Riley Boychuk salutes the fans at the Art Hauser Centre after scoring his first goal of the playoffs. (Image Credit: Mark Peterson/Prince Albert Raiders)

By Nick Nielsen

Raiders lead series 2-0

Raiders powerplay makes statement in Game 2 with Rebels

Mar 29, 2026 | 2:10 AM

After a close Game 1 that saw them pull away late in the game, Saturday night saw the Prince Albert Raiders were primed for Game 2 with the Red Deer Rebels. This time the Raiders took advantage of the Rebels frustrations through the second period, going on to a dominant 6-0 shutout.

The Raiders were solid in the first period with their best chance coming off a feed from Daxon Rudolph at the right point, down low to Braeden Cootes on the left side of the crease for a spinning backhand, but Matthew Kondro got the paddle down to make the save.

Both teams had a powerplay near the end of the period that overlapped for 39 seconds, first the Raiders powerplay, then the 4-on-4, then just as the Rebels powerplay was ending they got a great chance off a onetimer in the slot from Poul Anderson. That was blocked by a mess of bodies in front, and the puck came out to Daxon Rudolph coming out of the box on a breakaway with Aiden Oiring trying to catch up. Rudolph fanned on the shot, and Matthew Kondro made the stop in the dying seconds of the period.

After 1: Raiders 0 – 0 Rebels, shot 13-3 Raiders

With their second powerplay of the game, Brock Cripps found the latch to the floodgates.

Raiders lead series 2-0

Raiders powerplay makes statement in Game 2 with Rebels

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After the Rebels cleared the puck down the ice early, Michal Orsulak came out of his crease to stop the puck and earn an assist, but Brock Cripps picked it up and did the rest of the work. He wove behind his net and out to centre with two options to pass either side of him, and two options behind him. He turned back like he was going to drop the puck back, but then saw he had a lane in. Cripps danced around a defender and in on goal, then tucked the puck fivehole. There was a delayed reaction as it was pinned under Kondro somewhere, but the referee standing on the back of the goal emphatically to signal Cripps’ second of the playoffs at 14:43.

There was a review, but Cripps had scored a beauty for the second straight game.

Two minutes later, another rookie Raider established himself in the playoffs. Daxon Rudolph took the puck away on the right wall and quickly passed it to Ben Harvey at the top of the slot. He was backing up towards the blueline as he took a step face the goal, then fired his quick wrist shot top shelf for his first playoff goal at 3:37.

Then when the Raiders were on the penalty kill, Ben Harvey picked up his second point of the night when he stepped up on the forecheck and took a hit to get the puck loose for Braeden Cootes at the left side of centre. Cootes quickly found Daxon Rudolph streaking through the middle, and he loaded up a wrist shot as he entered the slot before firing it home for his second of the playoffs at 8:19.

Back to the powerplay at 16:08, all five guys on the ice were involved in this one. Brock Cripps worked the puck to Braeden Cootes at the right point, but Rudolph got the first assist when he put a onetimer off the back wall and out the other side. Aiden Oiring swatted the puck into the crease, and Riley Boychuk battled to finish the play for his first of the campaign.

On their third powerplay of the period, the Raiders went to work again with Brandon Gorzynski on the left side of the umbrella sending it back into the middle for Justice Christensen, then over to the right side where Brayden Dube was walking down the right side of the slot. He pumpfaked once, then fired a wrist shot short side for his first of the playoffs.

Somehow the roof of the Art Hauser Centre was still in tact, but the local boy was sure to remove it before the end of the period. In the corner, the 6’4 Cameron Dillard tried to intimidate the 5’6 Howe by lifting Howe’s stick out of his hands and into the air. Howe went right at him, they locked up, the gloves were shed, and they both guys threw a few, both guys ate a few. For the second time this year, Howe switched hands in the middle of a fight against a bigger opponent, and got the take down that sent the Art Hauser Centre ballistic.

After 2: Raiders 5 – 0 Rebels, shots 17-2 Raiders, 30-5 Raiders overall

At 5:10, Alisher Sarkenov picked up an assist as he passed the puck up the right wall to Braeden Cootes moving over centre. Once he crossed the blueline, Cootes crossed into the middle with Brayden Dube where they almost ran into each other, but that set up a move from Cootes where he curled his stick to his forehand to pass behind him for Dube, and Dube walked to the right faceoff dot for another picture perfect wrister and his second of the night.

For one last statement on the night, Michal Orsulak had his best save of the night on the penalty kill. The Rebels used a screen to hide a onetimer near the bottom left circle, and Poul Anderson got all of it with Orsulak caught out of position, but Orsulak kicked across to his right and made an incredible glove save.

FINAL: Raiders 6 – 0 Rebels, shots 10-8 Raiders, 40-13 Raiders overall

In the first two games of the playoffs, the Raiders have only allowed 36 shots and a single goal. Going back to the second last game of the season, Michal Orsulak has allowed just one goal on 52 shots, posting a 0.982 save percentage in his last three games.

A total of 12 different Raiders have a point in the first two games of the series, lead by both Daxon Rudolph and Braeden Cootes who each have 2G-3A-5P. Brock Cripps sits third with 2G-2A-4P in his first two playoff games.

After going 3/20 on the powerplay during the regular season against the Rebels, the Raiders powerplay is off to a hot start, operating at 40% with four goals on ten opportunities.

The Raiders will travel on Monday before getting set for Game 3 in Red Deer on Tuesday, and Game 4 on Wednesday. Both games start at 7:00 p.m. Saskatchewan time, and you can listen in on Brandt Raider Radio 900 CKBI starting with the pregame show at 6:30 p.m.