Adam Prudhomme
Beaver Staff
The Oscar for most dramatic goal in a semifinal series went to Napanee Raider overager Riley Steeves Sunday night, as his Game 6 overtime heroics kept his team’s season alive and forced a Game 7.
The Raiders’ Justynn Steven fires a shot on Jets goalie Alexel Masanko during Sunday’s Game 6. Photo by Adam Prudhomme.
Steeves netted the game winner just over three minutes into overtime in Amherstview, silencing a rowdy crowd of over 600.
Entering the game with a chance to knock off the top seeded Raiders and advance to the league finals, the Jets jumped out to an early lead. Aiden Harris put the home team up 1-0 14 minutes into the game.
It was short-lived however as Tyler Ignazzitto responded on the power-play just over two minutes later.
Cullen Hinds gave the Raiders the lead early in the second only to see the Jets’ Ty Norman answer at the 4:07 mark of the third to help set up the overtime finish.
Nicholas Nabuurs stood tall in net for the Raiders, turning away 36 shots. Alexel Masanko took the loss with 29 saves.
After dropping three straight, the Raiders have now answered back with two in a row to force a winner-take-all Game 7. That will take place Tuesday at 7:30 p.m. at Napanee’s Strathcona Paper Centre.
The winner will advance to face the Port Hope Panthers in the Tod Division finals.
A Game 7 seems like the only proper finish to this series, which has been evenly contested from Game 1. Five of the six games have been decided by two goals or fewer. Napanee has edged the Jets 21-19 in goals.