Hitmen forward carries the puck into the Raiders zone with Max Heise in chase. (Image Credit: Mark Peterson/Prince Albert Raiders)

By Nick Nielsen

Raiders lose 5-4 (OT)

Raiders officially clinch playoffs with overtime loss to Calgary

Feb 5, 2026 | 12:27 AM

Just needing a single point on Wednesday night to advance to the playoffs, the Prince Albert Raiders welcomed a team they have not beaten yet this year in the Calgary Hitmen. The Raiders came out and took the lead early, but Calgary played a solid second period and had some great goaltending in the third, and the Hitmen took it in overtime 5-4.

The Raiders opened the scoring early when Riley Boychuk entered down the right wall and stopped just inside the blueline to let his linemates catch up to the play. Boychuk then found Brandon Gorzynski at the backdoor with a pass, but Gorzynski tipped it off the post, and Aiden Oiring instead cleaned up the rebound for his 23rd of the year at 3:22.

The Hitmen quickly tied afterwards though on the game’s first powerplay. It didn’t take long before Kale Dach got the puck down at the goal line, and he looked like he was going to pass back towards the blueline, but then instead slipped the puck five hole without looking and tied the game at 5:20.

Then it was the line of Evan Smith, Connor Howe, and Ben Harvey for the second straight game that went in on the forecheck as a team, and came away with a Raiders lead. Smith went in to the corner hard against the Hitmen defence, took the puck away and quickly reached to send it out front for Howe, and Howe found Harvey at the backdoor for the tap in for Harvey’s second goal in two nights and fifth of the season at 11:34.

After 1: Raiders 2 – 1 Hitmen, shots 15-6 Raiders

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The Hitmen were quick to tie the game in the second period. Julien Maze cut in from the left side of the blueline and let his teammate draw the Raiders defence down low, and that opened a lane for Maze to cut right and send a sharp angle backhand on to tie the game 2-2 at 1:29.

At the 3:39 mark, the Raiders took the lead for the final time of the night when Matyas Man jumped into the air to hold a puck in at the blueline, then poked it up the wall to Owen Corkish, and he quickly sent the puck off his backhand to Maddix McCagherty coming into the slot from the left. McCagherty went with a wrist shot for his 15th of the season.

From there though, the Hitmen took over the period. At the 14:06 mark, the faceoff was in the Raiders zone to the right of goaltender Steele Bass. The Hitmen won the faceoff to the right point, passed to the middle for Hunter Aura as the screen in front formed, and Aura fired to tie the game at 3-3.

The Hitmen then took the lead for the first time at 16:37. Julien Maze found the puck in the corner on a forecheck, and he centered it to find Ethan Moore who tipped it in to give the Hitmen the lead.

After 2: Raiders 3 – 4 Hitmen, shots 12-11 Hitmen, 26-18 Raiders overall

The Raiders had to kill a penalty in the first two minutes of the third when Brock Cripps was surprisingly called for kneeing on a hit that looked like it hit shoulders first. The Raiders penalty kill was successful, but they couldn’t find a goal with the momentum as Aidan Hesse was solid in net for the Hitmen.

It was starting to get late and the Raiders were still putting pressure on, and they finally got the tying goal at the 14:20 mark. Max Heise picked up an assist when he gave the puck to Daxon Rudolph on the rush down the left side. Rudolph drove to the corner, stopped and turned back to the blueline, and passed back for Braeden Cootes. He took a step forward, then wired a wrist shot off the bar and in for his 16th of the season and the game tying goal.

After 3: Raiders 4 – 4 Hitmen, shots 10-2 Raiders, 36-20 Raiders overall

The Raiders started the overtime period with a powerplay for 40 seconds, but Hesse made a great save on Heise on a tip near the net. From there it was back and forth, the Hitmen got a chance on the rush, then the Raiders at the other end, but the Hitmen got the last laugh this time.

Julien Maze picked the puck up off the pad of his own goaltender, and he then quickly rushed up the ice on a 2-on-1 with Wyatt Pisarczyk. Daxon Rudolph was catching up to the play but fell, and that opened the ice up even more before Maze eventually fired for his second of the game and the game winner at 3:25.

FINAL (OT): Raiders 4 – 5 Hitmen, shots 2-1 Hitmen, 37-24 Raiders overall

With the overtime loss, the Raiders did stumble over the line into the playoffs, but they are still the first team in the WHL and the entire CHL to officially earn a playoff spot.

Ben Harvey has scored in consecutive games and it’s all been with the help of his linemates Connor Howe and Evan Smith. Harvey has two goals in the last two games while Howe and Smith are have a combined three assists.

For the second time in three games, the Raiders powerplay went 0/3 on the night. Since the powerplay went 3/5 against Medicine Hat on January 24, the Raiders powerplay has started to struggle lately going 2/15 in the last four games.

The Raiders will play their next three games in a row at home including the upcoming Parents weekend starting Friday when the Raiders host the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

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nick.nielsen@pattisonmedia.com