Raiders forward Zach Wilson. (Submitted photo/Mark Peterson Media)

By Jeff D’Andrea

Boys are buzzin'

Raiders’ Wilson talks about his progression and ‘that fourth line buzz’

Feb 10, 2022 | 5:00 PM

The instructions rookie forward Zach Wilson has received from the Prince Albert Raiders is pretty simple— throw checks, give the team a spark, and don’t get scored on.

Wilson has taken that to heart and used the philosophy to transform from first-year player getting used to the game, to a energetic, buzzing menace the other team has to be aware of.

“I think at the start of the year, I was just getting used to it, getting used to the speed of the game. I found my role on the team. I got comfortable with that and just progressed on,” Wilson said. “[The coaches] have told me the biggest thing is to be physical, bring energy and defence first. Offence will come, but defence is number one and that’s how you win games. As a fourth-line guy, you have to focus on that and playing big.”

The Raiders’ forward units have been scrambled around in recent games, in order to try to find some offence during the recent absence of Raiders’ leading scorer Ozzy Wiesblatt, who has missed five of the last six games.

But whenever Raiders head coach Marc Habscheid knows when his team needs a little pick-me-up, all he has to do is tap the young buzz line in Wilson, Lodewyk and Peekeekoot.

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“I like playing with those guys, they’re two hardworking guys. I think we create a lot of offence, even just pressure in their zone,” Wilson said. “We might not always score, but we all use the body a lot and be physical enough to create that fourth line buzz.”

Wilson and Lodewyk both have scored two goals each, all coming after the holiday break. In fact, both Wilson and Lodewyk scored their first WHL goals in front of their families and friends on back-to-back days.

Wetaskiwin, Alta.’s Wilson scored his first goal Jan. 15 in Calgary in the Raiders’ 4-1 defeat to the Hitmen. Then on Jan. 17, Lodewyk got his first-ever WHL goal in his hometown in a 7-3 defeat to the Red Deer Rebels. Then the pair each scored once at the Art Hauser Centre on Jan. 22 in a 6-4 loss to the Medicine Hat Tigers.

“That was a pretty good feeling. It was nice. I had family there and I got to celebrate with them after. It was really good. It upped my confidence a little bit, and went up from there.”

After beating the Hitmen 5-2 on Tuesday to snap a six-game losing streak, the Raiders will look to make it a winning streak in Moose Jaw against the Warriors on Friday, before returning to the Art Hauser Centre Saturday to battle the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

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Jeff.dandrea@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW