Home games for Raiders and Sharks, plus provincial high school cross-country qualifiers

Raiders at home

The St. Albert Nektar Data Systems Raiders start a stretch of six games against south division teams during this weekend’s homestand at Akinsdale Arena.

The Raiders (4-2) host the Red Deer Chiefs (5-1) tonight at 8 p.m. and the Okotoks Oilers (4-1-1) at 1:15 p.m. Sunday.

The Raiders are 2-2 in their last four games in the Alberta Midget AAA Hockey league.

Defenceman Robert Kincaid leads the Raiders in points with eight and Eric Perneel has scored a team-high four goals.

The Raiders also welcomed back netminder Evan Fradette from the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League.

Fradette (8-7-2, 1.94 GAA, four shutouts), captain Erik Boers and Carson Henry are returnees from the 2017-18 Raiders (18-12-5), second-place finishers and semifinalists in the north division.

Cross-country

The top 18 male and female finishers in the junior, intermediate and senior divisions at the metro Edmonton cross-country zones qualified for the Alberta Schools’ Athletic Association championships today in Vermillion.

The following runners are competing at provincials after achieving last week’s results at Gold Bar Park.

Junior U16 females, 4,000 metres: Charlotte Campbell, Bellerose Bulldogs, ninth (20 minutes and 14 seconds); Cassidy Sutherland, Paul Kane Blues, 13^th (20.29); Sykora Thornton, Bellerose, 18^th (21.08).

Intermediate U17 females, 5,000m: Isabelle Poulin, Paul Kane, sixth (24.33); Amelie Sherwin, Paul Kane, 10^th (25.38); Annika Odinga, Paul Kane, 17^th (28.14).

Intermediate U17 males, 5,000m: Logan Clarke, Paul Kane, 12^th (22.14); Kaaden Ruman, Bellerose, 17^th (22.43).

Senior U19 females, 5,000m: Christiane Bilodeau, St. Albert Skyhawks, fourth (24.33); Lauren Murray, Paul Kane, 10^th (26.16); Anwyn Neraasen, Paul Kane, 15^th (27.33).

Senior U19 males, 6,000m: Braeden Galvin, Paul Kane, eighth (25.40).

Visit www.asaa.ca for the provincial website.

Sharks in action

The Alberta Female Hockey League regular season for the midget elite St. Albert Sharks begins this weekend at Mark Messier Arena.

The Sharks face off against the Red Deer Chiefs today at 2:30 p.m. and Sunday’s game time against the Sherwood Park Fury is 8 p.m.

Last season, the Sharks (21-4-1) finished as provincial silver medallists in the 2-0 loss to Calgary Fire White (20-4-2) as the top two teams in the AFHL regular season squared off in the final.