The Prince Albert Raiders defeated the Everett Silvertips 4-2 in Game 1 of the 2026 WHL Final.
The 2026 WHL Final kicked off with a thrilling 4-2 victory by the Prince Albert Raiders over the Everett Silvertips. Justice Christensen scored the game-winner, as he beat Anders Miller with 2:09 left in the second period. Christensen's tally was part of a three-goal second period, which helped erase Everett's 1-0 lead after the first period.
One of the main reasons Prince Albert skated away with a victory was the play of goaltender Michal Orsulak. The 2026 draft prospect stopped 39 of 41 shots, which included a 16-save second period. Orsulak has been a brick wall throughout the playoffs and has now allowed just 37 goals on 346 shots.
As for the skaters Braeden Cootes led the way for the Raiders with a goal, an assist and four shots on goal. For his efforts, he was named the game's first star. Jonah Sivertson also had a strong game for Prince Albert with a goal and seven shots, while Daxon Rudolph finished with an assist on the game-winner.
When asked post-game about his team's performance, Raiders Head Coach Ryan McDonald said, "I thought our guys came out fast, came out hard, pushed off the start. I thought our guys had a great response, really settled into the game, got to our habits, got to our details, and our puck decisions continued to get better as the game went on."
Over on the Silvertips side, Julius Miettinen led the way with a goal and an assist. He also recorded six shots while going 17 for 24 in the faceoff dot. Carter Bear scored Everett's other goal while Matias Vanhanen and Landon DuPont each recorded an assist.
These two teams will not have to wait long to get back on the ice as Game 2 is scheduled for Saturday, May 9, at 6 pm PT. Prince Albert will be looking to head back home up 2-0, while the Silvertips will be focused on evening the series. All games will be broadcast on both Victory+ and TSN.
Scoring Summary:
1st Period:
6:07- EVT: Carter Bear (4) from Matias Vanhanen and Julius Miettinen
2nd Period:
5:12- PA: Jonah Sivertson (3) from Braeden Cootes and Connor Howe
15:07- PA: Braeden Cootes (7) from Brock Cripps and Alisher Sarkenov (PPG)
17:50- PA: Justice Christensen (2) from Daxon Rudolph and Brayden Dube
3rd Period:
17:51- EVT: Julius Miettinen (11) from Landon DuPont (PPG)
18:55- PA: Aiden Oiring (8) (ENG)
3 Stars:
- Braden Cootes, Prince Albert Raiders: 1 G, 1 A, 4 SOG
- Michal Orsulak, Prince Albert Raiders: 39 SV, 41 SA, 2 GA
- Carter Bear, Everett Silvertips: 1 G, 0 A, 4 SOG
Prince Albert Raiders celebrate a Game 1 victory (Photo Credit: Evan Morud/Everett Silvertips/WHL)Make sure you bookmark THN's WHL site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
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