Niall Crocker goes five hole for his first of the season against the Regina Pats on Sept. 29, 2023. (Mark Peterson/Prince Albert Raiders)

By Nick Nielsen

Regular Season Opens Tonight

Raiders set to open regular season against Pats

Sep 20, 2024 | 12:00 PM

The WHL season is finally about to kick off for fans and players alike on Friday night, with the Prince Albert Raiders welcoming their divisional rival Regina Pats to the Art Hauser Centre.

The Raiders and the Pats played each other six times during the regular season last year, and the Raiders managed to win four out of the six meeting between the two teams including the most recent matchup on March 20. The Raiders outscored the Pats 24-18 through those six games last year.

Looking at both teams’ performances during the preseason, the Raiders went 3-1-1 in the preseason, finishing with two wins and an overtime loss to the Saskatoon Blades, and a win and a loss in regulation against the Swift Current Broncos. Jonah Sivertson lead the Raiders in points with 5G-1A-6P. Sivertson’s five goals in the preseason tied him for first in goals during the preseason.

The top three Raiders scorers in the preseason is rounded out by Cole Peardon with five, and Daxon Rudolph and Dayce Derkatch both with four. Derkatch was sent back to Regina to finish his year in AAA with the Regina Pat Canadians.

The Pats’ preseason saw them play five games, two losses to the Brandon Wheat Kings, two wins over the Moose Jaw Warriors, and an 8-5 loss to the Swift Current Broncos. Drafted fifth overall in the 2022, Cole Temple led the Pats through the preseason with 2G-5A-7P in four games, followed by Sam Oremba and Logan Peskett both with five points.

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As for the regular season, last year the Pats finished the season last in the Eastern Conference and third last in the WHL, missing the playoffs with only 50 points, 16 points back of the Spokane Chiefs who claimed the final spot.

Last year’s leading scorer for the Pats was Prince Albert local Tanner Howe, who led his team in goals, assists, and points with 28G-49A-77P with 33 of those points coming on the powerplay alone. Braxton Whitehead and Tye Spencer, who finished with 52 and 47 points respectively last year for second and third in team scoring, also return to the Pats lineup this year.

Comparing the two team’s numbers in the preseason, the Raiders and Pats each scored 20 goals in the preseason, but the Raiders gave up only 15 to the Pats 22. The Raiders also took fewer penalties in the preseason with 52 minutes to their name, while the Pats took 60.

On the powerplay, the Raiders powerplay went 23.3% last year compared to the Pats 20.9%, while both teams went an even 22.2% during this year’s preseason.

On the penalty kill, the Raiders penalty kill outshined the Pats in both the preseason and last year’s regular season. The Raiders went 78.2% in the regular season and an even 70% in the preseason, while the Pats went 75.2% in the regular season and a dismal 56.2% in the preseason.

Looking at the goaltender matchup, the Raiders are bringing two goaltenders with them to start the year in veteran Max Hildebrand and newcomer Cooper Anderson. Hildebrand played a game and a half during the preseason and only boasted a save percentage of 0.881% in that time compared to his regular season total of 0.907% last year. As for Anderson, he played in three games for the Raiders in the preseason, boasting a team-best 0.923%.

As for the Pats goaltenders, they dressed five during the preseason but they are carrying four goaltenders into the start of the season. Kelton Pyne returns for his fourth season with a 0.874% save percentage last year and 0.896% during the preseason.

Also returning is Drew Sim, who played in 49 games for the Pats last year with a 0.893% save percentage in that time, but did not play for the Pats in the preseason. The Pats are also carrying rookie goaltenders Madden Mulawka and Ewan Huet into the preseason, each with save percentages at 0.896% and 0.875% respectively.

The Raiders drop the puck against the Pats at 7:00 p.m. at the Art Hauser Centre. Due to the Saskatchewan Roughriders game on 900 CKBI, tonight’s Raider game will be broadcast on Beach Radio 101.5 FM.

On Saturday, the Raiders play their first road game of the year against the Moose Jaw Warriors. That game will be broadcast on the usual 900 CKBI.

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panews@pattisonmedia.com