P.A. Raiders fans and family made the trek to Winnipeg for the start of the playoff series to cheer on the team. (Submitted photo/Matthew Herbert)

By Teena Monteleone

Playoffs

Raiders fans to rock the Hauser for Game 3 and 4

Apr 25, 2022 | 6:00 PM

It would be hard to find a Prince Albert Raiders fan as committed as Matthew Herbert.

He is a billet parent for the Western Hockey League (WHL) team, runs a page dedicated to the Raiders on Facebook, rarely misses a game and even follows the team on the road. He made it to every game in Alberta this season and most recently, drove to Manitoba to cheer on the Raiders at the start of their playoff series against the Winnipeg Ice.

“The Winnipeg fans were nice and stuff, but most of the fans I talked to there, that was their first game all year. They just aren’t passionate like us. It is nothing like the Art Hauser,” Herbert said.

The Raiders fell 5-2 in Game 2 of their best-of-seven series with the Ice on Saturday night. Winnipeg now leads 2-0 as the series moves to Prince Albert for Game 3 Tuesday night. Herbert said the atmosphere just hits different at the Hauser.

“Even if you aren’t a big hockey fan, it’s fun to be in a loud crowd and we haven’t had an atmosphere like this in awhile because of the COVID restrictions. It’s generally just a good time to hang out with family and friends and watch some good hockey,” Herbert said. “I think with the fans there to pump up the boys it will be a different two games.”

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Raiders superfan Matt Herbert travelled to Winnipeg to cheer on the team. He tried to get this Winnipeg Ice fan to put on a Raider’s jersey, but she said she couldn’t because her son owned the team. (Submitted photo/Matthew Herbert)

Late Monday afternoon, Raiders business manager Michael Scissons said there was still a good selection of tickets for both games, but he encouraged fans to buy them early. Doors to the box office will open at 5:30 p.m. on game day and he anticipates it will be busy.

Lake Country Co-op will be hosting a tail-gate party prior to the game Tuesday with a barbeque set up outside of the Hauser from 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. Scissons said fans in Prince Albert understand the importance of these next two games and energy will be at ‘an incredibly high level.’

“I got calls from all sorts of different teams wishing us luck verses Winnipeg saying, ‘they’re sure in for one tomorrow when they get to see the Hauser when it’s rocking,’ cause nothing beats it and we’re hoping to see that this week,” Scissons said.

“We hope the fans can be the seventh player on the ice for us and help us to a couple of wins.”

Puck drop is at 7 p.m. both nights with the pre-game show hosted by voice of the Raider’s Rob Mahon on CKBI starting at 6:30 p.m.

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panews@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @princealbertnow