Raiders drop first game in regulation this season 6-2 against Americans

A 15 game point streak is in the books. After starting the regular season 12-0-3-0, the Prince Albert Raiders suffered their first regulation loss of the 2025-26 campaign, dropping a 6-2 decision to the Tri-City Americans.

The Americans started hot out of the gates, opening the scoring 5:52 into the first period, as Mason Mykichuk scored his first WHL goal. After a shot from Crew Martinson was stopped by Dimitri Fortin, the Raiders netminder couldn’t handle the rebound cleanly, and Mykichuk was able to find the rebound on the doorstep and bang the puck home.

The physicality ramped up throughout the first period, as both sides exchanged a number of heavy body checks. Daxon Rudolph took a huge hit behind his own net, but helped the Raiders advance the puck out of their own zone and create a scoring chance. As a result, Riley Boychuk stepped up in the right circle, toe dragging and releasing a lethal shot, beating Xavier Wendt up high on the blocker side. It was Boychuk’s third goal of the season, as it was a 1-1 tie after 20 minutes.

Justice Christensen gave the Raiders their first lead of the night 9:12 into the second period. Taking a perfect pass rink wide form Jonah Sivertson, the Raiders captain zipped a laser of a wrist shot past Wendt. That snapped an eight game goalless drought for Christensen, while he picked up his second point of the game. His tally gave the visitors up 2-1.

That lead was shortlived, however, as Tri-City Americans came right back to tie things up. Cash Koch buried a shot past Fortin just 29 seconds after the Raiders took the lead to make it a 2-2 game.

The Raiders would get into some penalty trouble later in the frame, and the Americans made sure to take full advantage on the powerplay. First up, a one timer from Jakub Vanecek found its way past Fortin, giving the home side a 3-2 lead. It was Vanecek’s fourth goal of the season.

In the final five minutes of the period, Prince Albert saw themselves down five on three, with two of their best penalty killers in Christensen and Aiden Oiring in the box. On the powerplay again, Tri-City scored to go up 4-2, as Savin Virk let go a shot from a near impossible angle close to the goal line. He picked the top shelf over Fortin’s right shoulder, scoring his third goal in two nights to put the Ams up by a pair after 40 minutes.

Another powerplay goal from the Americans put the game to bed with 6:39 to go in the third period. Gavin Garland scored his fourth goal of the season to make it a 5-2 game, while an empty net goal from Cruz Pavao made it a 6-2 final.

Prince Albert now has a couple of days off as they prepare for a tilt on Tuesday night with the Western Conference leading Everett Silvertips.