The Raiders celebrating with captain Justice Christensen after he fired his trademark slapshot for the second goal of the game. (Image Credit: Mark Peterson/Prince Albert Raiders)

By Nick Nielsen

Raiders win 4-3

Annual Battle of the Princes see Raiders earn hard fought win

Mar 1, 2026 | 1:05 AM

With a five game point streak capped off by a shootout loss the night before, the Prince Albert Raiders were looking to keep their momentum going as they welcomed the Prince George Cougars Saturday night. In another playoff style game, this one was aggressive back and forth hockey with a quick burst of scoring in the second, and the Raiders got the win 4-3.

The Cougars got the momentum in the early goings of the first period thanks to a powerplay in the first minute of the game, but the Raiders were able to kill it off and start to claw their way back. Both teams threw big hits back and forth, but again the Raiders took a penalty in the final four minutes of the period. Things started to get feisty near the end of the period, and that meant the second period would start with some 4-on-4.

After 1: Raiders 0 – 0 Cougars, shots 11-7 Cougars

The Raiders were the faster team 4-on-4, and they quickly took momentum to start the second. At the 4:09 mark, Aiden Oiring carried the puck in and toedragged to the middle to drag defenders with him, then dropped it back for Ben Harvey. He skated in towards the corner, then dropped the puck back again for a onetimer from Daxon Rudolph, and he scored his 25th of the season.

Then the game’s offence exploded with four goals in the span of 1:26.

Raiders win 4-3

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At 7:01, Justice Christensen took a break from throwing hits to break out his patented slapshot. With the Raiders on the powerplay, Riley Boychuk collected the puck and sent it back to the left point for Brock Cripps. Just as the powerplay expired, Cripps sent to the puck to the right point for Christensen, and although he was on his off hand so he couldn’t take the onetimer, Christensen settled the puck, wound up to the ceiling, then fired a slapshot into the back of the net.

The Cougars did answer quickly at 7:25 on the forecheck, just 24 seconds later. Kooper Gizowksi won a puck battle on the right side wall and quickly fired the puck on goal, and Townes Kozicky tipped the puck out of the air and down on the ice. Michal Orsulak caught enough to stop it, but he lost track of the puck and as he turned to try and cover the goal line he knocked it in.

The Raiders retook their two goal lead right away, just 50 seconds later with a display of puck support. Max Heise carried the puck in down the right side, but the puck was knocked off his stick to Brayden Dube. The puck was knocked off Dube’s stick too right to Jonah Sivertson at the left of the slot, of Sivertson wired a wrist shot in for his 21st of the season at 8:15.

Then, just 12 seconds later, the Raiders scored again to chase Josh Ravensbergen out of the crease. Daxon Rudolph sent the puck out to centre for Aiden Oiring, and he entered down the left wall. He passed back to the middle for Riley Boychuk, and he toedragged into better position around a defender for firing a wrist shot for his 13th of the year at 8:27.

From there, things would calm down for a while, but the Cougars would add one more goal at the 13:48 mark. Kayden Lemire made a great pass through a seam in the slot for Kooper Gizowski streaking in through the left side, and Gizowski fired to get the Cougars back within two.

After 2: Raiders 4 – 2 Cougars, shots 13-9 Raiders, 20-20 overall

The third period also started with some 4-on-4, and the Raiders had the momentum early, but the Cougars would press back and eventually they found a goal. At the 19:34 mark, on the powerplay, and with the goaltender pulled, Carson Carels at the middle of the blue line sent a pass to the back door for Kayden Lemire, but instead of shooting Lemire fed a one touch feed to the slot for Kooper Gizowksi once again who cleaned up the rebound for his second goal of the night.

The Cougars approached the faceoff at centre without a goaltender, and the Raiders won the draw and had two chances to hit the free cage, the second shot missed the net, and the Cougars got in a rush after picking up the well.

FINAL: Raiders 4 – 3 Cougars, shots 12-8 Cougars, 32-28 Cougars overall

The Raiders have the next two days off before taking on the Red Deer Rebels on Tuesday.