No more playoff purgatory!!!!!

The Raiders have arrived, to the playoffs that is. The four year drought ended on Friday night with a resounding 6-3 win over Swift Current in front of the first full sell-out at the Art Hauser Centre since the memorable long playoff run of 2005. The team responded with energy, focus and determination resulting in a collective sigh of relief throughout the entire membership of the Raider nation. In other words … to a person how do they spell relief? P-L-A-Y-O-F-F-S!!!!

The Raiders left Lethbridge in their dust by winning five of their last six games. The only hiccup was a 7-3 setback in Brandon in the third game on four nights an evening after winning an emotional 5-2 decision over Edmonton at home. The Hurricanes who were neck and neck with the Raiders in the closing weeks would finish eight points back. In fact the Raiders finished only two points back of Edmonton.

The stretch drive to the playoffs was paced by the consistent point production of team scoring leader Jonathan Parker (45 goals-41 assists). However two other top six forward stepped up with the pressure on. Mark McNeill, the 17-year-old pro prospect finished on a 10 game point streak while also amassing 11 goals and 15 assists over the last 15 games. Brandon Herrod (McNeill's line mate along with Todd Fiddler) also pumped in points in the last ten games in a row, finishing with seven goals and nine assists over that period. Fiddler, a 17-year-old rookie wasn't too shabby either, ending on a three game goal scoring streak totalling eight points in his last seven games.

However one of the major revelations of the second half was the play of 19-year-old winger Justin Maylan. The Calgarian acquired from Prince George in the summer of 2009 for popular winger James Dobrowolski, ended the season piling up 20 points in the final 11 games. Justin also finished the season on a three game goal scoring streak to end with a career high 21. Maylan credits a good rest over the Christmas holiday for his rejuvenation. Coach and GM Bruno Campese points to the Maylan's work ethic as his key to success.

Speaking of rejuvenation … how about 19-year-old goalie Jamie Tucker. After struggling badly from mid-October to the beginning of December, Jamie was playing the best hockey of his career when a severely cut thumb suffered in a goal mouth collision with Regina Captain Garrett Mitchell on Feb. 5 took the Victoria puck stopper out of the line-up for five weeks.

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Tucker was sensational in the season ending home and home sweep against the Broncos. In fact since his return March 11th against Edmonton, Tucker had a 4-1 record (his only loss was in relief of Eric Williams March 12th in Brandon) with a 3.00 goals against average and a save percentage of .914. Tucker lost his shutout bid Wednesday in Calgary on two shots late in the third period that banked in off Raider defenders.

Making the playoffs is the first goal of any hockey team when the season starts. The Challenge is now big much bigger, if not massive against the Saskatoon Blades. The Raiders biggest rival is the runaway regular season champion in the WHL and ranked 2nd in the CHL. The Blades finished with a franchise record season at 56-13-1-2 and it was no fluke. They have 5-30 goal scorers including import Marek Viedensky. The 20 year old had a career year putting together his WHL career ending totals of 36 goals, 88 points and an incredible plus-60. Let's not forget Brayden Schenn. The Saskatoon native had 21 goals and 53 points in just 27 games since the blockbuster trade from Brandon. Defenseman Stefan Elliott led all WHL rear guards with 31 goals and 81 points with an are-you-kidding-me? plus 62 rating (Do you think Hockey Canada missed the boat with his exclusion from the National Junior team? You bet your sweet bippy!!!!).

Then comes, perhaps the best storyline, goaltender Steven Stanford. The over ager from Calgary was dealt to the Blades in October of 2009 after losing the number one puck stopping job in P-A to Garrett Zemlack who was the Raiders M.V.P. last season. This season Stanford has 40 wins and just 5 losses, 3 shutouts, a 2.78 goals against average and a save percentage of .910. However Steven still has some detractors.

The Blades won the season series 7-1, outscoring the Raiders 37-19. Saskatoon's power play against P.A. was 8-for-33 (24.2%) while the Raiders on the man advantage were 4-for-33 (12.1%). Even though these teams haven't met since February 11th and the Raiders are playing much better … the first job for Campese and his staff … perhaps even more important than the X's and O's … is to get their players believing they can beat the Blades.

As for the nay-sayers who are lamenting over the fact the Raiders ONLY grabbed the final playoff berth … and ONLY played one game over .500 in the second half … lighten up. It's the Raiders against the hated Saskatoon Blades in the playoffs … no more need be said.

We will preview the series on 900 CKBI's face-off at 6pm Monday. The show can be heard on 900 CKBI and 900ckbi.com. Get buckled in … it's going to be a wild ride!!!

dwilson@rawlco.com