Jonah Sivertson celebrates after potting a rebound for his sixth of the season that put the Raiders up 2-0 in the first. (Larry Brunt/Spokane Chiefs)

By Nick Nielsen

Battle of the Sarkenovs

Raiders start U.S. road swing with dominant win in Spokane

Nov 8, 2025 | 1:49 AM

With wins in their last two games including a win in Lethbridge to start the road trip, the Prince Albert Raiders got their first game over the U.S. border in the books Friday night against the Spokane Chiefs. The game marked the first meeting between the Sarkenov brothers, but Alisher got the last laugh as the Raiders earned a 5-2 win.

It took until the 9:57 mark for the Raiders to earn the first goal of the game when Max Heise worked down the left wall into the offensive zone and dropped the puck back for Alisher Sarkenov. He had a man open in front, but he gave it to the trailing Daxon Rudolph who made a great move to the middle and backhanded his fifth of the season through the fivehole.

Then at 12:39, the Raiders relentless forecheck went to work. First it was Evan Smith, who isn’t credited with an assist right now, that worked the puck up the right wall through a few bodies for Jonah Sivertson. He then skated into the slot and into traffic, which caused a scrum in front. Sivertson made a short pass to Ty Meunier who fired, but he was stopped and Sivertson quickly potted the rebound for his sixth of the year.

At the 13:46 mark, Aiden Oiring went in hard on the forecheck and turned the puck over for the Raiders, then found Brayden Dube open in the left side corner. He had time to wait and find his passing lane for Owen Corkish alone in the slot, and he ripped home a wrist shot for his fourth of the year.

After 1: Raiders 3 – 0 Chiefs, shots 10-10 Raiders

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Both teams traded powerplays in the first, but the second period saw things start to get rougher as the Chiefs started laying some heavy hits. At one point, the Chiefs came down the ice on a 2-on-1 with Owen Martin holding the puck and finding Sam Oremba on a great pass, but Michal Orsulak made a fantastic save during his second straight start and proceeded to motion towards the crowd.

That gave the Raiders momentum, and at 17:24 the Raiders found the back of the net again. Matyas Man picked up his first point as a Raider when he held it in at the left point for Riley Boychuk in the corner, and Boychuk made a great pass through the slot to Linden Burrett sneaking in from the right point, and Burrett buried his first of the season on a great wrist shot.

After 2: Raiders 4 – 0 Chiefs, shots 8-5 Chiefs, 18-15 Chiefs overall

The Chiefs got on the board in the third period when a screened shot from Kaden Allan found it’s way off the pad of Orsulak, and it came out for Coco Armstrong to put in the back of the net at 7:02.

Assanali Sarkenov picked up an assist on the play, but was battling with Justice Christensen for most of the play and that lead to a short fight between the two men. Christensen earned the take down, but punches kept flying from Sarkenov as the officials tried to separate them. Ultimately, Christensen earned a fighting major, while Sarkenov earned the major and the game misconduct for continuing the fight.

The Chiefs got another one back though when a shot from Rhett Sather at the point was tipped past Orsulak by Mathis Preston. The tip hit the post, and Orsulak swung his glove behind to try and stop it, but Preston got to it first and bunted the puck out of the air and into the back of the net at 16:12.

At 17:21, the Chiefs dumped the puck in and pulled their goaltender Carter Esler, but Alisher Sarkenov found the puck behind his net in full stride and made a great move to exit the zone. Just as the extra attacker came on the ice, Sarkenov fired from centre into the empty net for his fourth of the year and his second point of the night.

FINAL: Raiders 5 – 2 Chiefs, shots 10-6 Raiders, 25-24 Raiders overall

With five goals and a total of 12 points handed out, the Raiders had 11 different players earn a point on the night with Alisher Sarkenov being the only play to earn two on the night for the Raiders. Evan Smith will likely be credited with an assist on the second Raiders goal as well, bringing that number up to 12 different Raiders with a point.

Michal Orsulak got his second straight start after earning the 2-1 win in Lethbridge, marking the first time a Raiders goaltender has started two consecutive games this year. In his last four games, Orsulak has only allowed five goals, good for a 0.941 save percentage in that time.

The Sarkenov brothers were lined up against each other often throughout the game, and right from the first time they stood side by side on the faceoff they were slashing each other’s shinpads. The younger Alisher’s two points on the night extend his point streak to three games with 1G-4A in that time, while Assanali picked up his first point in five games.

The Raiders travel to Kennewick on Saturday to take on the Tri-City Americans, who are coming off of a 5-2 win over the Vancouver Giants on home ice Friday.

Saturday’s game between the Raiders and the Americans will hit the airwaves at 8:00 p.m. Saskatchewan time on 101.5 FM Beach Radio, pregame show starting at 7:30 p.m.