The accolades keep flowing on in for the Prince Albert Raiders.
Sporting a 15-1-0 record, including eight straight wins, P-A sits atop the C-H-L Top 10 rankings for a third straight week. In addition, league-leading scorer Brett Leason and Ian Scott were named the W-H-L’s Player and Goaltender-of-the-Month for October. Following are the news releases from the C-H-L and W-H-L…
PRINCE ALBERT RAIDERS TAKE TOP SPOT FOR THIRD STRAIGHT WEEK IN KIA CHL TOP 10 RANKINGS
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2018 Toronto, Ont. – The Canadian Hockey League today announced the week seven edition of the Kia CHL Top-10 Rankings for the 2018-19 season. The weekly rankings of the CHL’s Top-10 teams are selected by a panel of National Hockey League scouts. The Prince Albert Raiders remained the toast of the entire CHL, earning the top spot for a third straight week. The Raiders’ week began with a 4-2 victory against the Moose Jaw Warriors Wednesday, then continued with a 6-2 win at home against the Regina Pats Saturday, pushing their winning streak to eight games. A pair of Raiders were rewarded for their strong starts to the season as WHL leading scorer Brett Leason was named the WHL McSweeney’s Player of the Month and goaltender Ian Scott (Toronto Maple Leafs) was named the WHL Vaughn Goaltender of the Month Wednesday. The Raiders are back in action Friday, November 2 (7:00 p.m. MT) when they host the Kootenay ICE. Also factoring into this week’s Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings were the Vancouver Giants, who occupied the sixth spot. After a loss to the Seattle Thunderbirds Saturday at home, the Giants responded with a 3-2 shootout victory against the Brandon Wheat Kings Sunday. Giants backup Trent Miner has provided solid goaltending for the Giants when called upon, earning the victory Sunday. In six games this season, Miner has a 4-0-1-0 record while maintaining a 1.41 goals-against-average and a 0.953 save percentage along with one shutout. The Western Conference-leading Giants are next in action on Saturday, November 3 (7:00 p.m. PT), playing host to the Kamloops Blazers. Both the Giants and Blazers will play host to the first two games of the 2018 CIBC Canada Russia Series next week, starting Monday at the Sandman Centre in Kamloops, B.C. and continuing to the Langley Events Centre Tuesday. Right behind the Giants in the B.C. Division standings and right behind them in the seven spot in the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings were the Victoria Royals. The Royals are 9-3-0-0 on the season after scoring a 3-1 victory over the visiting Wheat Kings Saturday. Forward Kaid Oliver scored twice in the game, giving him a team-leading nine goals and 16 points this season. The Royals are on the road this weekend for a pair of games against the Portland Winterhawks, beginning Friday, November 2 (7:00 p.m. PT) at the Moda Centre. The fourth and final WHL team to grace the Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings this week were the Red Deer Rebels, who made their debut in spot 10 this week. After beginning their week with a 4-1 loss to the Medicine Hat Tigers, the Rebels reeled off a 4-3 overtime victory against the Saskatoon Blades and an 8-5 win against the Kootenay ICE. Rebels defenceman Alexander Alexeyev (Washington Capitals) was particularly effective, recording eight points (3G-5A) to earn WHL On the Run Player of the Week honours. Now ranked first in the Central Division, the Rebels are back in action Saturday, November 3 (1:30 p.m. MT), taking on the Calgary Hitmen. Kia CHL Top 10 Rankings – Week 7:
| Rank: | Team: | Last Week Rank: | Number of Weeks Ranked: |
| 1 | Prince Albert Raiders (15-1-0-0) | 1 | 5 |
| 2 | Ottawa 67’s (12-3-1-0) | 4 | 4 |
| 3 | Baie-Comeau Drakkar (12-3-0-1) | 6 | 5 |
| 4 | Rouyn-Noranda Huskies (12-4-0-0) | 2 | 4 |
| 5 | Halifax Mooseheads (12-4-0-0) | 3 | 7 |
| 6 | Vancouver Giants (11-3-2-0) | 5 | 5 |
| 7 | Victoria Royals (9-3-0-0) | 7 | 4 |
| 8 | Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (10-3-3-0) | 9 | 2 |
| 9 | Moncton Wildcats (12-3-2-0) | 10 | 2 |
| 10 | Red Deer Rebels (10-4-1-0) | – | 1 |
| Honourable Mention: | |||
| Drummondville Voltigeurs (11-4-1-0) | – | 3 | |
| Guelph Storm (9-4-2-0) | – | 2 | |
| Niagara IceDogs (9-4-2-0) | – | 3 |
RAIDERS’ LEASON NAMED
WHL MCSWEENEY’S PLAYER OF THE MONTH
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2018
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today that Prince Albert Raiders forward Brett Leason has been named the WHL McSweeney’s Player of the Month for September and October 2018.
