Raiders’ Rudolph ready for WHL, scores equalizer in debut

Pats spoil party claiming 3-2 OT victory

Daxon Rudolph had a solid first outing for the Raiders.

PRINCE ALBERT, Sask. – Maybe it was just a little too early for the Hockey Gods to allow Daxon Rudolph to write a storybook finish in the WHL.

The 16-year-old rookie defenceman, who was the first overall selection in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft, nearly played hero on Friday night for the Prince Albert Raiders making his major junior regular season debut. Facing the Regina Pats in the regular season opener for both clubs, the Raiders found themselves down 2-1 late in the third period.

Raiders 20-year-old right-winger Niall Crocker had the puck behind the Regina net and put a backhand pass to Rudolph, who pinched down from the right point into the right faceoff dot. Rudolph fired home his first goal of his WHL career to even the score at 2-2 with two minutes remaining in the third. That tally fired up the faithful at the Raiders storied home in the Art Hauser Centre and sent the contest to overtime.

The Raiders celebrate a goal from Daxon Rudolph (#10) on Friday.

Just over two minutes into overtime, Rudolph found himself with the puck in the left slot of the offensive zone with a glorious chance to net the winner. His drive was swallowed up by Pats veteran netminder Kelton Pyne.

With 46.4 remaining in extra time, the Pats played spoiler. Inside the final minute of overtime, the visitors got the puck into the Prince Albert zone creating a lot of frantic play. Pats sophomore 17-year-old left-winger Cole Temple got control of the puck in the left corner of the Prince Albert zone below the icing line.

Temple passed the puck to the front of the net to Pats veteran 19-year-old centre Zachary Shantz. Schantz wired home the winner to the top right corner of the Prince Albert goal to deliver the Pats to a 3-2 victory.

Daxon Rudolph was selected first in the 2023 WHL Prospects Draft.

When the dust settled, Rudolph imagined what the scene would have been like had he netted the overtime winner.

“That would have been awesome,” said Rudolph, who stands 6-foot-1 and weighs 195 pounds. “The crowd would have went crazy.

“The boys would have went crazy. To get a win there would have been awesome, but unfortunately, it didn’t turn out that way.”

Still, Rudolph’s first outing in the WHL was memorable one, and one most players wish they could have when they break into the major junior ranks. The Lacombe, Alta., product recorded one goal, four shots on net and a plus-two rating in the plus-minus department. He said the fans in “Hockey Town North” made it a blast to suit up for the Raiders on home ice.

Sam Oremba scored the Pats first goal on Friday.

“It was really fun,” said Rudolph. “All the guys were amped up, and it is too bad we didn’t come out with the win.

“We pushed into overtime for a good game.”

Of course Rudolph is never going to forget his first goal, especially when it came at a critical moment for his club in forcing a 2-2 tie with two minutes remaining in the third period.

“It was awesome,” said Rudolph. “I mean the last two minute of the game to get one to get us back to even is big for our team.

Kelton Pyne stopped 37 shots for the Pats.

“It was great to hear the building go wild and get us kind of back into the game and get some energy heading into overtime. It is too back we didn’t come out with a win, but we got a (standings) point.”

Raiders head coach Jeff Truitt was pleased to Rudolph net his first career goal. The veteran bench boss believed Rudolph would get that milestone tally sooner than later.

“These kids are all good players, and it is just a matter of time before they score,” said Truitt. “Dax (Rudolph) got this one tonight and good for him.

“It is quite an accomplishment to get your first one.”

Overall, the Raiders dressed five 16-year-old rookies on Friday including Rudolph, defenceman Benett Kelly, left-winger Ty Menuier and right-wingers Riley Boychuk and Jonah Sivertson. While they lack experience at the WHL level, Truitt thought the 16-year-olds showed that they belong.

Niall Crocker had a goal and an assist for the Raiders.

“You know what, they might be 16, but they don’t look like 16 sometimes,” said Truitt. “Sometimes when you’re the home team you get the matchup.

“We were chasing the game a little bit. Do you rely on them at this point in time? Not always.

“We gave them some chances here and there, but we wanted to fight back and usually you go with your older group a little bit. Those younger guys I thought fit in real well.”

In Friday’s clash, the Raiders came out of the gate with some jump recorded the first three shots on goal in the contest. The Pats would turn away the host side’s early moment netting a power-play goal at the 7:07 mark of the opening frame.

While working with the man advantage, Pats 20-year-old centre Braxton Whitehead broke into the Raiders zone on a rush down the right wing. He centred a pass across the face of the Prince Albert net to linemate Sam Oremba, who popped home the contest’s opening tally to give the visitors a 1-0 edge.

Samuel Laplante scored his first WHL goal on Friday.

With 2:01 one remaining in the opening frame, the Raiders evened the score at 1-1 on a gritty goal from 20-year-old right-winger Niall Crocker. Raiders sophomore 17-year-old left-winger Luke Moroz tried to pop home a shot during frantic action around the Regina net.

Pyne got a piece of the shot, but the puck sat loose in the crease of the Regina goal. Crocker swooped in and popped the loose puck home for the equalizer.

Just 2:21 into the second, the Pats went ahead 2-1 thanks to positive bounce goal. Pats 17-year-old rookie defenceman Samuel Laplante floated a puck from the right point towards the Raiders net.

Laplante’s floater deflected off Raiders 20-year-old defenceman Cedricson Okitundu into the Prince Albert net to give the visitor’s their one-goal edge. The tally was also Laplante’s first career WHL regular season goal.

Luke Moroz had an assist for the Raiders on Friday.

Okitundu, who spent last season with the OHL’s Brantford Bulldogs, was signed by the Raiders earlier in the day. He had been released by the Bulldogs and was able to join the Raiders after clearing waivers.

That set the stage for the dramatics late in the third period and in overtime.

“I thought that at times we were sloppy with the puck and just the pace of play here a little bit,” said Truitt. “It is going to smooth out.

“It is going to take some time, and we know that. We had our chances. We had some chances here that we could have obviously scored on, but we didn’t finish and that seems to be the difference.

Cole Temple picked up an assist on the Pats OT winning goal.

“They score a power-play goal. They score on some of their chances, and we don’t and that is the difference.”

Max Hildebrand turned away 22 shots to take the setback in net for the Raiders. Pyne stopped 37 shots to pick up the win in goal for the Pats.

Both clubs were still missing players who were away at pro training camps.

The Raiders have three players attending NHL training camps including centre Tomas Mrsic (St. Louis Blues), defenceman Lukas Dragicevic (Seattle Kraken) and import defenceman Norwin Panocha (Buffalo Sabres). Raiders import 20-year-old left-winger Krzysztof Macias is at the training camp of the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers.

Zackary Shantz (#42) reacts to scoring his OT winner.

Pats star left-winger and Prince Albert product Tanner Howe is still at the training camp of the NHL’s Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Pats return home to host the Brandon Wheat Kings (6 p.m., Brandt Centre).

The Raiders return to action on Saturday when they travel to Moose Jaw to face the Warriors (7 p.m., Moose Jaw Events Centre). It will banner raising night for the Warriors, who won their first WHL championship last season.

Rudolph is ready to get after it in his upcoming second career regular season game against the Warriors on Saturday.

“I think you can always get better every day,” said Rudolph. “We have to build off this one for sure.

The Pats celebrate their OT win on Friday.

“We have a few things to work on, but yeah, we’re looking forward to it tomorrow, and we’ll be in for a good one in Moose Jaw.”

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