Raiders blow out Broncos 7-1
The Prince Albert Raiders put the pedal to the metal from the first drop of the puck on Saturday night, rolling to a 7-1 win over the Swift Current Broncos at the Art Hauser Centre. Seven different Raiders found the back of the net, while Max Hildebrand stopped 32 shots in the win.
It was a quick start for the Raiders, who jumped out to a 3-0 lead eight minutes into the game. Tomas Mrsic and Riley Boychuk connected for the game’s first goal 5:01 into the first, as the two forwards entered the Broncos zone on a two on one rush. Skating down the left wing, Mrsic sauced a pass across to Boychuk, and he finished the job, burying his seventh goal of the season into the back of the net past Reid Dyck.
A great save leads to a great pass which leads to a great goal pic.twitter.com/OKZgCPkxC7
— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) January 18, 2025
2:03 later, Lukas Dragicevic doubled the Raiders’ lead. After Dayce Derkatch entered the Swift Current zone along the left wall, he opened up and sent a pass to the point to Dragicevic. From there, the Raider defenceman spun around to his forehand and ripped a shot from the circles, beating Dyck clean on the blocker side. The Seattle Kraken prospect picked up his ninth goal of the season to put Prince Albert up 2-0.
Drago spin. Drago shoot. Drago score.@SeattleKraken pic.twitter.com/ojubQFuBBD
— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) January 18, 2025
Exactly one minute later, Mrsic followed up his assist earlier in the period by scoring a goal to open Prince Albert’s lead up to 3-0. After Brayden Dube worked hard to free up the puck along the wall, he played it behind the net where it was picked up by Aiden Oiring. In the slot, Mrsic was calling for a pass, and he got it, as he received the puck and blasted a one timer glove side for his 24th goal of the year. Wasting no time at all, the Raiders jumped ahead to a 3-0 lead before the halfway point of the opening frame.
Oiring➡️Mrsic🟰automatic pic.twitter.com/CONQjVkIJK
— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) January 18, 2025
The Broncos did get one goal back, scoring on their second powerplay of the game with 2:33 left in the first. From the right circle, Luke Mistelbacher beat Max Hildebrand with a shot far side past his blocker. Mistelbacher notched his 29th goal of the season, making it a 3-1 game after the opening 20 minutes.
Rilen Kovacevic restored Prince Albert’s three goal lead 1:37 into the second period. Freeing up the puck from a Broncos defenceman, Kovacevic led a two on one rush into the Swift Current zone, with Niall Crocker trailing down the right wing. With the option to shoot or pass, Kovacevic decided to keep the puck, sniping a shot glove side, scoring his 24th goal of the season to make it a 4-1 game.
This Kovacevic kid is pretty good, eh? pic.twitter.com/Y6QE51TAEr
— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) January 18, 2025
With 14:01 to go, Justice Christensen made it a 5-1 game, as he blasted a juice bomb home. From behind the net, Ty Meunier sent a saucer pass to the point for Daxon Rudolph, who swung the puck across the blue line to Christensen. The Raider captain ripped a one timer to the back of the net, scoring his 13th goal of the season, setting a new career high for goals in a season.
JUICE BOMB🚀 pic.twitter.com/xSajPFrmNP
— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) January 18, 2025
That lead became 6-1 with 1:51 left in the second period, as Prince Albert’s top line of Mrsic, Oiring and Dube connected for a goal. Oiring stole the puck at center ice and fed a pass to Mrsic in the left wing. Skating into the offensive zone, Mrsic dropped a pass for Dube, and he scored his 19th goal of the season.
Duber!!! pic.twitter.com/bO4wH5on3t
— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) January 18, 2025
The Raiders scored three goals in each of the first two periods and took a 6-1 lead into the third.
Niall Crocker put the finishing touches on a near perfect game for the Raiders, scoring a powerplay goal with 7:37 left in the third to make it a 7-1 final.
Crocker's got his 17th of the season! pic.twitter.com/xUntXtTBby
— Prince Albert Raiders (@PARaidersHockey) January 18, 2025
The Raiders will look to extend their winning streak to four straight games tomorrow night when they host the Red Deer Rebels. Puck drops at the Art Hauser Centre at 7pm.