The St. Albert Tire Warehouse Raiders push towards the playoffs with the pedal to the metal in the last 10 games of the season.
“If we just play our style of hockey we can definitely have a really good end of the year and hopefully get into playoffs and be successful there,” said right-winger Garrett Clegg of the 10-13-1 Raiders in the Alberta Midget AAA Hockey League.
The Raiders start the new year in a three-way tie for second spot in the north standings.
Six teams in the division make the playoffs and three points separate the Raiders and the sixth-place cutoff.
The top two finishers receive a first-round bye and the Sherwood Park Kings (16-4-3) have first place wrapped up.
“We really want to capitalize on all of our games against the north because we’re trying to pull away from the pack,” said defenceman Maxwell Struss of the Raiders playing seven of their remaining 10 games against north teams. “We definitely want some separation so we can hopefully get a bye into the second round.”
The Raiders rolled into the Christmas break with six wins in nine games while going 2-2 against division foes over that stretch.
“We were all working as a 20-man unit,” Struss said. “When we went into the season the coach (Jack Redlick) picked a team that didn’t just have a couple of first round draft picks or skilled guys, it was a bunch of guys that are willing to work together and work hard and when we do work hard we’re successful and that’s what we were doing coming up to the Christmas break.
“We were finally bonding really well together and starting to gel. Our lines we’re starting to go and our special teams were getting really good,” Struss added. “Once kind of knowing what our roles were and taking responsibilities and accountabilities for what our roles are then that’s when we started to be successful.”
When the Raiders put it all together they’re a tough nut to crack.
“We’re the best when we’re just dialed in and all 20 guys are rolling and playing our best hockey and we’ve got to make sure we’re dialed in these last 10 games,” Clegg said.
The Raiders have also rebranded themselves as a heavy team.
“Guys on other teams have told me that we’re a physical hockey team and it just frustrates them,” Clegg said. “When we’re all going we’re a big team so if we’re throwing the body around and playing physical and out-working teams, like every single night, that is when we’re successful.”
With a goals for/against differential of minus-five, the Raiders still have things to tweak before the playoffs.
“Our PK has been going pretty good but our power play needs a little bit of work,” Struss said. “Sometimes when we get a couple of goals we know we’re a really good shut-down team and we kind of lean back offensively but I think once we get a couple of goals we’ve got to keep on pounding them in and also take care of our own end.
“We have to keep pushing the pace throughout the entire game.”
The Raiders have come a long way since their 3-6-1 opening month of the season derailed a trip to the Mac’s Midget AAA World Invitational Tournament.
“It was definitely a goal at the start of the year to make so it’s too bad,” Clegg said. “We’re in an area that if the cutoff (date to finalize the tournament draw) would’ve been a little bit later we probably would’ve snuck in but it’s just motivation for us seeing teams we’ve beat make that tournament.
“It’s a great tournament and it would’ve been great to play in it but the break was good for the guys too. We’ve got to refocus here for the last 10 games and just give it our best hockey.”
Clegg, Struss, centre Aidan Steinke and defenceman Owen Churko are returning Raiders from the 7-24-3 team that went 3-6-1 in its last 10 games to finish ninth in the north and 13 points short of a playoff berth.
“This year everyone wants to win. Last year some guys were looking more towards junior and playing at a higher level and this year the guys are kind of realizing that to get to that higher level you have to want to win at this level and you have to really care with what is going on around us right now. Our team is just buying into our systems and just really looking at one another and saying that’s what’s going to take to win, just buying in and believing in each other. Last year I don’t think we had enough of that and this year it’s really starting to come together,” said Struss, 16, a Grade 11 St. Francis Xavier High School student who lives in Spruce Grove.
The shutdown rearguard, who works in tandem with Churko as a defensive pairing, is still looking for his first goal as a Raider after collecting eight assists in 58 career games and has five helpers this season as one of eight players to see action in all 24 games so far.
Clegg, 16, is the offensive leader with 16 goals, the second-highest total in the league, and his 25 points is tied for 10th overall in the scoring race.
“I use my speed and my size and I just go to the net and when I get into scoring areas I shoot the puck and it’s worked well. Most of the time I just come into the slot or I will come down the wing and I just shoot the puck. I haven’t got too many rebounds this year, it’s just been direct shots to the net and kind of using guys as a screen and looking for some empty net I guess,” said Clegg, who produced 11 goals and 20 points in 33 games last season.
“Coming back as a returning guy I’ve got some more confidence as well. I kind of know what to expect and I’ve kind of been playing to my strengths and just working hard and it’s been helping here but I know I’ve to be good in these 10 games for the team.”
The stretch drive begins this weekend at Akinsdale Arena against the Fort Saskatchewan Rangers (5-14-5) today at 1:45 p.m. and the Lethbridge Hurricanes (7-15-3) Sunday at 1:15 p.m.
It’s the first of two games against the Rangers and in game seven of the season the Raiders and Hurricanes battled to a 1-1 draw Oct. 22 in Lethbridge.
“We didn’t play our best hockey or anywhere close to it so we’re definitely going to have to give Lethbridge a good game on Sunday and get some revenge,” said Clegg, a Grade 11 Bellerose Composite High School student.
