Kaiden Guhle with four points in big win over Pats; Raiders strike trade after the game

Kaiden Guhle went off on Saturday night, as he led his Prince Albert Raiders to a 6-0 victory over the Regina Pats with a four-point night at the Art Hauser Centre.

The Raiders improve their record to 4-0-2 on the season. It was also the first of four home games this season for the Raiders that didn’t go to overtime.

“It was a weird game. The points just kind of came,” Guhle said, who scored a goal and added three assists. “I didn’t really have to do much for those points, my teammates made it easy for me. It felt good to get that, but most importantly, we got the win.”

Last year, Guhle had three multi-point games and didn’t exceed two points. He had three goals and 17 points in 65 games last year, but he was also limited to the third pairing and didn’t log a lot of ice in his 16-year-old rookie season.

Raiders head coach Marc Habscheid was impressed with how Guhle dealt with that confined role last year, despite coming to the team as the first overall pick in the 2017 WHL Bantam Draft.

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“He was healthy scratched, once for sure if not a couple times, he played limited minutes—but not once did he complain,” Habscheid said. “That’s just a testament to his character. He trusted us about the process and about being patient.

“Now he’s ready. He’s ready for prime time. He’s in a big role, he plays in all situations for us not because he’s a first overall pick, but because he’s earned it and he’s played real well.”

Guhle will hope with that bigger role, more ice time, more power play reps that it will turn into points.

“Offence has always been a part of my game, and I felt like last year, I was trying to implement more defence into my game,” Guhle said, who’s eligible for the upcoming NHL Entry Draft. “This year for sure with a bigger role, I want to contribute offensively and defence.”

Raiders strike a deal after the game

After Saturday’s game, the Raiders announced they acquired Belarus’ Daniil Stepanov from the Moose Jaw Warriors in exchange for a ninth-round pick in the 2023 WHL Bantam Draft. To avoid going over the Import limit, the Raiders then put Russian rookie Ivan Kechkin on import waivers. Kechkin was scratched for both games this weekend.

Stepanov played at the Under-17 level with current Raiders sniper Aliaksei Protas. Stepanov also played with Protas and Raider rookie Ilya Usau, who’s also originally from Belarus, at the 2018 World Under-18 Hockey Championship.

Stepanov, a 2001-born forward, has two assists in four games so far this season. He registered eight goals and 11 assists while playing in all 68 games last year as a rookie with the Warriors.

Crazy Train off the tracks

It was a big night for Ozzy Wiesblatt, scoring a goal and an assist on his own bobblehead night.

He was on the receiving end of some teasing from his team, Habscheid said very sarcastically that he’ll never forget Wiesblatt’s bobblehead night. But Wiesblatt still delivered with the goods.

“It’s pretty cool. The guys and coaches were joking about it to me, but it’s a pretty cool thing to score, let alone have it on your bobblehead night,” said Wiesblatt, who has two goals and seven points in his last four games. “We’re just happy we got the win.”

Boston Bilous and other bits and bobs

Raiders goaltender Boston Bilous picked up his second shutout of the season, making all 13 saves he was asked to. Bilous is now tied with Giants’ goaltender David Tendeck for the WHL lead with two shutouts.

Bilous has played all 371 minutes in goal for the Raiders, with a 4-0-2 record, .926 save percentage, 1.46 goals against average.

Zack Hayes got things going for the Raiders, as he scored 4:42 into the game with a hard and low slap shot. Hayes’ goal came at the beginning of the fourth period he played since his return from the AHL’s San Diego Gulls’ training camp.

Eric Pearce, who’s from Regina, scored the second goal of the contest.

Scoring Summary

First Period

1-0, Raiders, Zack Hayes from Evan Herman, 4:42

2-0, Raiders, Eric Pearce from Jakob Brook and Kaiden Guhle, 12:21

Second Period

3-0, Raiders, Ozzy Wiesblatt from Brayden Watts and Kaiden Guhle (power play), 3:50

4-0, Raiders, Brayden Watts from Ozzy Wiesblatt and Zack Hayes, 5:33

5-0, Raiders, Kaiden Guhle from Spencer Moe and Ilya Usau, 12:31

6-0, Raiders, Justin Nachbaur from Kaiden Guhle, 17:14

Third Period

No scoring.

Phillips’ number to be retired in Ottawa

Chris Phillips, the ‘Big Rig’ and former Prince Albert Raider, will have his no. 4 retired by the Ottawa Senators this February.

Phillips is one of two Raiders to have gone on to be drafted first overall in the NHL draft. He then played his entire NHL career with the Senators, playing 17 seasons and 1,179 regular season games.

WHL finals rematch

The Raiders will host the Vancouver Giants on Tuesday in a WHL Championship rematch game on Tuesday for their next game. It’s technically a normal game on the regular season schedule, but emotionally to the Raiders, it’s more than that.

“You want to say it’s just another name, but it’s kind of not, really,” Guhle said. “It’s a big game for the city and for us. That will be a good game, hopefully we’ll come out with the win.”

The Raiders will follow that up with Lethbridge Hurricanes on Friday and the Moose Jaw Warriors on Saturday for their three games this week, all at home.

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Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW