The Raiders find themsleves five points out of a playoff spot with seven games to go after another 0-for-weekend on the road.  They trail Swift Current for the final Eastern Conference playoff spot and still hold a game in hand.
 
On Friday night in Saskatoon Garrett Zemlak was poised to steal this one for the Raiders.  He was amazing through two periods while the Raiders were getting outshot 30-16.  His biggest/most miraculous save came off Sena Acolatste on a wide open rebound while the game was still scoreless.  Zemlak got across the net making Acolatste feel as if he was bitten by the biggest cobra known to man.  However, the Raiders were unable to manufacture a goal as opportunities were few and far between.  The dam burst with Derek Hulak's back door roof shot as he went to the net unmolested.  A couple minutes later Marek Viedensky threw a shot toward the net from the boards and it bounced in off a couple of players battling in front of the net.  The Blades would put it away with three unanswered third period goals as the defensive breakdowns continued to mount.  The final score was 5-0 Blades.
 
Near the end of the seven hour bus ride back from Brandon I looked up and saw a full moon through the light fog, and at the beginning of the Wheat King game it proved to be a "bad moon rising".   Zemlak went behind the net to play a routine dump in, it took a funny hop right into the blue paint and Jay Fehr would score what had to be one of his easiest goals of the season just over a minute into the game.  Less than three minutes later speedy Matt Calvert won a race for the puck after an icing was waved off...weaved out of the corner on a virtual one-on-three situation and roofed a backhander to make it 2-0 Brandon...oy vay!!!
 
But the Raiders were lifted by a monster hit by Tyler Yaworoski.  The 17 year old defenseman made a statement as a winger on the energy line making Brandon defenseman Mark Schneider an addition to the end boards.  Wheat King defenseman Darren Bestland jumped Yaworski and picked up the extra two minutes.  The Raiders would score on the power play after the Wheaties took a second penalty and got right back into the game.  Justin Maylan would convert a Jordan Rowley rebound.
 
The second period also got off to a dubious start.  Brayden Schenn tapped in a cross crease feed after getting in behind the Raider defense just thirty seconds into the middle frame.   However again, the Raiders would battle back as Justin Maylan would score his second of the night, this time off a Dustin Cameron rebound as they combined with rookie Mark McNeill as the Raiders best line of the night.  Maylan now has three goals and an assist over the past three games.  Zemlak would also make the save of the game during  a Wheat King power play.  Jay Fehr thought he had the top corner picked from about six feet out only to have Zemlak snag it out of thin air keeping his team in the game.
 
With P.A. trailling by one and on the poewr play in the third period, they would fall victim to the speedy Scott Glennie.  The Dallas Stars first rounder would win a race for the puck at the Raider line and beat Zemlak with a low snap shot just inside the far post.  But there was still a lot of fight left in the Raiders... just over a minute later Brandon Herrod converted a feed from Igor Revenko as both showed some skill.  Igor's pass came after a nifty toe drag, while Herrod kicked the puck on to his stick before stuffing it past Jacob De Serres.  Mind you it took a lengthy video review beofre the officials saw it that way.
 
Glennie would put the game away on a penalty shot late in the third period.  The penalty shot was called after he was taken down by Brendon Wall on a breakaway that was anything but clear cut.  However, for better or worse, the threshold for a penalty shot isn't what it used to be.
 
The game would end with some fireworks.  Matt Calvert went hurtling into Zemlak in the dying moments after a nudge from Nathan Deck while Zemlak stopped Calvert's breakaway backhander.  Zemlak took off his blocker giving Calvert a "foot long submarine knuckle sandwich.  Zemlak picked up the extra minor to go along with his assist on the team's first goal.  He then teed off on Shaye Weibe after the Brandon winger crashed the side of the Raider net during the ensuing Brandon power play.  Remember it was Weibe who barrelled into Zemlak in P.A. sending Garrett to the injured list with a concussion.
 
In the fisticuffs category, Yaworski went to to toe with veteran Aaron Lewadniuk who had his league leading 15 game point streak halted.  At the buzzer, Ryan Button dropped the mits with Bestland after the Raider defenseman took a cross check to the back.  It was a hint of the old time rivalry which will resume this coming Sunday at the Art Hauser Centre.
 
Despite the effort and willingness to battle, the Wheat Kings prevailed 5-3, which also left you wondering where that work ethic and jam was the night before in Saskatoon.
 
The Raiders hit the road Monday for games Tuesday in Calgary and Wednesday in Red Deer and then close out the road swing Saturday in Regina.  Desperate times indeed.

When you can't score every mistake gets magnified.  The Raiders are winless in five heading into Saturday night's home game against the B.C. division leading Vancouver Giants.  P.A. has scored just four goals during that stretch which makes every turnover, every uncontrolled reboud, every bad bounce much more memorable.
 
There are several reasons.  The Raiders have run up against very good goaltending.  The opposing goaltender has been a star in four of those five games.  Shots that went in during the first half of the season are just missing, meaning the Raiders main snipers are slumping.
 
Igor Revenko hasn't scored in 13 games.  His last goal was the winner in a 3-2 victory on January 15th at home against Medicine Hat.  Leading scorer Brandon Herrod (33) has gone five games without a goal.  Jordan Hickmott has been sitting at 19 goals for seven games.  Ryan Harrison also hasn't lit the lamp since P.A.'s 5-1 win in Lethbridge on January 30th which was also the Raiders first and last road win since a 4-0 victory in Brandon on November 6th.
 
Coach and G.M. Bruno Campese has been juggling the lines through the slump looking for any combination to get hot.  Dustin Cameron has scored twice during the five game slide with Craig McCallum and rookie Mark McNeill getting the other goals.  In fact McNeill has been getting power play time lately and ended the Wednesday game against Red Deer between McCallum and Herrod.  Justin Maylan who was hot before the streak began has also been a centre on that line.  So does Campese continue to tinker or go back to the original threesomes hoping they will find their scoring ways again?
 
You get the feeling once the Raiders get a bounce, the goals will start flowing again at home and on the road.
 
Raider brass also has a decision to make in goal.  Former Giant Jamie Tucker replaced Garrett Zemlak on Wednesday and was excellent in the Raiders 3-1 loss in Calgary on February 12th.     
 
The Raiders need to right the ship before boarding the bus Sunday for Swift Current.  P.A. is five points back of the 7th ranked Broncos with two games in hand and are 3-2-1 in the season series.  However it was the Broncos who started the downhill slide for the Raiders with a 2-1 overtime victory on February 5th.  Ironically, Swift went into the game five points behind P.A. with games in hand.
 
Moose Jaw is in the 8th and final playoff spot, three points up on the Raiders but the Warriors have a game in hand.
 
The Raiders have 12 games left including 7 on the road where they are 1-11-1 in their last 13 contests.  Victories in these two games this weekend are about as "must" as they get without actually facing elimination.  However, with the parity in the East this season anything can happen.
 
Whatever happens, it should be fun to watch.


 

The Raiders will be ecstatic to see the friendly confines of the Art Hauser Centre after an 0-for-3 trip through Medicine Hat, Calgary and Red Deer.  Tuesday's game against the Rebels is also the wrapper of a home and home series.
 
They were simply not ready for the Tiger onslaught to start the Wednesday night game and fell behind 2-0 early and 3-0 after one period.  Tyler Bunz stopped Brandon Herrod on a great chance early and Craig McCallum on a breakaway seconds into the second period on chances that could have turned the game around.  By the time the Tigers were done, it was a 6-0 loss against a team that was at it's best while the Raiders were far from theirs.
 
In Calgary the Raiders turned in a solid effort.  They outshot the Hitmen who again were better able to bury their opportunities despite a tremendous performance by goalie Jamie Tucker who made his first start in five games.  Dustin Cameron's goal early in the third tied it briefly before P.A. boy and former Minto captain Tyler Fiddler finally put the game away with a pair of deflections.  The insurance goal came with five minutes to go after a weak hooking call on Justin Maylan by referee Pat Smith.  Cameron's goal ended a drought of over 150 minutes for a team who all of a sudden is having a tough time scoring goals.  They have potted just three over their last four games.
 
The Saturday night game in Red Deer was another hard fought affair.  In the final analysis the Rebels were slightly better at executing their game plan, slightly better at the little things like shot blocking, puck battles, traffic in front of the net and team defense.  Darcy Kuemper's 35 save performance didn't hurt either and he made it look easy staying square to shooters and reading plays extremely well.  A Nathan Deck blast off the post during an unsuccessful two man power play didn't hurt either.  Garrett Zemlak made some hilite reel saves but had some rebound issues in traffic that resulted in two goals.
 
Craig McCallum's goal in the third period ended an 0-for-13 slide on the power play including the two man advantage for close to two minutes in the second period in Red Deer.  The penalty kill has been excellent erasing 22 of the last 23 opposition advantages.
 
The Rebels head to Prince Albert on a roll.  They have won of 8 of their last 10 and picked up their 20th win of the season on home ice.  The Raiders have the third best home record and have points in their last eight straight home games (7-0-1).  However they will be tested by a Rebel team with a chance to reel in the 5th ranked Tigers in the Eastern Conference.  Red Deer is getting outstanding goaltending from Kuemper and play a very disciplined system that stresses forchecking and defense which was a problem for the Raiders puck persuing game plan on Saturday. 
 
The Raiders now find themselves a point out of the playoff dance with a game in hand on Swift Current who occupies the final playoff posting in the East.  The Raiders are a team that needs an offensive breakthrough.  Igor Revenko hasn't scored in 12 games.  Brandon Herrod who leads the team with 33 goals hasn't lit the lamp in four games.  But it goes deeper than offense.  It's the little things that will build the foundation... winning races to pucks, winning battles for pucks along the boards, blocking shots and crashing the opposition net that will lead to the so-called "bounce" that could turn games and maybe even their playoff run around.
 
After Tuesday the Raiders host the B.C. division leading Vancouver Giants Saturday, and travel to Swift Current Sunday for a crucial showdown with the Broncos.

Tonight's Raiders-Broncos matchup at the Art Hauser Centre is huge, colossal, monumental.. well you get the point.
 
P.A. leads Swift by five points with the Broncos holding a game in hand.  The Raiders can extend the gap to seven points and make it very difficult at best for the Broncos to get back into the playoff picture considering they are in the process of playing 13 games in 25 nights.
 
The Raiders lead the season series 3-2 with wins of 3-1 and 7-4 at home in addition to a 5-2 verdict in their last meeting in Speedy Creek...that was back on December 5th.. the night Igor Revenko took a puck in the chops fracturing his jaw.  Speaking of Igor, he looked better in Wednesday's 7-4 win over Sasaktoon, but still hasn't scored in eight games.  You get the feeling all he needs is a snipe or two from the right wing to get his game back to where it was in the first half.
 
The Broncos came back from a 4-1 deficit to prevail 6-4 at home in early October and held on for a 2-1 rememberance day victory on home ice.  In the first half they were virtually unbeatable at home, but virtually winless on the road (sound familiar?).  Now it's been a reversal of fortune.   While 1-and-6 in their last seven home games, the Broncos have picked up points in six of their last seven on the road.
 
This is a dangerous team on offense.  In addition to Cody Eakin's league leading 37 goals, Justin Dowling and Stepan Novotny have 22 each and several other players such has Brad Hoban and Matt Tassone have always been dangerous against the Raiders.
 

