Don’t abandon the pirate ship just yet!!

The Raiders' playoff hopes look bleak at this point. They are 10 points out of a post-season spot and have played more games than anyone else in the East. Parity and the probability of three-point games in the Conference also make the road to the playoffs a lot bumpier.

Saturday's 3-2 loss in Swift Current is another one of the coulda-shoulda-woulda's, a game they probably should have won, but slipped away with a turnover and two power play goals against. The Raider record includes 7-one goal losses, meaning there remains a fine line between winning and losing.

Despite a 1-and-3 record under head coach Steve Young the team is making progress. The defensive game is getting better and the addition of assistant Dave Manson can do nothing but help.

There are other reasons to keep coming to the Art Hauser Centre. The 2,600 on hand for Friday's 5-2 win over Lethbridge (the 1,000th in franchise history) witnessed a high tempo, wide open and hard hitting night of entertaining hockey, with many more sure to come.

Raider co-captain Mark McNeill and assistant captain Harrison Ruopp are destined for the NHL.

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International honours

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The nightly exploits of 20-year-old's Justin Maylan, Brandon Herrod and Kellen Tochkin are also worth the price of admission.

Off the ice, this group represents the team and the city with pride, and dignity when travelling. It's normal to hear meal servers and hotel staff comment on how polite the players are.

From a fans perspective it's great to support and be part of a winner, but making victories a condition for buying tickets is unrealistic and unfair.

Hockey is entertainment and this team is entertaining, exciting and frustrating, sometimes within minutes giving those in the seats a full range of emotions on any given night.

Fans who leave the rink feeling entertained and satisfied with the effort of those wearing Raider jerseys have gotten their money's worth.

The Raiders host Brandon, Wednesday in the opener of a home and home series.

All games can be heard on 900 CKBI and 900ckbi.com.

dwilson@rawlco.com