It’s Magic!!!!

The Raiders and their fans have a couple of magic numbers to watch as the P.A. boys try to nail down the franchise's first playoff berth in four seasons.

Any combination of Raider victories and Lethbridge regulation losses adding up to three, or any combination of plus or minus point combinations adding up to five.

The Raiders open their final week of the season Wednesday night in Calgary and wrap up with a home and home series against Swift Current beginning Friday at the Art Hauser Centre. The Hurricanes who are two points behind the Raiders for the final Eastern playoff spot, invade Edmonton Tuesday and clash with Kootenay in a season ending home and home series. So schedule wise, it's advantage Raiders.

P.A. has a 2-1 lead in the season series against the Hitmen, who are still without Prince Albert boy and co-captain Tyler Fiddler who has been battling a high ankle sprain for weeks. However a team out of the playoff picture playing solely for pride can make life difficult as they will not want to soil the bed in front of the home town fans.

The Raiders will have to do without Jonathan Parker against the Hitmen. The team's leading scorer (44 goals, 40 assists) will serve a one game suspension for a major elbowing penalty in Brandon. Rookie Shane Danyluk took Parker's spot against the Wheat Kings and was skating between Parkers line mates Igor Revenko and Justin Maylan during Monday's practice. Danyluk also scored a power play goal against the Wheat Kings after Parker's ejection. But Parker counted three goals and three assists last week. The injured Revenko appears ready to go while 19-year-old-winger Charles Wells remains a question mark.

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Mark McNeill and Brandon Herrod also had big weeks — McNeill with four goals and two helpers while Herrod had five points including two goals. The 19-year-old power forward from Meadow Lake is on a seven game point streak while McNeill has 13 points in his last six contests and was dominant in Friday's 5-2 win over Edmonton. If the Raiders can duplicate that effort this week they will play post season hockey for the first time since 2007. Their other win last week was that wild and wacky wide open 8-5 victory over Regina.

Last year the Raiders faded badly down the stretch losing 12 of their last 17 games but appear more poised, mature and less fragile when adversity has struck over the past month. Excellent execution of Friday's game plan signalled the team was mentally prepared against Edmonton but lacking early in Saturday's 7-3 loss in Brandon. Mental toughness and maturity this week could mean the difference between another year in playoff purgatory or ascension into the promised land.

All Raider games can be heard on 900 CKBI or 900ckbi.com.

dwilson@rawlco.com