Owen Corkish is stopped on a breakaway in the second period as the Raiders fell 3-2 in a shootout to the Penticton Vees. (Image Credit: Mark Peterson/Prince Albert Raiders)

By Nick Nielsen

Raiders lose 3-2 (SO)

Instant classic as Raiders and Vees meet for the first time

Feb 28, 2026 | 1:59 AM

With the Prince Albert Raiders on a four game winning streak and the Penticton Vees already four games into their East Division road swing, Friday night was finally time for the two teams to meet in the Art Hauser Centre. In fast paced, hard working playoff style battle, the Raiders never trailed in the game but would ultimately fall 3-2 in a shootout.

The Raiders and Vees traded chances early with the Raiders pulling ahead on the shot clock, but the Vees got the first powerplay and took over the momentum for a bit. The Vees nearly scored on a backdoor feed for a onetimer, but the puck flipped up and went overtop of the net, and the rebound was sent overtop of a sprawled out Michal Orsulak all the way to the wall.

Then the Raiders got their first and only powerplay of the game, and they got the job done. At 13:04, Brandon Gorzynski would work the puck from the right point to the middle for Daxon Rudolph, and then to the left point for Braeden Cootes. He had two options towards the net, so he fired a hard pass that instead went in off a defender, and Cootes had opened the scoring with his 21st of the year.

After 1: Raiders 1 – 0 Vees, shots 14-9 Vees

Early in the second period, we saw some 4-on-4 when Ben Harvey was given a slashing call while Callum Stone went to the box for embellishing the reaction. That lead to a fast paced start to the second period. Both Michal Orsulak for the Raiders and Andrew Reyelts for the Vees made solid save after save throughout the entire period.

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At the 7:49 mark, the Vees tied the game. On the rush Jacob Kvasnicka fired a shot that was stopped by Michal Orsulak. As he went to cover it, Brady Birnie managed to pop the puck loose before Orsulak could cover it, and that left an open shot for Matteo Danis at the net.

After 2: Raiders 1 – 1 Vees, shots 11-11, 25-20 Vees overall

Early in the second, the Raiders took the lead again. This time Brock Cripps took the puck away at centre and gave it to Brandon Gorzynski at centre, and Gorzynski drove the net while giving the puck to his right for Jonah Sivertson. Gorzynski drew one defender down low while Sivertson leaned in against the other, and then Siverton just ripped a wrist shot short side under the bar and over the glove for his 20th of the year at 4:33.

The Vees would again tie it though on their third powerplay of the game. After Charlie Michaud was hit hard in the corner and was left to lay on the ice for a bit, he got up in pain and decided to instead screen the goal. Nolan Stevenson used the screen and fired a slapshot to tie the game again at 13:42.

After 3: Raiders 2 – 2 Vees, shots 17-10 Vees, 42-30 Vees overall

Overtime was a cat and mouse possession game, both teams taking their time to possess the puck, look for a play, then head on the rush and strike, but despite chances at either end, neither team even managed to register a shot.

That lead to a shootout, and it took six rounds to find a goal. After Brandon Gorzynski was stopped for the Raiders, it was Louis Wehmann who scored for the winner goal in overtime.

FINAL (SO): Raiders 2 – 3 Vees, shots 0-0, 42-30 Vees overall

The Vees had a large celebration on the ice for what seemed like just another win in the regular season to Raider fans. For the Vees though, their 38th win of the season serves as the record setter for most wins by an expansion team in WHL and CHL history.

With two assists on the night, Brandon Gorzynski extends his point streak to five games with 3G-6A, and Daxon Rudolph’s assist also extends his point streak to five games with 1G-5A.

With 40 saves on 42 shots, plus five saves in the shootout, Michal Orsulak played a phenominal game in goal for the Raiders. He earned a 0.952 save percentage on the night.

The Raiders will welcome the Prince George Cougars Saturday night.

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nick.nielsen@pattisonmedia.com