When the Prince Albert Raiders take the ice for Game 1 of their opening round match-up with the Red Deer Rebels, it will be the beginning of the end for Justice Christensen.
The Raider captain will make his third and final appearance in the WHL playoffs this season. It’s a bittersweet feeling for the hard-hitting defenceman.
“I’ve definitely thought about it,” Christensen said with a smile after practice on Wednesday. “It’s gone by too fast but I’m really looking forward to this playoff run.”
Christensen made his first WHL playoff appearance in 2024 when he registered three assists and eight penalty minutes as the Raiders lost to the Saskatoon Blades in five games. The Blades were a juggernaut, having finished first in the Eastern Conference, with eyes on their first WHL title.
The Raiders, meanwhile, squeaked into the post-season just two points ahead of the ninth place Calgary Hitmen.
“We were on the opposite end of the spectrum,” Christensen remembered. “We were the eighth seed just sneaking into the playoffs and we went up against Saskatoon in the first round and only lasted five games. This time around, obviously, (I’m) really excited and just looking forward to getting going on Friday.”
Christensen and forwards Aiden Oiring and Brayden Dube are the only Raiders who were on that team. It was the first trip to the playoffs for Oiring too, and one he still savours, despite the loss.
“That was a great series,” Oiring said on Wednesday. “It was against our rivals just down the highway so that was definitely fun. It’s a different animal, a different beast, in the playoffs. You’ve got to prepare the right way and come out with lots of energy.”
While Christensen and Oiring enjoyed their first taste of WHL playoff action, both players are much happier to be playing on the Eastern Conference’s top seed.
Two years ago, the Raiders finished 38 points behind their first round opponent. This year, they’re a whopping 52 points in front of the Rebels, who didn’t clinch a playoff spot until the last day of the regular season.
Despite the gulf in points, the series between the two teams was still close. The Raiders won the first two, but the Rebels responded with two wins of their own, both courtesy of third period comebacks.
So will those regular season meetings factor into how the Raiders hit the ice this weekend? For Christensen, the answer is ‘not even a little.’
“The playoffs are a different animal,” Christensen said. “No matter where it is or what seed or any different circumstances, the main goal is getting the win. I don’t like talking too much about the regular season.
“A lot of it is going to be about how we play. Playing with our pace and capitalizing on our chances, just being hard to play against and make it hard on their D.”
“Teams change a lot throughout the year,” Oiring added. “I mean, you’re looking back at our first couple games against them, and our team looked completely different. It’s hard to say for a season series like that, but we’re just looking at our own team now and what we need to do.”
As of Thursday afternoon tickets were still available after the Rebels released 45 seats from their holds for games 1 and 2. Both players said they’re looking forward to hearing a rowdy hometown crowd at the Art Hauser Centre.
“I wouldn’t want to play anywhere else in the playoffs, that’s for sure,” Christensen said. “I’m really looking forward to it. Our fans are awesome and loud and that definitely makes it intimidating for the opposing team coming in here.”
Puck drop on Friday is 7 p.m.
@kerr_jas • jason.kerr@paherald.sk.ca
