Medicine Hat Tigers Hand Raiders First Home Loss in Thrilling Match

The Medicine Hat Tigers defeated the Prince Albert Raiders 3-2 on March 16, 2024, marking the Raiders’ first regulation loss at home this season. After a late return from a game in Brandon, the Raiders struggled to find their rhythm against a determined Tigers team.

The Tigers opened the scoring early in the first period. At 4:06, a quick transition led to Markus Ruck entering down the left side. He dropped the puck back for Noah Davidson, whose shot rebounded off the pad of Raiders goaltender Michal Orsulak. Riley Steen was quick to react, putting the rebound into the net for a 1-0 lead.

Shortly after, a controversial interference call sent Matyas Man to the penalty box. The Tigers capitalized on the opportunity, doubling their lead at 7:06. Jonas Woo executed a clever fake shot at the blue line, freezing the Raiders’ penalty kill before firing a wrist shot past Orsulak, making the score 2-0.

Despite a strong effort, the Raiders failed to convert on their own power play, as the Tigers maintained control of the pace. At the end of the first period, the score stood at Raiders 0, Tigers 2, with shots on goal favoring the Tigers at 11-6.

The second period began with renewed energy from the Raiders, who applied pressure early. A pivotal moment occurred when Ty Meunier sent a low puck to Jonah Sivertson, whose one-timer was spectacularly saved by Tigers goaltender Jordan Switzer, preserving the lead.

A turning point came when Matyas Man delivered a powerful hit along the boards, igniting the Raiders’ bench and fans. This led to a fight between Man and Steen, with Man emerging victorious. The ensuing power play motivated the Raiders, who finally got on the board.

At 10:55, Benett Kelly received a pass from the right side, then dropped it back to Sivertson. Sivertson skillfully maneuvered to create space before blasting a wrist shot past Switzer, bringing the score to 2-1.

The Raiders tied the game at 13:41 during their fourth power play. Daxon Rudolph picked up the puck from Orsulak and found Aiden Oiring at the blue line. Oiring advanced down the left side and spotted Rudolph streaking into the slot. Rudolph redirected Oiring’s pass over Switzer’s shoulder, leveling the score at 2-2.

After two periods, the score remained Raiders 2, Tigers 2, with the shot count evening out to 18-15 in favor of the Tigers.

In the third period, both teams engaged in a back-and-forth battle, each managing to create scoring opportunities. A brief 4-on-4 situation emerged midway through the period due to offsetting roughing penalties.

With less than two minutes remaining, the game took a dramatic turn. A Raiders defenseman attempted to clear the puck from behind his net but inadvertently struck the skates of forechecking Kadon McCann. The puck bounced off Orsulak’s shoulder, landing in the net for the game-winning goal at 18:23.

The final score was Raiders 2, Tigers 3, with the shot count in the third period at 8-7 for the Tigers, and an overall total of 26-22 in favor of Medicine Hat.

Looking ahead, the Raiders face a challenging schedule leading into the Christmas break. They will rematch the Tigers in Medicine Hat on March 20, followed by games against Calgary, Red Deer, and Edmonton over the following days. This stretch will test the resilience and depth of the Raiders as they navigate a busy lineup.