The DUBNetwork Game of the Night has the Prince Albert Raiders (18-5-3-1) hosting the Memorial Cup host Kelowna Rockets (14-8-1-2). The game represents the first game of a season-long six-game road trip for the Rockets. The team makes their bi-annual trip through the East Division.
This is the only time this season the teams will meet. Last season the Rockets pulled out a 4-3 shootout victory on the eventual Ed Chynoweth Cup winning Raiders.
Kelowna enters the contest with points in six straight games. They hold a single point advantage over the Victoria Royals for second in the BC Division. Their last regulation time loss came to the division-leading Kamloops Blazers back on November 11. The team will return home in time to play one game before the holiday break.
The team is without the services of Liam Kindree and Kyle Topping, both out with long term injuries. The team then went out and made a deal with the Seattle Thunderbirds to acquire Matthew Wedman. The team then dealt Leif Mattson to the Spokane Chiefs. It is likely Wedman will appear in tonight’s contest. Pavel Novak is serving game seven of an eight-game suspension handed down in November.
Prince Albert is without the services of Ilya Usau and Aliaksei Protas as they are both away at U20 World Junior Championship camps. Brayden Watts is a game-time decision according to Raiders play-by-play man Trevor Redden.
The Raiders have five players with more than 20 points on the season and three of them could be out of the lineup tonight. That means that Ozzy Wiesblatt and Spencer Moe will need to take the reigns of the team and provide the offense. Rookie Evan Herman has come on strong in November and will be looking to continue to develop while providing some secondary scoring. The team scores 3.8 goals per game on average.
Captain Nolan Foote will play this weekend before heading to Canada’s World Junior Team training camp. He leads the Rockets with 30 points, Novak is the only other player on the team with more than 20 points heading into the night’s action. It is expected that Wedman will step into an offensive role with the team as they are averaging only three goals per game currently.
Both teams boast exceptional defensemen named Kaiden (Kaedan). For the Rockets, 2001-born Kaedan Korczak is an elite anchor on the blue line. His three goals and 16 assists are good for 12th among all defensemen in the WHL. Not to be outdone 2002-born Kaiden Guhle is just one point back of Korczak with 18 (6G, 12A). Guhle is a staple on the power play for the Raiders and has eight points with the man-advantage.
Of course, every team needs solid goaltending, and both teams are getting it in spades.
Roman Basran has been great between the pipes for the Rockets, he sports an 11-5-1-2 record. His goals-against average is 10th among goalies with 10 or more games under their belt at 2.49. He also has a .917 save percentage.
Prince Albert is likely to respond with Boston Bilous who has some pretty impressive numbers also. He is 15-2-3-1 in 2019-2020 and is second among goalies with his 15 wins. This GAA is 2.32 and his save percentage is .903.
In other WHL action
Red Deer Rebels 9-15-0-3 @ Moose Jaw Warriors 9-14-1-0
The Rebels are winners of two straight, including a win over the Warriors at home on Wednesday. The Warriors have lost seven straight games and have slipped to eight points behind the Brandon Wheat Kings.
Everett Silvertips 18-6-1-0 @ Swift Current Broncos 6-17-1-2
The Silvertips are on game two of a four-game trip through part of the Central Division. The team won in Lethbridge on Wednesday. The team will play three games in three nights before heading to Portland next Friday. The Broncos have lost four straight games.
Kamloops Blazers 17-9-0-1 @ Brandon Wheat Kings 13-15-1-0
Tonight’s game is the first of seven road games for the division-leading Blazers. The team does not play at home until December 28th, the back half of a home-and-home series with the Rockets. Kamloops has points in their last three games. The host Wheat Kings are looking to win for the second straight game.
Regina Pats 6-17-2-0 @ Winnipeg ICE 15-11-1-0
Regina currently resides in the league basement, despite winning four of their last 10 games. They are just one point back of the Broncos and Cougars. Winnipeg is hoping to have recently acquired 1999-born Liam Hughes in the lineup. They are 5-5-0-0 in their last 10 games and sit second in the East division.
Edmonton Oil Kings 18-6-4-2 @ Calgary Hitmen 14-7-3-1
The teams will meet for the sixth time this season. Edmonton has the decided edge in the season series with a 4-0-1-0 record. The games are entertaining with the lowest goal total reaching five goals, back on November 3rd. Calgary will look to get back on track, they have lost two straight.
Medicine Hat Tigers 19-7-1-0 @ Lethbridge Hurricanes 17-9-0-4
The Hurricanes were thoroughly embarrassed on Wednesday night when the Tigers hosted their teddy bear toss game. The final was 8-3 for Medicine Hat. The Tigers are also 3-1-0-0 against the Hurricanes, two of those wins required a shootout. It is teddy bear toss night in Lethbridge and the game is nearly sold out as of press time.
Seattle Thunderbirds 8-14-2-1 @ Victoria Royals 14-8-2-0
The Thunderbirds made another deal with Rockets, sending their captain Matthew Wedmen to Kelowna. They then added overage forward Max Patterson from the Silvertips. The Royals have points in five straight games and are climbing the standings in the BC Division. Seattle trails Tri-City for the final playoff spot by eight points.
Spokane Chiefs 14-9-3-0 @ Vancouver Giants 13-12-1-1
The teams are separated by just three points in the standings but the Giants are underachieving this season. Vancouver is having a difficult time finding secondary scoring and has scored just 2.63 goals per game. The Chiefs score nearly a goal more per game (3.54). The Giants are 6-4-1-0 on home ice. Spokane is 5-3-1-0 on the road.
