Daxon Rudolph Delivers Overtime Winner, Raiders Top Oil Kings 4-3

UPDATE: Daxon Rudolph’s power play goal just 48 seconds into overtime propelled the Prince Albert Raiders to a thrilling 4-3 victory over the Edmonton Oil Kings on January 12, 2025. This decisive goal ended the Raiders’ Alberta road trip on a high note and marked Rudolph’s second goal of the game, showcasing his skill and determination.

Coach Ryan McDonald praised the team’s effort after the game, declaring, “(It was) a real gutsy win. The guys dug in. It was a dog fight right until the end, and we didn’t give an inch.” The Raiders entered overtime with a power play opportunity after Kanjyu Gosjic was given a double-minor penalty for high sticking, allowing them to capitalize on the situation.

Rudolph positioned himself on the left side and fired a shot towards forward Aiden Oiring, who was stationed at the back post. The puck hit the post, deflected off Edmonton goalie Ethan Simcoe, and slid into the net for the win. McDonald emphasized the importance of putting the puck on net, stating, “He had a real solid two-way game. He was great defensively and again, had some great looks on the power play.”

In addition to Rudolph, Max Heise and Maddix McCagherty also scored for the Raiders, who celebrated their second consecutive win on the road. Goalie Michael Orsulak made 28 saves, playing a crucial role in the victory.

Tonight’s game drew a packed crowd of 16,887 fans at Rogers Place, who were eager for the annual Teddy Bear Toss. Fans almost had their chance to throw their stuffed animals on the ice just two minutes into the game when Oil Kings’ Lukas Sawchyn scored, but the goal was swiftly disallowed, prompting some fans to throw their bears prematurely.

After the disallowed goal, the Raiders quickly seized the opportunity to score. Heise found himself wide open in front of the net, converting an assist from Oiring to put Prince Albert ahead 1-0.

The Oil Kings fought back with numerous chances, but Orsulak’s stellar performance kept the home team at bay. Edmonton finally found the net when Joe Iginla tipped in a shot from Miroslav Holinka midway through the second period. They took the lead with an Ethan MacKenzie power play goal shortly thereafter, but McCagherty equalized just 18 seconds later for the Raiders.

Rudolph then scored his first goal of the night to give the Raiders a brief lead, but Ethan MacKenzie equalized again for Edmonton less than three minutes later, setting the stage for a tense third period.

With neither team able to score in the final period, overtime became the battleground for Rudolph’s heroics, sealing the thrilling win for the Raiders. The team will look to build on this momentum as they prepare to face the Swift Current Broncos on Friday, January 19, 2025, at 7 p.m. in Swift Current. Their next home game is on Saturday against the Lethbridge Hurricanes, also at 7 p.m..