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A tumultuous team in transition

Oct 31, 2011 | 9:11 AM

To quote Charlie Sheen the Raiders need to start “winning.”

While that falls into the no crap Sherlock category, what has happened to the Raiders this season makes about as much sense as one of Charlie's recent rants.

The Raiders had and still appear to have the players to compete with anyone, but suffered four straight losses and seven setbacks in eight contests. The last four games were unlike the one goal losses the team was falling victim to early in the season. It was a fragile bunch prone to giving up goals in bunches who suffered four straight three-goal defeats. The final straw was Thursday's 6-3 setback to Swift Current at the Art Hauser Centre which started with Brad Hoban's goal just 12 seconds after the opening faceoff.

The Board moved swiftly on the recommendation by Bruno Campese that he step aside as Head Coach to concentrate fully on his duties as General Manager and hand the bench boss reigns to Steve Young. The immediate result was a combination of new and old. The team seemed energized and played hard against the Sasktoon Blades. It was the kind of effort most fans appreciate and would be satisfied with. However, Young's debut was also sprinkled with some of the same ingredients that have plagued this team since opening night in Saskatoon.

The Blades took advantage of ill-advised penalties in the first period to score twice, and a turnover at the blue line resulted in a goal on an odd man rush. The killer was Josh Nichols' short-handed goal on a clear cut breakaway after the puck was turned over deep in the Saskatoon zone giving the Blades a 4-1 lead 10 minutes into the second period. It was the team's eighth shorthanded goal against in just 18 games.

The power play was 2-for-9 with both goals coming on two man advantages. However it was out of sync. On a positive note, the team never gave up before bowing 4-3. They outplayed, outhit and out chanced the Blades 5-on-5 while outshooting them 34-18 providing the type of entertainment that should have the crowd of 2,321 wanting to come back.

Young is no green horn. He took over a Moose Jaw Warrior team mired in an even more dire situation in December of 2004, and led them to the WHL final in the spring of 2006. It was a team with raw talent that put it all together after countless hours of teaching time on the ice.

Raider players will soon find Steve Young demands the same work ethic, discipline and accountability as Bruno Campese, but they have two very different personalities and Young is promising changes.

However, giving up fewer shorthanded goals, making fewer turnovers, getting more big saves, and playing better on the specialty teams has to start happening Tuesday night at home against Calgary. The Raiders are 9 points out of a playoff spot in an insanely competitve Eastern Conference where only one point separates the 2nd and 8th ranked teams. It's alarmingly similar to 2007-08 when it took 88 points just to get into the playoffs.

Completely cleaning house would have been an over-reactive, chaotic and expensive move. Young is an experienced Head Coach who has succeeded in Junior-A and the WHL, and knows his players. The question is will they connect with Young calling the shots.

Coaching is a passion for Bruno Campese. To say it was difficult for him to step aside is a gross understatement. He will quickly adjust to life as a General Manager and approach his roster development duties with the same 24/7 relentless work ethic we have seen since his first day with the organization on June 21st 2007.

However, playoffs notwithstaning, the pressure is on for the Raiders reconfigured Hockey Operations staff to achieve a reversal of fortunes as all of their contracts expire at the end of the season.

dwilson@rawlco.com