Kholin was a new fresh face straight out of the S46 draft class. He hadn't played a game in the SMJHL yet so he was nervous when lacing his skate laces for the first time in a new locker room. The young Halifax Raiders team had barely had time to get to know each other before they were thrown in on the ice. The lines had been set in a non random way the coach had said. Centering the third line, Kholin was joined by Troy Reynolds and Clifton Outlaw. His first shot attempt happened early in the first period where both his lines' teammates missed the net. They must have still been anxious about their first game. Kholin managed to retrieve the puck behind the goal before the Colorado defenders and shot it towards a small opening in the net. The puck hit the post.

Kholin had been granted ice time on the first power play unit and late in the second, he got his best chance to score his first goal in the SMJHL. From a dumped puck in the Raiders zone, Rainbow Dash had carried it back towards neutral ice to send it to rookie Dylan Karlsson. A slap shot nearly missed the net but Matt Kholin was ready to battle for the puck in the corners. He poked the puck free, and skating back towards the Raptors goaltender, he quickly shot the puck towards the net which beat Yuri Ushakov five-hole for his first goal in his first game.