By Jeff D'Andrea

Lange gets warm welcome from hometown crowd in Raiders home opener

Sep 25, 2011 | 9:55 PM

This preseason, Sawyer Lange was doing a lot more than cracking the Prince Albert Raiders roster.
He was becoming what he’s always looked up to.

Lange is a Prince Albert product and a Raider fan since he was a tyke. He’s spent more time at the Art Hauser Centre than he’d care to calculate and has seen a ton of games in the stands.

Little did Lange know that one day, he would be in a Raider game, as the 17-year-old defenceman was named to the team’s roster to start the season and has played in both Raider games so far this season.

After Friday’s 4-3 loss to the Saskatoon Blades in Saskatoon, Lange was introduced as a member of the Raiders Saturday in the 900 CKBI Home Opener against the Blades and said it was a special moment.

“I’ve been to Raider games my whole life, ever since I was young,” said Lange, a fourth round selection of the Raiders in 2009. “It was kinda cool to be out there for the opening ceremonies and have them call my name and be one of the guys I used to watch growing up.

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“I don’t know, it’s a cool feeling.”

When Lange was introduced along with the rest of the team, he received one of the biggest ovations from the crowd of his friends, family and neighbours.

“It feels good, it lets me know the fans are behind me,” said Lange.

Lange went on to register his first WHL point that night, an assist on T.J. Constant’s second period marker, making the game 3-1 at the point before the Raiders ultimately lost the game 5-3.

With how crowded the Raiders’ blue line was this preseason, there was question as to whether or not Lange would suit up for games in the Raiders dressing room, or across the hall with the AAA Mintos but fortunately for him, Lange is up with the big club.

As a Minto last season, Lange finished second in the SMAAAHL scoring race among defencemen with 13 goals and 36 points in 43 regular season games, not including the eight points he accumulated during ten playoff games en route to a provincial championship.

The Raiders’ next game will be on Wednesday at the Art Hauser Centre against the Edmonton Oil Kings.

jdandrea@panow.com