A playoff atmosphere surrounds the season-opening weekend homestand for the St. Albert Nektar Data Systems Raiders.
The Alberta Midget AAA Hockey League lid-lifter is 8:35 p.m. tonight against the Leduc Oil Kings, and Sunday’s game against the Grande Prairie Storm starts at 1:15 p.m. at Akinsdsle Arena.
“This weekend is very important for us. We want to start off strong,” said assistant captain Carson Henry, who believes the Raiders have the right stuff for a winning season that includes a return trip to the Mac’s Midget AAA World Invitational Tournament during the Christmas break.
“We’re looking really strong. As a 20-man unit if everybody puts in the work we’ll go really far,” Henry said.
Last season marked the second playoff in a row the Raiders were eliminated by Leduc in the north semifinal after finishing second in the division standings.
“It was disappointing, I would say,” said captain Erik Boers of the 18-12-5 Raiders losing the best-of-five series in four games to third-place Leduc (11-16-8). “Our team had a lot of potential last year and we could've gone pretty far, but I don't think the guys were in the right mindset during playoffs. I’m hoping this team can turn that around and hopefully go somewhere.”
Boers and Henry are the only returning Raiders from the top defensive team in the north with 2.08 goals-against while averaging 2.77 goals per game.
The Raiders also suffered a 1-0 semifinal loss in the team’s first Mac’s appearance since 2012/13 when the Red Deer Chiefs scored in the third period.
“Eric’s a good leader, and we’ll shape these guys on how we want our team to be,” Henry said. “We’ve got to bring these new guys into our culture and show them how we do things here and they've already started doing those things.”
Matthew Rathbone, a forward with the 2017/18 midget AA Pac Saints, is also part of the leadership group as assistant captain.
Boers, 17, cherishes the opportunity to wear the captain’s crest.
“There have been a lot of great hockey players and great leaders that have been captain before me and it's an honour to be able to be captain of a team with the legacy that it has,” said the hulking right winger, a hair shy of six-foot-five without skates.
Among the newcomers learning the Raider Way are six graduates of the midget 15 St. Albert Flyers, winners of the 2018 Sutter North Cup provincial qualifier in the Alberta Minor Midget AAA Hockey League: netminder Ethan Barwick, defencemen Tye Pedersen, Tyson Kowaluk, Robert Kincaid and Taige Harding and forward Mathieu Gautier, plus a pair of first-year midget forwards, Tyson Greenway and Jaxon Dube, from the St. Albert Gregg Distributors Sabres, the 2018 bantam AAA provincial finalists, as well as defenceman Matt Offenberger and forward Logan McKinley of the Northern Alberta Midget AA Hockey League champion St. Albert Source for Sports Crusaders.
“We’re a fast team that can move the puck well,” said Boers, who posted four goals and 12 points in 35 games in his first midget AAA campaign. “We’re a good, competing team. Practices are good. We’re hoping for the best this year.”
Pre-game ceremony
Tonight’s pre-game ceremony at 8:05 p.m. will honour the St. Albert Raiders Hockey Club alumni who lost their lives in the Humboldt Broncos’ tragedy.The Humboldt Strong banner, dedicated in memory of Logan Hunter, Jaxon Joseph, Conner Lukan and Stephen Wack, will be raised.
Parents or family representatives of the four players are expected to attend the ceremony.
The Edmonton Police Service pipe band will play Amazing Grace after Darcy Haugan, a former Raider and head coach of the Broncos who died in the April 6 bus crash, and the rest of the Humboldt players and their numbers are announced.
At 8:25 p.m. Smitty Kingston of Kingston, Ont., will perform his Humboldt Broncos’ tribute song Leave a Stick by the Door and will also sing O Canada prior to the ceremonial puck drop.
A bronze stick sculpture inspired by Kingston’s song will also be unveiled inside the arena lobby during the ceremony.
“It’s a great opportunity to play a game like that, just remembering the guys that played for the Raiders,” said Boers, a Grade 12 St. Albert Catholic High School student.
“We’re going to keep Humboldt at the back of our minds at all times and play for them,” Henry added.
The Raiders will have to keep their emotions in check before facing off with Leduc.
“When the puck drops we’ll be ready to go,” Henry said. “We’re super-excited to get the fans out to watch us. We’re hoping for a good game.”
Henry, 17, is looking forward to a successful second season with the Raiders after compiling four goals and nine points in 35 games.
“I will do whatever the coach says to do,” said the Grade 12 Paul Kane student.
