The road doesn’t get any easier for the Prince Albert Raiders.
A week after knocking off the Central Division leading Medicine Hat Tigers, the two teams are set to meet again at the Art Hauser Centre.
The Raiders ended the Tigers’ 19-game winning streak on Jan. 17 with a wild 8-5 win at Co-op Place, and while the venue might be different this Saturday, the circumstances won’t be.
As with the previous meeting, the Raiders have some business to take off before the two teams face-off. A week ago it was a match-up with the Lethbridge Hurricanes the day before travelling to The Gas City. This week, the Raiders hit the road for games in Moose Jaw and Swift Current before stepping on the Art Hauser ice Saturday night with the Tigers.
“Just one game at a time,” Prince Albert captain Justice Christensen said when asked how they’ll handle a stretch of three games in three days. “We’ll be on the road for the first two and trying to focus on those two before coming back. We know Med Hat will be a big one, but (we’ll) make sure we focus on the task at hand.”
That task starts in Moose Jaw on Thursday, when the Raiders and Warriors meet for only the second time this season. On Nov. 1, Prince Albert broke open a 3-3 tie with three third period goals for a 6-4 win.
The Broncos are a more familiar foe. This will be the seventh meeting between the two clubs. Prince Albert has won all six meetings, often by lopsided margins.
The closest contest came on Dec. 12, when the Raiders jumped out to a 6-1 lead, only for Swift Current to storm back with three third period goals. Aiden Oiring scored an empty netter with 34 seconds remaining to make it a 7-4 final.
“It’s a tough week for sure,” Oiring said when asked about playing three games in three nights, with the Tigers as the clincher. “A couple of road games coming into a hard home game against Med Hat, so (we need) lots of rest, (and) lots of hydration. It’s hard to get lots of sleep on the road, hotels, so you’ve just go to maintain your energy.”
The East Division leaders were due for another busy weekend. They’ve played two fewer games than the Tigers, and one fewer than the Edmonton Oil Kings, who trail Prince Albert by three points for second overall in the conference.
Christensen said fitness will be front and centre as the Raiders look to recuperate fast from their two-game mini-road trip.
“After games (we’re) doing as much as we can before we get on the bus to recover and try and feel as good as we can for the next day,” he explained. “Our staff is really good about keeping us fresh and doing things off the ice that will help us for the next day.”
The Raiders and Warriors face-off on Thursday at the Temple Gardens Centre. The Raiders and Broncos meet on Friday at the InnovationPlex. Both games start at 7 p.m.
The Raiders and Tigers meet on Saturday at the Art Hauser Centre. Puck drop is 7 p.m.
