PRINCE ALBERT, Saskatchewan (Interstat) — The Western Hockey League’s top team will look to avenge a recent setback when the Prince Albert Raiders host the struggling Red Deer Rebels on Friday night at Art Hauser Centre.

The Raiders (52-16-0) enter with the league’s best record but have dropped two of their last three meetings with the Rebels this season, including a 4-3 home loss on March 3 and a 3-1 defeat in Red Deer on March 7. Prince Albert is coming off a dominant 4-0 road win over the Saskatoon Blades on Saturday, led by a two-goal performance from forward Brayden Dube.

Dube, a key player to watch for the Raiders, has four points (three goals, one assist) in his last five games and scored in the March 3 loss to Red Deer.

The Rebels (26-42-0) sit near the bottom of the WHL standings but have proven to be a persistent challenge for Prince Albert. They are, however, mired in a broader slump, having lost eight of their last ten games. Their most recent outing was an 8-3 road loss to the Medicine Hat Tigers on March 21.

Red Deer will rely on forward Talon Brigley, who had a goal and an assist in that loss to Medicine Hat. Brigley has points in two of his last three games and recorded six shots on goal in the Rebels’ win here earlier this month.

Despite their head-to-head success, the Rebels face a steep challenge against a Raiders squad that is 28-6-0 on home ice this season. Prince Albert has outscored opponents 21-7 during a current four-game home winning streak.

The game is the first of three consecutive meetings between the clubs to close the regular season. They will meet again here Saturday night before finishing the series with two games in Red Deer next week.

Puck drop is scheduled for 7 p.m. local time.