Oil Kings forward Gracyn Sawchyn celebrates inside the Raider goal after the Oil Kings scored in the first period as they went on to take a 2-1 series lead over the Raiders. (Andy Devlin/Edmonton Oil Kings)

By Nick Nielsen

Raiders down 2-1 in series

One penalty the difference as Raiders fall in Game 3

Apr 1, 2025 | 11:29 PM

Game 2 saw the Prince Albert Raiders storm back to tie the series at a game a piece against the Edmonton Oil Kings to send the series to Edmonton. In Game 3, the Raiders had some difficulty getting the puck out of their own zone through two periods before a great effort in the third, but the Oil Kings would get one extra powerplay that would lead to a 3-2 win over the Raiders.

With only one shot on goal belonging to the Oil Kings 5:34 into the first period, the Raiders would score on their first powerplay and their first shot of the game. Seven seconds into the powerplay, Brayden Dube got the puck on the wall and sent it back for Justice Christensen at the right point. He fired through traffic quickly, and Riley Boychuk got a tip into the back of the net for his first of the playoffs.

The Oil Kings would score on their second powerplay of the period at the 18:34 mark. Gracyn Sawchyn would set up Gavin Hodnett for a onetimer on the right wall, and Hodnett’s shot would go off a defender and into the back of the net.

Then at the 18:34 mark, the Oil Kings would get another one after Parker Alcos sent the puck ahead from the point to Rylen Roersma. He made a great move to get behind Max Hildebrand and try and bank the puck off his back, and Marshall Finnie followed up and found the back of the net.

After 1: Raiders 1 – 2 Oil Kings, shots 11-6 Oil Kings

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The Raiders started the period with 34 seconds of their third powerplay in the game, but they wouldn’t be able to find the back of the net.

In the dying minutes of the period, Evan Smith would get called for holding, giving the Oil Kings their third powerplay of the game. The Raiders killed it off and Rilen Kovacevic sent a great breakaway pass ahead to Evan Smith to spring him on a breakaway, but Smith couldn’t settle the puck down before getting to the goal.

That created a flurry of chances for the Raiders at the end of the second period, including a post from Tomas Mrsic, but the Raiders and Oil Kings would finish the second period where they started.

After 2: Raiders 1 – 2 Oil Kings, shots 13-6 Oil Kings, 24-12 Oil Kings overall

It took a bit, but the Raiders would get their tying goal at the 7:10 mark. After Lukas Dragicevic sent the breakout pass to Mrsic, he crossed the redline with speed and gave the puck to Aiden Oiring on the right. Oiring entered slow as Mrsic crashed the net, but Oiring picked his spot and fired his first of the playoffs to tie it.

With both teams picking up three powerplays through the first two period, the Oil Kings got their fourth late in the third period and that would be the difference. On the man advantage, Hodnett would send the puck into the slot for Ethan MacKenzie waiting for it, and he tipped his first of the series into the back of the net at 16:15.

FINAL: Raiders 2 – 3 Oil Kings, shots 9-8 Oil Kings, 33-20 Oil Kings overall

With the Raiders down 2-1 in the series, they will need a win in Game 4 Wednesday night in Edmonton at 7:00 p.m.