By Trevor Redden

Meger eager to seize opportunity

Oct 4, 2017 | 2:15 PM

After a strong showing in net last weekend, Prince Albert Raiders goaltender Curtis Meger is eager to continue proving himself in the WHL.

Meger was signed by the Raiders in 2015, but it wasn’t until Friday night the 1998-born goaltender saw his first regular season action. Taking over the net in relief of Nicholas Sanders, Meger stopped six of seven shots in just under 30 minutes of playing time, helping his team to a 6-5 come from behind overtime victory over the Calgary Hitmen.

On Saturday, Head Coach Marc Habscheid gave Meger the nod ahead of puck drop against the Medicine Hat Tigers, and Meger had another strong performance with 30 saves on 32 shots, picking up his second win in as many nights as the Raiders dropped the Tigers 4-2.

“It was a special weekend, that’s for sure. One I’m going to remember for a long time,” Meger said. “It’s something I worked for really hard over the summer, and I think coming into camp I really wanted to compete for a spot on this team and I think this weekend I did a good job of that.”

After signing in 2015, Meger dressed in six games during the 2015-16 season as a backup, but never saw the ice. That year, he was a standout with the Regina Pat Canadians, posting a Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League-best 1.68 goals against average in 30 regular season games. The season before, Meger posted similar numbers as a 16-year-old with the Pat Canadians and played in five of seven games at the Telus Cup national midget AAA championship, helping his team to a bronze medal.

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Last season, the Regina native dressed in seven games, but again didn’t face any action with the Raiders. Meger joined the Estevan Bruins of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League for the season, appearing in 22 games with a 3.18 goals against average and a .905 save percentage.

“It’s been up and down, but it’s been an awesome opportunity. Every time I’ve been [in Prince Albert], I’ve learned so much and gained more experience for my game,” he said.

Stepping into action this past weekend after a two-year wait, Meger is hoping the lessons learned along the way will continue to serve him moving forward.

“I think you’ve just got to prepare every day like it’s your last, you want to go into every game day like you’re going to get a chance in the net. I think last year I definitely realized that I needed to be ready to go,” he said.

The Raiders came into the 2017-18 season with a clear cut number one goaltender in Ian Scott, but the Toronto Maple Leafs’ draft pick went down with a lower body injury on Sept. 22 during the regular season opener against Moose Jaw. Sanders took over and started the next two games against Moose Jaw and Calgary, but Meger took over during Friday’s game and earned his first start on Saturday.

Heading into this weekend’s two-game road swing through southern Alberta, Habscheid has not yet indicated his plans in net.

The Raiders take on the Lethbridge Hurricanes on Friday night, before heading to Medicine Hat to take on the Tigers on Saturday.

trevor.redden@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nedderrovert