Murray Wood: Comrades in cowboy hats
Murray Wood says that person demanding Alberta separate from Canada in a social media post might be a farmer of a differ...
Two of the most dominant teams in the Western Hockey League. The two top teams at the end of the regular season. Two teams incredibly similarly built teams with different paths through the playoffs.
Finally, the Prince Albert Raiders and the Everett Silvertips met for Game 1 of the 2026 WHL Championship Series on Friday night in Everett. After surrendering an early lead, a big second period for the Raiders boosted them to a 4-2 win.
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With their hometown fans at their back, the Silvertips took the early momentum game when Matias Vanhanen behind the net centred it for Carter Bear, and he one-timed it into the back of the net at 6:07. A lengthy review came afterwards for a high stick earlier in the play, but ultimately it was ruled a good goal, and the Silvertips got a second pop from their hometown crowd.
After that, the Raiders were hit with two penalties during the period. The Raiders killed the first one off with relative ease, and the second one carried over to the second period with over a minute left.
After 1: Raiders 0-1. Silvertips, shots 12-8 Silvertips
The early penalty kill generated momentum for the Raiders, and that lead to an early tying goal. Connor Howe went into the right side corner on the forecheck and poked it free from a Silvertips defender, Braeden Cootes picked the puck up behind the net, and then quickly centered it for Jonah Sivertson, and he hammered home the one-timer to tie the game at 5:12, with a goal similar to what Everett scored in the first. For Sivertson, it’s his third goal of the playoffs.
At the 15:07 mark, the Raiders took the lead with their first power play of the game. Brock Cripps and Alisher Sarkenov both picked up assists (although Sarkenov’s will likely be changed to Max Heise), but it was Cootes who scored a beauty. Curling around the blueline towards the top of the right circle, Cootes noticed a screen and a wide-open fivehole and — just like he did in the series clincher with Medicine Hat — slid a slower shot along the ice that hit the back of the net before the goaltender even realized it for his seventh of the playoffs.
With play reduced to 4-on-4, the Raiders scored again. The Silvertips underestimated the speed of Brayden Dube who suddenly stole the puck behind the net, curled out to the left wing, then sent a pass across to Daxon Rudolph on the right. The entire defence shifted expecting a shot from Rudolph, but he instead sent a pass back across and Justice Christensen stepped into the one-timer for his second of the playoffs at 17:50.
After 2: Raiders 3-1. Silvertips, shots 16-13 Silvertips, 28-21 Silvertips overall
In the third, the Silvertips put on the pressure while the Raiders started to get more physical. Linden Burrett threw the biggest hit of the game right in front of the Silvertips bench when he sent Bear for a ride late in the period.
The Silvertips would get their goaltender pulled late, and on their fourth and final power play of the game, they finally struck. After Landon DuPont recollected the puck at centre, he passed ahead to Julius Miettinen who snuck in down the right side. While the Raiders penalty kill was worried about taking away the passing lanes, Miettinen skated in the right side and threw a backhand on that snuck through to make it a one goal game at 17:51.
Again the Silvertips would pull their goaltender, and a great one-timer chance was blocked by a mess of Raiders in front of the net, and at 18:55, Aiden Oiring managed to recollect the puck at the side of his goal, quickly turning and firing down the ice for his eighth of the playoffs, unassisted.
FINAL: Raiders 4-2. Silvertips, shots 13-5 Silvertips, 41-26 Silvertips overall
Despite being the team that’s played more hockey recently and being on the road, the Raiders seemed to be the more energetic group by a longshot. Particularly the third period, the Raiders were more physical in the hits department, with big ones from Max Heise and Linden Burrett in the frame.
Michal Orsulak had a fantastic night in net for the Raiders. With 39 saves on 41 shots, Orsulak was tested with a ton of chances in tight, through traffic, and set up behind him, but solid positioning from the 6-foot-4 Czechian goaltender.
The Raiders and Silvertips will battle it out in Game 2 on Saturday.
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