Leason has been the breakout star across the entire Canadian Hockey League to begin the 2018-19 regular season, recording 35 points (15G-20A) in 16 games along with a plus-27 rating to power the Raiders to an incredible 15-1-0-0 record, placing them first in the entire WHL.
Of the 16 games Leason has played, 13 have been multi-point efforts, including a four-point game, four three-point games, and eight two-point games. Leason is also presently on a nine-game multi-point streak and has goals in eight of his last nine games. Leason has four multi-goal games to his credit as well.
Leason has been named the WHL On the Run Player of the Week once this season. He’s been named the first star of the game four times this season, earning a pair of second star honours and three third star honours. He’s been named the WHL first star of the night once and also been named the third star of the night by the league once.
Selected in the third round, 50th overall, of the 2014 WHL Bantam Draft by the Tri-City Americans, Leason appeared in 81 games with the Americans, posting 19 points (9G-10A). Since his trade to the Raiders, Leason’s offensive game has found another level with the Calgary, Alta. product recording 67 points (30G-37A) in 70 games with the East Division club.
The 6-foot-4, 199-pund 19-year-old was named to Team WHL for the 2018 CIBC Canada Russia Series earlier this month, playing alongside teammates Parker Kelly and goaltender Ian Scott. Leason is the first Raiders player to be named WHL McSweeney’s Player of the Month since Leon Draisaitl captured the honours in March 2014.
Before that, Leason and the Raiders will play once this coming weekend, playing host to the Kootenay ICE on Friday, November 2 (7:00 p.m. MT).
RAIDERS’ SCOTT NAMED
WHL VAUGHN GOALTENDER OF THE MONTH
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE / WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2018
Calgary, Alta. – The Western Hockey League announced today that Prince Albert Raiders goaltender Ian Scott has been named the WHL Vaughn Goaltender of the Month for September and October 2018.
Scott, who was selected in the fourth round, 110th overall, by the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 2017 NHL Draft, posted an incredible 13-1-0-0 record, maintained a 1.57 goals-against-average, stopped 363 of 385 shots sent his way for a 0.943 save percentage and recorded two shutouts as the Raiders ascended to the top spot in the WHL.
Twice, Scott was named the WHL Eli Wilson Goaltending Goaltender of the Week. He was twice recognized as the first star of the game, twice as the second star of the game and once as the third star of the game. He was also recognized as the WHL’s first star of the night once and the third star of the night once as well.
The 6-foot-3, 183-pound product of Calgary, Alta. won his first six starts of the season. After suffering his first defeat of the season in early October, Scott has responded with seven-straight victories. Scott presently ranks first among WHL goaltenders in victories and shutouts. He ranks second in GAA and SV%.
The 19-year-old was named to Team WHL for the 2018 CIBC Canada Russia Series earlier this month and will play alongside teammates Brett Leason and Parker Kelly.
Before that, Scott and the Raiders will play once this coming weekend, playing host to the Kootenay ICE on Friday, November 2 (7:00 p.m. MT).
WHL McSweeney’s Player of the Month
September/October: Brett Leason, Prince Albert Raiders
WHL Vaughn Goaltender of the Month
September/October: Ian Scott, Prince Albert Raiders
