Raiders superfan Lee Philipenko followed the team from coast to coast. (Submitted photo/Lee Philipenko)

By Jeff D'Andrea

Sports Year in Review

Sports Year in Review; Buzz in Raiderland

Dec 23, 2019 | 12:00 PM

The Prince Albert Raiders success both on and off the ice makes our Top Sports Stories from 2019.

The buzz around the Raiders was obvious, especially throughout the playoff run.

In one year, the Raiders went from their worst attendance in history to having fans camping overnight outside of the Art Hauser Centre for a chance of scoring a ticket.

The concourse at the Art Hauser Centre was so full of milk crates, the city outlawed them during the offseason.

Some were even dedicated enough to travel all the way to Langley B.C. for the WHL finals, and to Halifax, N.S., for the Memorial Cup. Lee Philipenko was one of those die-hards that travelled from coast to coast to see his team in action.

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“To be honest, they’re my everything,” said Philipenko, who has been a season ticket holder since he moved back to Prince Albert 12 years ago. “To me, I eat sleep and breathe it because I believe in the team, I believe in the organization. I’m just doing my part as a fan.”

The team also did very well financially, despite having reported significant losses in recent history. The Raiders announced a profit of $633,314 for the fiscal year.

Here’s a feature on Philipenko.

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Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW