By Jeff D'Andrea

Back to where it all started for Raiders’ C Tkatch

Sep 16, 2014 | 5:13 PM

Jordan Tkatch's hockey career is coming around full circle. 

Tkatch, who the Prince Albert Raiders acquired this offseason from the Prince George Cougars, is heading back to the Art Hauser Centre where he scored his first WHL career goal.

That came back on Oct. 5, 2011 in just his fourth career WHL game as a member of the Cougars. Tkatch still remembers it well, as he slid the puck then-Raiders goaltender Cole Holowenko.

“It was a line change, (the puck) was in our own end and I just stretched to the far blueline,” said Tkatch. “Our defenceman (Cody Carlson) gave it to me and it was a 2-on-1. I shot far blocker and it just happened to go in.

“When I was in Prince George and I scored my first goal, that was pretty neat playing in this rink the year before. Now coming back and playing for that team, and watching that team while I was in midget, now I’m with the Raiders. It’s pretty exciting.”

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Not only did he get that milestone goal in this building against the Raiders, but Tkatch also called the Art Hauser Centre his home rink in 2010-2011 when he played his 15-year-old season with the Prince Albert Mintos. 

He was coached then by Tim Leonard and Dave Manson, who are now assistant and associate coaches on the Raiders.

Throughout the preseason, Tkatch has earned a lot of praise for his two-way game.

Raiders head coach Cory Clouston said Tkatch was “smart defensively” and was valuable on the penalty kill and in puck battles, and able to play against the opposing teams’ top lines.

On both 900 CKBI radio casts against the Saskatoon Blades, Tkatch was given the Pineland Metals Man of Steel award for his solid two-way game. Even Phil “The Thrill” Andrews, the voice of the Regina Pats, noted how well Tkatch can defend from the centre spot during Friday’s 4-1 victory.

Tkatch said he wasn’t always a defensive stalwart, but embraced the defensive lessons pretty quickly in from Leonard and Manson back when the three were on the Mintos.

“It’s kinda funny, actually. When I was in AAA, Tim and Dave were my coaches and they were kinda the ones that started and said ‘you’re not going to play in the WHL unless you know how to play in your own end.’ That’s how it all started,” said Tkatch. “I took their words on it and I worked hard on it and took that to heart.

“I made sure I had that in my game and throughout my years and now I’m playing for them again. I’d like to think that I am a two-way forward and I can play in my end and the other end too.”

Raiders inching towards seasons tickets sales

The Prince Albert Raiders set a goal to sell 1,700 seasons tickets for this upcoming year. On Tuesday at the Chamber of Commerce Raiders' Luncheon, Raiders business manager Bruce Vance said the team is getting close to that goal.

Vance said the team is sitting around 1,650 season tickets sold, after saying on Friday that the team hovered closer to the 1,600 mark.

But seeing as the Raiders are reporting an operating deficit $95,442 as of 2013 (down from a deficit of $176,082 in 2011, it’s very important for the Raiders to ramp up their revenues.

“As a small market team in the Western Hockey League, we have different revenue streams and the biggest stream is season tickets,” said Vance. “It’s the biggest number that we try to achieve. There are certainly other things that provide the revenue for the organization, but seasons tickets is the number 1 revenue generator.

“The bums in the seats are great and we need to get the people in the building.”

The Raiders will hope for a few of those “bums in the seats” for Friday’s season opener against the Saskatoon Blades. Ticket information is available at the Raiders’ office and on their team’s website.

jdandrea@panow.com

On Twitter: @jeff_dandrea