However, the red hot Justin Maylan (4 goals in two games) gives the Raiders three bona fide scoring lines with the prospect of Jonathan Parker breaking out at any time (he has yet to score since being acquired from Seattle at the trade deadline).  Parker's physical presence has already been a huge asset.  He has also teamed lately with Andrew Herle and Jordan Kochan as an effective energy line.
 
Garrett Zemlak looked more comfortable Wednesday against his old battery mate Steven Stanford who struggled in his return to the Art Hauer Centre.  It appears only a matter of time before "Zemmer" returns to full pre-concussion form.
 
After tonight's tilt in P.A. it's back on the bus for three tough ones through the Central Division next week.  The Raiders play in Medicine Hat Wednesday, Calgary Friday, and Red Deer Saturday.
 
See you at the rink.

The Raiders outshot and outchanced the Warriors while shutting down the league's best power play killing off all eight advantages (referees Brett Iverson and Greg Saraurer were penalty happy)   The only thing the Raiders couldn't do is score.  With a scoreless game apperernly headed for overtime, and icing call meant a face off in the Raiders zone.  Kendall McFaul's wrist shot from the left point from along the boards pinballed off rookie Danny Gayle and floated into the top cormer past Garrett Zemlak with 1:38 left and stood up for the 1-0 win.  That's the third loss in Moose Jaw since the break as P.A. went 0-for-4 in the crushed can. 
 
It was a tremendous road effort foiled by Jeff Bosch's 41 save effort...the second time he has stolen two points from the Raiders since Christmas.   The Raiders' chances of tying the game with a sixth attacker was all but snuffed out by a face off interference call against Brandon Herrod... the type of call any referee could make on almost any face off..a call that wasn't made all game long.. so why call it with the game on the line?  I hate it when officials take it upon themselves to decide a close game on a penalty call that is anything but blatent.
 
It seems the WHL zebras are auditioning for NHL jobs.  Calling everything that is (and sometimes isn't) a borderline stick foul.  I could never figure out how a call can be made when a player's stick barely touches the torso of an opponent.  Don't you need actual obstruction, for an obstruction type penalty to be called?   The referees appears to be cracking down NHL style.  I often have credited the WHL for showing some sense while allowing the skilled players to thrive without the clutch and grab of the "old days".  However, it seems they have gone beyond common sense.  Fans don't need fifteen power plays to be entertained.
 
Meanwhile, how about that Friday night game at the Art Hauser Centre.  A total of 88 shots by two high tempo teams who only needed five power plays each to put on a great show (they could have done it with much less).  It came down to Garrett Zemlak (45 saves) outplaying a very good Deven Dubyk (38 saves).  The 3-2 Raider victory is the 19th on home ice which at the time tied P.A. for the league lead in that category.  Igor Revenko scored one of the prettiest goals all season and counted the winner from behind the Medicine Hat net banking a pass in off the skate of Tomas Kundratek.  Brandon Herrod also scored his 29th goal of the season, but is thinking about the chances he missed to count number 30 in Moose Jaw, including a great glove save by Bosch on a second period breakaway.
 
This coming week will be a challenging one.  A home and home series against Brandon that opens Wednesday at the Art Hauser Centre and wraps up Friday In the wheat city.  Then it's back home to host the Kootenay Ice Saturday.  They are the hottest team in the WHL with 11 straight wins (pending Sunday's game against the Hitmen in Calgary).
 
This playoff race in the East is the best in my WHL memory.  It's great for the fans in ten Eastern cities.  If the Raiders were sitting three games above .500 in the West, a playoff spot would be all but guaranteed.   This is the third straight year there has been a ridiculous disparity between the two conferences and the WHL has absolutely no plan, no intention, and no will to change it.  Why? because it has no effect on the power brokers.  You can bet the farm that would change if it were the Calgary Hitmen and not the Prince Albert Raiders, Moose Jaw Warriors and Swift Current Broncos battling for their playoff lives.     
 
See you at the rink.