Game seven. That’s something the Prince Albert Raiders haven’t been a part of since May 13, 2019. Every fan knows how that night went at the Art Hauser Centre, when Dante Hannoun scored 18:25 into overtime to win the WHL championship.
Fast forward nearly three years, and Prince Albert finds themselves in a situation where they aren’t fighting to win a championship in game seven, they’re fighting to make a playoff spot in games 67 and 68. And with just those two games left in the season, it’s do or die for the green and gold, with a must win game on Friday night in Swift Current against the Broncos.
“We’re stoked, it’s our biggest game of the year,” defenceman Landon Kosior said. “This is our game seven, if we lose, we’re out. We’re all super pumped and it’s going to be a great game. We all know what’s coming up.”
If the Raiders lose on Friday night, their season is over, it’s as simple as that. A loss to the Broncos would put Swift Current out of reach in the standings. Even an overtime loss wouldn’t suffice. Prince Albert needs a regulation win to pull themselves even with the Broncos. A win in overtime would bring them within one point, but it would mean they would have win on Saturday against the Brandon Wheat Kings to gain sole possession of the eighth and final playoff spot, or an overtime loss to pull themselves on to even ground.
Raider defenceman Nolan Allan, who was named team MVP at Wednesday night’s award banquet, echoed the thoughts of Kosior.
“This is game seven for us, it’s do or die,” he said. “We have to win (on Friday) to keep our season going. If we end up winning both of our last games, I like our chances of us making the postseason. Our season is on the line, and we’re going to be as ready as we have ever been.”
While the Raiders can only control what the result is in their final two games, there are two other teams breathing down the neck of the Broncos and that seemingly elusive eighth playoff spot. The Regina Pats and Calgary Hitmen will also be fighting to keep their season alive this weekend.
The Hitmen were dealt a massive blow at the hands of the Red Deer Rebels on Wednesday night. An 8-3 setback leaves them one point out of a playoff spot with just one game remaining in the regular season. They wrap up their regular season campaign on Sunday at home against the Lethbridge Hurricanes.
If the Raiders lose one game on the weekend, combined with a Hitmen win on Sunday, Calgary will knock Prince Albert out of the playoffs.
If any team in the WHL will be praying to the hockey gods, it will be the tenth place Pats. While sitting two points back of a playoff spot with three games left in their 2021-22 campaign doesn’t sound like the worst situation in the world, their schedule says otherwise.
They take on the Winnipeg ICE twice, as well as the Moose Jaw Warriors in their season finale. If there is any saving grace, all three of those games will be played at home. They were originally supposed to play both games against the ICE in Winnipeg, but a nasty winter snowstorm sweeping its way through southern Manitoba dictated the change in location.
With those two teams in action, all the Raiders can do is play their best hockey of the season this weekend, and hope to see friendly scores on the out of town scoreboard.
Eastern Conference Standings
8: Swift Current Broncos: 26-34-5-2 (59 pts, 67 GP)
9: Calgary Hitmen: 25-34-6-2 (58 pts, 67 GP)
10: Regina Pats: 26-34-3-2 (57 pts, 65 GP)
11: Prince Albert Raiders: 26-35-4-1 (57 pts, 66 GP)
@kyle_kosowan•sports@paherald.sk.ca
