Raiders forward Ozzy Wiesblatt controls the puck in the neutral zone against the Winnipeg ICE Saturday. Jeff D'Andrea/paNOW Staff

By Jeff D'Andrea

Crazy train's bobblehead

Ozzy, Ed and milk crates team up; Boston shutting the door in goal

Oct 2, 2019 | 3:16 PM

The City of Prince Albert stepped in this year and are disallowing milk crates and other portable stands from being taken into the Art Hauser Centre.

But that milk crate, which quickly became a part of fan experience as a bag of popcorn during the Raiders’ playoff success, will be forever immortalized in bobblehead form.

On Oct. 5 against the Regina Pats, fans will receive a bobblehead of Raiders sophomore forward Ozzy Wiesblatt. Wiesblatt’s bobblehead form is standing on that now infamous and outlawed green milk crate, while proudly holding the Ed Chynoweth Cup.

Although the Raiders won the cup 142 days ago, it still hasn’t really sunk in yet to Wiesblatt. The bobblehead is another reminder of their championship season.

“Every time you see the banners up there, you watch back the videos of when we won, you always get chills,” Wiesblatt said. “Seeing you with the cup and on a milk crate, it’s pretty special to P.A. just in that way.

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“You grew up wishing you had your own bobblehead. It’s pretty cool for me.”

In his second year, Wiesblatt started off the season with five assists in four games. He’s also played on the top line with Aliaksei Protas and most recently with Brayden Watts, the newcomer from the Vancouver Giants.

“It’s been good. I’ve been pretty happy with my game so far. I know there’s some areas that I can improve on. I know I can be even better,” Wiesblatt said. “I’ll just take it one game at a time. I want to play in the O-zone a little bit more, I find sometimes we’re playing in the defensive zone too much. I want to be a leader, along the boards here, and provide a lot more offence.”

Shippin’ up to Boston

One of the standouts in the early season for the Prince Albert Raiders has been goaltender Boston Bilous.

Bilous has played every minute of the four games the Raiders have played in so far, has a 3-0-1 record with a .920 save percentage, 1.70 goals against average and is one of seven WHL goalies with a shutout.

“It’s been obviously a good start for the team and my numbers are a result of the team. They’re blocking shots for me. I don’t see the numbers I do if it’s not for my teammates,” Bilous said. “It’s not about me, it’s about the team and our success. It’s been great to see a few wins and pick up points early in the season. We hope to keep that going.”

Bilous said during camp that he was feeling confident heading into the season. That hasn’t changed.

“My confidence, I’d be lying if I said if it didn’t come from games, but a lot of it comes from my preparation and what I do before the games, and the work throughout the week,” Bilous said. “That’s where my confidence will continually come from—in the gym and the practices and the hard work between the lines. If I keep that up, I don’t see an issue coming up at any time.”

Saleski shipped

On Tuesday, the Raiders dealt Cohner Saleski to the Red Deer Rebels for a pair of draft picks, a sixth-round pick in the 2020 WHL Bantam Draft and a fourth-rounder in 2021.

Saleski was originally a first round pick of the Raiders in 2017. Saleski made it on the Raiders’ opening day roster for this season, but didn’t appear in any of their four games. Saleski appeared in four games last season as a call up from the Prince Albert Mintos of the Midget AAA hockey league, and made one appearance in the 2017-18 season as a 15-year-old.

Going to the show

Three Raiders alumni are on NHL rosters to start the 2019-20 season.

Brendan Guhle (with the Raiders from 2013-17) is on the Anaheim Ducks opening day roster. Leon Draisaitl (2012-14) is with the Edmonton Oilers. Josh Morrissey (2011-15) is with the Winnipeg Jets.

More divisional games

The Raiders play the Saskatoon Blades on Friday and the Regina Pats on Saturday, both at the Art Hauser Centre. Next week, the Raiders have three home games before embarking on their American road trip: Oct. 8 against the Vancouver Giants, Oct. 11 against the Lethbridge Hurricanes and Oct. 12 against the Moose Jaw Warriors.

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Jeff.dandrea@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW