Raiders forward Sloan Stanick squeezes through a check from ICE forward Jack Finley. (Mark Peterson Media).

By Jeff D’Andrea

Raiders Hockey

Defending champion Raiders ready for ICE challenge

Apr 22, 2022 | 11:53 AM

“We’re defending champs.”

It’s a line Prince Albert Raiders head coach Marc Habscheid has used throughout the regular season, reminding his team and those around the league about what happened on the fateful night of May 13, 2019. Noah Gregor scored both Raider goals in regulation before then found Dante Hannoun for the heroic overtime winner — in Game 7 — to defeat the Vancouver Giants and win the Ed Chynoweth Cup.

It’s been three years, but the Prince Albert Raiders finally have a chance to defend that championship as they are in Winnipeg to take on the top-ranked ICE on Friday and Saturday for Games 1 and 2 at the Wayne Fleming Arena.

A lot has changed since the Raiders last won the cup.

Gregor has been playing his third season with the San Jose Sharks in the NHL (and their AHL-affiliate in the Barracuda). Hannoun is playing professional hockey in Austria.

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In fact, none of the Raiders that were on that championship team will be suiting up for the postseason, unless Ozzy Wiesblatt returns after being shut down for the season due to injury. Even the voice of the Raiders Trevor ‘Shreddin’ Redden isn’t calling the team’s games anymore, he’s been replaced by Rob ‘Macho’ Mahon.

The ICE powerhouse didn’t make the playoffs the last time there was a post-season. In fact, they hadn’t even moved to Winnipeg yet, as they were still based in Cranbrook B.C. as the Kootenay ICE.

But regardless of who wears the Raiders’ jersey, the Raiders are going to be playing ‘Raider hockey.’ Just by making the playoffs was an underdog achievement on its own, but the Raiders are looking to upset the best team in the WHL, and top-two team in the nation.

“We had a great week of practice. We’re implementing a game plan, hopefully we can execute it and get off to a great start in Winnipeg,” Raider forward Sloan Stanick said. “We’ve been playing playoff hockey for the last 18-20 games so it’s exciting and we’re ready to go.”

One big key in that game plan will be taking away the vision of ICE goaltender Daniel Hauser who is in line to win the league’s Goaltender of the Year Award. On Thursday, Hauser was named the East Division’s Goaltender of the Year and First Team All-Star and is also the reigning Goaltender of the Month. Hauser led the league with eight shutouts, a 2.00 goals-against average, and was third in save percentage with .914.

“We have to not make it easy for him, be around the paint and get in his eyes. I think that’s how you’re going to beat him,” Raiders forward Carson Latimer said. “It’s not going to be a pretty shot, we’re going to have to be greasy and hopefully bang some in.”

The Raiders and ICE will tangle at the Wayne Fleming Arena on Friday and Saturday for Games 1 and 2. Games 3 and 4 will be at the Art Hauser Centre on Tuesday and Wednesday. If necessary, Game 5 is scheduled for Saturday in Winnipeg, Game 6 back in Prince Albert for Sunday, while a possible Game 7 would be played on May 3.

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Jeff.dandrea@pattisonmedia.com

On Twitter: @jeff_paNOW