disappointing Game 3 in Edmonton saw the Raiders fall behind in the series 2-1, the Prince Albert Raiders were looking to regain home ice advantage with a win in Game 4 on Wednesday night. Despite outshooting the Oil Kings in all three periods, the Raiders would have some trouble in their own zone along with some discipline issues that would lead to a second straight 3-2 loss.

Game 3 started with just one shot per side in the first five minutes, but Game 4 was much different. The Raiders had a powerplay less than three minutes into the game and had three shots on the powerplay, but the Oil Kings would kill it off and things would fly back and forth.

At the 11:53 mark, Parker Alcos would send the puck from the left side point towards the back door on the right side of the goal, and Lukas Sawchyn crashing the goal would tip the puck into the back of the net for his second of the series. Lukas Sawchyn hurt himself on the play crashing into the back wall, taking himself out of the game on the goal.

After 1: Raiders 0 – 1 Oil Kings, shots 8-4 Raiders

Justice Christensen 39 seconds into the period for a slashing call behind the play at centre, and the Oil Kings would score at the 1:09. Gracyn Sawchyn would shovel the puck ahead to Gavin Hodnett entering the zone from the right. Hodnett then crossed through the slot and fired a shot that Max Hildebrand got a piece of with his glove, but not enough and it would fall into the back of the net for Hodnett’s second of the series.

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At 4:48, the Oil Kings would get a chance 2-on-1 with Hodnett and Adam Jecho, and Hodnett would again cut from the right towards the middle while Jecho drove the net. Hodnett never found the spot to shoot and Jecho went to the right side of the goal, Hodnett fed Jecho, and Jecho fired from a sharp angle to score overtop of a sprawled out Hildebrand.

The best chances of the period for the Raiders came shortly after with some 4-on-4, and on a powerplay later in the period, but the Raiders would be held off the board.

After 2: Raiders 0 – 3 Oil Kings, shots 10-9 Raiders, 18-13 Raiders overall

After killing a penalty to start the period, the Raiders put the pressure on for one of their best periods of the year, but it took until the 10:22 mark where they scored shorthanded. Aiden Oiring would block a dump in attempt on the right wall and rush out to centre on a 2-on-1 with Rilen Kovacevic, and Oiring fed Kovacevic in front for the tip into the back of the net for his second of the series.

Then at 17:15, a relentless Raiders forecheck would cause the Oil Kings to cough up the puck to Niall Crocker sitting alone in front of the net, and Crocker fired his series leading fourth goal to get the Raiders back to within one.

With the Raiders pulling Hildebrand, the Raiders would press on, and Daxon Rudolph would fire a slap shot on goal, the buzzer would go, and the puck would ring off the post anyway to signify the Raiders loss.

FINAL: Raiders 2 – 3 Oil Kings, shots 14-7 Raiders, 32-20 Raiders overall

Series: 3-1 Oil Kings

The Raiders will be back in Prince Albert for Game 5 on Friday at the Art Hauser Centre.