2026 WHL Championship – Game 2 Player to Watch: Justice Christensen, Prince Albert Raiders
Everett, Wash. – Prince Albert Raiders captain Justice Christensen can pretty much do it all – defend, hit, fight, and heck, he even scores beautiful goals.
The 5-foot-9, 191-pound product of Red Deer, Alta., isn’t short on jam. At 20 years old, the veteran leader is the heartbeat for a Raiders squad intent on claiming a franchise third WHL Championship.
“We’re excited, we thought we played a good game last night and looking to build on that here tonight,” Christensen said prior to Game 2.
“Overall, if we stick to our game and how we like to play, we’ll be alright.”
Game 2 of the 2026 WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien is set for Saturday, May 9, at 6 p.m. PT. Fans can tune in live on TSN and Victory+.
Friday night, Christensen showed he can do it at both ends of the rink – putting the finishing touches on a great exchange of the puck in the offensive zone to score his second goal of the 2026 WHL Playoffs. The marker stood up as the eventual game-winner in a 4-2 triumph over the Everett Silvertips. He finished the night with a plus-2 rating, proof that he took care of his own end of the rink as well.
“We’re two very similar teams and that’s why the pace is so high,” Christensen said. “The pace we like to play with and the structure that both teams play with makes it a tough series and it’s fast.”
Christensen is a testament to perseverance.
Undrafted into the WHL, he has played four seasons and 263 career regular season contests, amassing 148 points (55G-93A) along the way. In 2026, he is enjoying his best postseason to date, having logged 10 points (2G-8A) and a plus-11 rating in 16 games.
On April 9, 2026, the veteran blueliner signed a two-year AHL contract with the Grand Rapids Griffins – affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings. It was important recognition for Christensen’s unrelenting desire to compete.
Now, the task for Christensen and the Raiders is to do something no team done this season – hand the Everett Silvertips a second consecutive loss.
“We know they will come out right from the start and be ready to go and probably give us a good effort,” Christensen said. “We’re prepared for that and on the flip side, we know we have to come out and we have to be ready to go right from the start.”
"We're excited. We thought we played a good game last night and looking to build on that here today."
Hear from @PARaidersHockey captain Justice Christensen ahead of Game 2 at the 2026 #WHLChampionship Series. pic.twitter.com/8kN8pPf5xa
— Western Hockey League (@TheWHL) May 9, 2026
Game 2 of the 2026 WHL Championship Series presented by Nutrien is set for Saturday, May 9, at 6 p.m. PT as the Everett Silvertips host the Prince Albert Raiders. The winner of the best-of-seven series will advance to the 2026 Memorial Cup presented by Kubota in Kelowna, B.C., which is scheduled for Friday, May 22, through Sunday, May 31.
All seven games of the WHL Championship Series are available in Canada on TSN. Viewers can also stream the entire series globally and for FREE on Victory+.
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