Raiders forward Brandon Gorzynski carries the puck during a game earlier this season against the Regina Pats. (Image Credit: Mark Peterson/Prince Albert Raiders)

By Nick Nielsen

Raiders lose 3-1

Raiders fall to Rebels for second time in a week

Mar 8, 2026 | 12:34 AM

After starting their road trip in the right foot with a big win in Calgary on Friday night, the Prince Albert Raiders made their next stop Saturday night to take on the Red Deer Rebels. For the second time this week, the Rebels came from behind with three straight goals in the third period to beat the Raiders 3-1.

Like the night before, the first period was a defensive chess match between the Raiders and Rebels with only seven shots aside. This time though there were a few penalties added on to the scoresheet when Justice Christensen threw a big hit on Patrick Sopiarz. The Rebels forward stood up, tried to throw a hit of his own on Christensen later in the play, and that lead to the two of them dropping the gloves in a spirtited tilt with no clear winner.

After that, the Raiders had a powerplay coming, but a scrum at the whistle would see one of the Raiders earn a roughing call, and for the first time of many on the night, there was some 4-on-4. Still with the open ice, both teams were defensive and couldn’t find a goal.

After 1: Raiders 0 – 0 Rebels, shots 7-7

When the Raiders did get the game’s first powerplay, the Red Deer local Justice Christensen went back to work. Alisher Sarkenov helped collect the puck off the faceoff and brought it back to the left point where he left it for Christensen. The Raiders captain then walked the blueline and cycled the puck with Brayden Dube, but when Christensen returned to the middle of the blueline, he found a lane to shoot and fired for his 15th of the season at 7:49, just 18 seconds into the powerplay.

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From there came a long stretch of overlapping penalties between both teams. Between the 9:24 and 15:27 mark, a total of about six minutes, there was no play at 5-on-5. Still, no one could find the net.

After 2: Raiders 1 – 0 Rebels, shots 11-7 Raiders, 18-14 Raiders overall

In the third period, the Rebels got some good luck that resulted in the game tying goal on the powerplay. At 12:46, Beckett Hamilton fired a shot from the right side of the goal, it was stopped and the puck bounced high in the air all as Hamilton curled behind the net, and when the puck landed on the left he swatted at it. The puck skittered to the goal, and caught just enough of Steele Bass’ pad to find the back of the net.

Then at 16:37, the Rebels got the go ahead goal with some luck as well. Matej Mikes had a good look from the right of the slot and slid the puck across the ice, and Owen DeWitt managed to get a piece of it while battling with Linden Burrett in front, and the Rebels suddenly had the lead.

Then with the goaltender pulled, Matej Mikes put a stamp on the game at 19:19 when he stole the puck from the Raiders down the left wall, and carried it all the way to the empty cage where he tucked it in.

FINAL: Raiders 1 – 3 Rebels, shots 11-7 Raiders, 29-21 Raiders overall

The Raiders finish their three games in three nights stretch in Edmonton Sunday afternoon at 4:00 p.m.

(In the weekend preview article published before this road trip, it was stated Sunday’s game would take place at 5:00 p.m. Saskatchewan time. That did not account for the Daylights Savings time switch in Alberta, and the game will actually start at 4:00 p.m. Saskatchewan time.)