Bedard reaches 50-goal plateau, but Pats fall to Raiders

Regina Pats star Connor Bedard reached some individual scoring milestones Friday, but the Prince Albert Raiders got the most important two points of the night.

The Raiders overcame Bedard’s four-point outing — including his 49th and 50th goals of the season — en route to a 6-5 WHL victory over the Pats at the Art Hauser Centre.

Bedard reached the 50-goal plateau in 40 games with Regina this season. Only Pats legend Jock Callander, who scored his 50th goal in his 39th game of the 1981-82 season, hit the mark faster since Regina joined the WHL in 1966.

Bedard, who scored 51 times last season, is the first Pats player since Mike Sillinger to score at least 50 goals in back-to-back campaigns. Sillinger did it in three straight seasons, from 1988-89 to ’90-91.

The projected No. 1 pick in the 2023 NHL draft, Bedard also had two assists to reach 100 points on the season. He has recorded 23 goals and 13 assists in 12 games since returning from the 2023 world junior championship — and now has 113 goals and 115 assists in 117 career WHL games.

But the Raiders (21-28-3-0) spoiled the celebration for the Pats (25-23-2-1).

Brayden Dube, Carter Anderson, Ryder Ritchie, Keaton Sorensen, Grady Martin and Aiden Oiring scored for the Raiders. Martin (at 5:19) and Oiring (at 9:19) scored third-period goals as Prince Albert overcame a 5-4 deficit.

Alexander Suzdalev also scored twice for the Pats, who got their other goal from Tanner Howe.

Drew Sim made 25 saves for Regina. Max Hildebrand stopped 32 shots in the Prince Albert goal.

The Pats are to return to action Saturday against the visiting Winnipeg Ice. Game time at the Brandt Centre is 7 p.m.