By Trevor Redden

Redden on the Raiders: Backs against the wall once again

Mar 30, 2018 | 12:35 PM

Once again, the Prince Albert Raiders find themselves fighting to keep their season alive.

Down 3-1 to the Moose Jaw Warriors, the Raiders must win in Moose Jaw Saturday night to keep the series alive. Based on what we’ve seen from this team throughout the season, I’d bet we’ll see the best game of the year from the green and gold in game five.

Back on February 20, the Raiders faced an eight-point deficit that would need to be made up over the final 13 games of the season to pass the Saskatoon Blades and earn a playoff position.

Much like now, the Raiders were coming off a stretch of well-played games that resulted in losses. This stretch included a 3-1 loss to Regina where the Raiders outshot the Pats 38-24, a 4-3 loss in Brandon despite a 42-13 shot advantage, and back-to-back third period collapses against Saskatoon and Swift Current. Instead of folding up and accepting defeat, Prince Albert stuck to the system and was rewarded with a nine-game winning streak, sparked by an 8-2 victory in Lethbridge on February 21, and ultimately a playoff berth.

This time around, the Raiders are coming off back-to-back-to-back heartbreak losses, each with their own unique bitterness, to put them in the hole.

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compensation

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The controversy

Officials have a very tough job, and I don’t want to trade places with them. Both Raider and Warrior fans have been incensed at different times throughout this series, which tells you how thankless the role can be.

Looking back at game four, the video doesn’t lie. Unfortunately, for the Raiders in this instance, video replays aren’t available to review goaltender interference, and the call on the ice in the third period was no goal. The NHL has tried implementing video review for goaltender interference this year, and we’ve all seen how murky those waters are. Nobody in Prince Albert is happy with what happened, but the hockey gods typically have a way of balancing these things out in time, the only question now is whether there’s enough time for the Raiders. 

We’ll find out Saturday.

How do we feel about the Brooks?

Tuesday night, the Raiders seemed on their way to a 2-1 series lead after Justin Nachbaur scored to make it 4-2 late in the third. Shortly afterwards, Warrior defenceman Josh Brook skated the puck up the ice, getting to the Raider net and scoring to start the comeback that led to an improbable come from behind victory. At that point, I don’t think Brook was a popular name around the Art Hauser Centre.

Thursday afternoon, the Raiders announced the signing of Jakob Brook, the younger brother of Josh. The forward is coming off a more than point-per-game season as a first-year midget with the Rink Hockey Academy Prep program. He becomes the fourth signee from the first two rounds of last year’s draft, joining Kaiden Guhle, Cohner Saleski, and Ozzy Wiesblatt who all suited up for the Raiders this season.

I think Raider fans may grow to love the idea of J. Brook scoring goals at the Art Hauser Centre in the coming years.

Masters Marty

Safe travels to my broadcast partner Marty Ring who’s off to Augusta, Georgia to watch some sort of golf tournament next week. While I’m off to Mosaic Place on Saturday, he’s headed for Magnolia Lane, which I’m sure is a nice place in its own right.

It’s been a blast working with him this season and I know we would both enjoy the opportunity to call a few more Raider playoff games when he gets back next weekend.

trevor.redden@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @Trevor_Redden