Is Raider Hockey back to stay?

The first round WHL playoff matchup against their arch rival Saskatoon Blades provided the potential for the perfect storm. Fan interest would be peaked by a hunger for post-season hockey against the bridge city bunch which meant packs of fans travelling back and forth in a series that was also a low overhead proposition for a team struggling to make ends meet.

I thought it would be great if the Raiders could steal one game from the heavily favoured Blades (second ranked team in the CHL built for a long playoff run) in their first playoff series in four years feeling they could ride the emotion of energy-charged Art Hauser Centre to a game three victory.

The team also raised its game to a new level, while riding the emotional wave of the seventh man to a victory in game four as well. The Blades scored an 8-0 win in game five putting P.A. on the brink of elimination for Sunday's game six at the Art Hauser Centre.

By 1:30 p.m. Sunday afternoon Raider fans responded with the first total sell-out since the long playoff run of 2005.

The noise was deafening every time the Raiders stepped on the ice. I am not alone in saying there is no atmosphere anywhere in the WHL like a sold out Art Hauser Centre. The building was electric and both teams responded with the best game of the season. The pace was fast with furious physicality and great goaltending at both ends.

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The tension was tremendous throughout the tight contest as Raider goalie Jamie Tucker (and his terrific trapper) tantalized the crowd and teased the opposition with his ability to verbally get under the skin of frustrated shooters. Tucker was nothing short of sensational in game six. The best of his 41 saves was a glove snag off Josh Nicholls who was poised to end the game early in overtime with his point blank shot at a wide open net after Tucker made the original save. The 19-year-old from Victoria scrambled back and make a glove save, the likes of which haven't been seen before this season and perhaps ever.

It gave you the impression Tucker could not be beaten again on this night … and he wasn't. Jamie's attempted blind feed to who he thought was a Raider defenseman behind the net actually went to Blades veteran Mark Viedensky who fed a wide open fellow import Matei Stransky who had a tap in for the win 4:24 into overtime. Game set and match … the final score 2-1 Saskatoon, who won the series 4-games-to-2.

The vast majority of the 3,366 hearts in the rink (not including media and there were Blades fans in the crowd) fell in mass sympathy for Tucker who deserved to raise his victorious stick to an adoring audience as the game's first star. Instead his teammates led by Brandon Herrod poured off the bench to console their emotional puck stopper who put on a show stopping performance.

The final salute to a standing ovation from the packed house was enough to bring tears to your eyes. Tears were still glistening from the eyes of a courageous Jamie Tucker, who along with Brandon Herrod bravely spoke live on the air to the packed Ches Leach Lounge audience during the radio post game show. Herrod, Tucker as well as Coach and GM Bruno Campese spoke with pride about their showdown against the Blades who will also be a better team because of the challenge they faced from the Raiders.

So the perfect storm is now a calm breeze with thoughts already on the 2011-12 season. The Raiders will have a solid core of overages with the likes of Herrod, leading scorer and MVP Jonathan Parker, the vastly improved Justin Maylan and perhaps even Tucker coming back. They will be complimented by a solid core of 18 year olds like NHL first round draft prospect Mark McNeill (who should be a no-brain selection for Canada's Under 18 team), hard hitting Harrison Ruopp, goalie Eric Williiams and burgeoning sniper Todd Fiddler. Let’s not forget about potential rookie of the year candidate Josh Morrissey.

Excitement in Raider Hockey hasn't been this high since the run to game seven of the 2005 Eastern Conference final. Hopefully this translates to an increased season’s ticket base and more butts in the bleachers next season. The three huge playoff gates and supplementary income (beer) from the Saskatoon series will also be a big boost to the coffers. It could be the difference between another loss approaching the six figure range and breaking even. Who knows … there may also be a tiny profit.

Getting into the playoffs is a big step forward for the Prince Albert Raiders. Have they made progress? Yes, definitely. This franchise has earned respectability. The next step is a big one … building a contender, but it too will take time.

dwilson@rawlco.com