Alisher Sarkenov leads the fly-by at the Raiders bench after scoring his second goal of the first period. (Image Credit: Taylor Lachance/Red Deer Rebels)

By Nick Nielsen

Raiders lead series 3-0

Raiders earn gritty win and vice grip on series with Rebels

Apr 1, 2026 | 12:41 AM

With two dominant games in Prince Albert to start the series, Game 3 saw the Raiders head to Red Deer to continue the series with the Rebels. The Raiders forecheck had to battle for every goal they scored including the empty netter, and they came away with a 4-2 win and a 3-0 series lead.

The Raiders opened the scoring at the 8:24 mark on the forecheck when Braeden Cootes went in after a loose puck behind the net. Cootes made a check and quickly passed the puck out front for Jonah Sivertson who hammered a quick shot on. He was stopped, but the rebound came out the other side and Alisher Sarkenov managed to pot the rebound for his first of the playoffs.

The first period saw a couple undisciplined penalties from the Raiders, and the Rebels took advantage. First at the 10:55 mark, the Rebels scored when Poul Anderson made a pass off the left side wall into the slot, and Patrick Sopiarz tipped it in to tie the game.

Then at 13:54 mark and again on the powerplay, the Rebels scored again. From the right point, Beckett Hamilton sent a pass that looked like it was meant for the left side back door, but the only person it didn’t fool was Kalder Varga in the slot. He stopped it, then fired while everyone was out of position to give the Rebels a lead.

With one minute left in the period, the Raiders tied the game. After a shot from Aiden Oiring, the puck was stopped and a mess started to form in front of the goal. Benett Kelly got a whack at it, then Oiring collected it again and realized he didn’t have a lane to shoot, so he passed to the left of the net for Alisher Sarkenov waiting to pot his second of the game at 19:00.

Raiders lead series 3-0

Raiders earn gritty win and vice grip on series with Rebels

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After 1: Raiders 2 – 2 Rebels, shots 13-7 Raiders

The second period started with some 4-on-4 that didn’t lead to much offence, and after a couple of powerplays exchanged back and forth the Raiders would take a lead.

At the 16:27 mark, Aiden Oiring got a chance on goal and was stopped, but a Rebels defenceman crashed into goaltender Matthew Kondro. Daxon Rudolph didn’t have a clear shot but played the puck behind the goal for Brayden Dube, and he centred it back out front for Oiring. Matthew Kondro was still down and out on the goal line, but he stuck his glove up to rob Oiring. Play stopped, the play went under review, and it was determined that Kondro’s glove crossed the line to give Oiring’s first of the playoffs.

After 2: Raiders 3 – 2 Rebels, shots 8-7 Rebels, 20-15 Raiders overall

The third period was a defensive one with the Raiders giving up the only penalty halfway through the period, but they were able to kill it off.

The Rebels would eventually pull their goaltender, but that’s when the Raiders put pressure on. Rudolph wouldn’t get an assist but would fire the puck in from his own end, but missed the net. Maddix McCagherty was streaking in to beat the icing call, and that line went to work on the forecheck. The puck eventually came out to centre for Justice Christensen, he passed ahead to McCagherty to cause a 2-on-1, and he made an unselfish play into the middle for Owen Corkish who scored his first of the playoffs at 19:44.

After 3: Raiders 4 – 2 Rebels, shots 6-5 Raiders, 26-20 Raiders overall

With an assist on the night, both Braeden Cootes and Daxon Rudolph have a point in each of the three games the Raiders have played this series with an identical 2G-4A.

The Raiders now have a 3-0 series lead and have a chance to close out their first round series with the Rebels Wednesday in Red Deer.