DUBNetwork Game of the Night: Prince Albert Raiders (22-14-5-2) @ Edmonton Oil Kings (29-7-5-3) 7:00 PM
Prince Albert heads west to take on the WHL’s points leader in Edmonton at Rogers Place. This is the third of four games between the two teams with the Raiders holding the edge in the season series (1-0-0-1) over the Oil Kings (1-1-0-0).
Aliaksei Protas is the leading scorer for the Raiders with 22 goals and 32 assists in 37 games. He currently sits sixth in WHL points. Ozzy Wiesblatt, who attended the Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game last night, has 17 goals and 29 assists for the Raiders. 20-year-old Brayden Watts rounds out their top three scorers with 18 goals and 22 assists in 40 games.
The Oil Kings are led by 20-year-old Riley Sawchuk, who is ninth in the WHL with 51 points (16G, 35A). Jake Neighbours was also a participant in the Kubota CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game and has contributed to the Oil Kings’ good season by scoring 15 goals and adding 31 assists. 18-year-old Josh Williams rounds out the scoring leaders for the Oil Kings with 16 goals and 25 assists.
18-year-old Matthew Robertson is impressing the New York Rangers as the leader from the blue line for the Oil Kings. He has eight goals and 17 assists in 40 games. Ethan Cap is also adding some points from the back end with three goals and 13 assists.
For the Raiders, draft-eligible Kaiden Guhle is a top-20 scoring defenseman. He’s posted seven goals and 18 assists. 17-year-old rookie Landon Kosior has two goals and 13 assists while learning the ropes of the Western Hockey League.
The goaltending carousel has visited both the Oil Kings and the Raiders, and it stopped on what they both believe to be excellent goaltenders. Edmonton picked up Beck Warm who has impressed so far with points in all three games he’s seen action in. His season record improved to 11-14-3-2, paired with a 3.32 goals-against average and a .912 save percentage.
For the Raiders, the carousel stopped on Max Paddock. He too has yet to lose in regulation, going 1-0-0-1. Paddock is now 11-13-3-3. He’s dropped his goals-against average to 3.18 and bumped his save percentage up to .907.
Neither of the teams excels on the power play. Edmonton is seventh at 22.2% and Prince Albert is 11th at 20.3%. The Oil Kings penalty kill is very good, currently second at 86.4%. The Raiders are a middling team when down a man at 80.7%, good for eighth.
In other WHL action:
Prince George Cougars (11-24-3-4) @ Moose Jaw Warriors (11-25-2-0)
Neither team has much chance to make the playoffs and therefore the game will be contested with players looking to play for pride as well as for spots on the 2020-21 teams. Prince George has a better record over its last 10 games at 3-4-2-1; Moose Jaw is 1-8-1-0.
Swift Current Broncos (9-27-1-3) @ Saskatoon Blades (20-18-1-2)
The former division rivals meet for the first time this season. The Blades have an 11-point lead on the Red Deer Rebels for the final playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. Swift Current is 21 points behind the Blades and will miss the playoffs for the second straight season.
Calgary Hitmen (22-13-4-1) @ Brandon Wheat Kings (22-17-1-2)
The Wheat Kings are as hot as it gets right now, winners of seven straight games. Those wins have propelled them past the Saskatoon Blades and they are now just six points back of Winnipeg for the division lead. Calgary has also played well of late, winning two in a row and six of its last 10.
Red Deer Rebels (14-23-1-3) @ Lethbridge Hurricanes (25-10-2-5)
The Central Division rivals meet for the fifth time this season. Lethbridge has a decided edge in the season series, having won three of four contests by a combined score of 21-12. The Hurricanes have points in seven straight games, putting them just one point behind their heated rivals, the Medicine Hat Tigers. Red Deer has lost three straight and is 11 points out of the playoff picture.
Tri-City Americans (14-21-4-1) @ Kamloops Blazers (27-11-2-1)
The first matchup of the season between the two clubs features the BC Division-leading Blazers and the team in the US Division basement. Tri-City has allowed the most goals in the Western Conference (156) and Kamloops has the most offense (166).
Portland Winterhawks (30-6-2-3) @ Spokane Chiefs (22-14-4-1)
The Chiefs will be gunning to stop a season-long 16-game point streak by the Winterhawks. Portland has escaped with at least a point in all four previous games between the two clubs. The Winterhawks are the points-percentage leaders of the WHL. Spokane has an outside chance to catch the Everett Silvertips for home-ice advantage in the first round.
Victoria Royals (25-13-3-0) @ Vancouver Giants (17-18-2-2)
The division rivals face off for the fifth time. Victoria has won three of four games, all of them featuring four or fewer combined goals. The Royals recently added some offensive punch in a trade for Brayden Tracey. The Giants have struggled to score all season and are one of two teams in the Western Conference who have yet to score 100 goals.
Kelowna Rockets (21-17-1-2) @ Everett Silvertips (26-11-2-1)
Both teams are looking to break out of recent slumps. Everett has lost its last two games and is just 4-5-0-1 in the last 10 games. Kelowna has lost three in a row and is 3-7-0-0 in the last 10 games. Kelowna did win the only other game between the two teams by a score of 5-1 back on September 28th.
Regina Pats (13-23-3-2) @ Seattle Thunderbirds (17-20-2-1)
The Pats are rounding out their US Division swing with two games this weekend. They are currently 1-2-0-0 in some very high scoring affairs. Seattle has been playing its best hockey of the season with three wins in a row and seven of the last 10. Seattle is just one point back of Vancouver for the first wild card playoff spot.
