The Napanee Raiders’ defense and net minding was in top form this week, allowing just three goals over 180 combined minutes worth of hockey.
Napanee started their busy three-game week on Thursday with a 3-2 road win over the Picton Pirates followed by a 5-0 shutout at home over the Port Hope Panthers before wrapping up the weekend with a 4-1 win Sunday in Amherstview.
The three wins kept the Raiders unbeaten on the season, running their record to 6-0.
Raider goalie Mitch Bown stole the show in net on Sunday night, allowing just one goal on 40 shots for the win.
The Jets outshot the visiting Raiders 10-6 in the first and 18-11 in the second while both teams had 12 shots apiece in the third.
After a scoreless first Napanee’s Reid Lambert found the back of the net 1:15 into the second for his fifth of the season.
Amherstview’s Dawson Frost had the equalizer at the 5:34 mark. That was all the Jets offense as Bown slammed the door the rest of the way.
Noah Westwater put the Raiders ahead for good at 12:38 of the second period. Beckett Palmer-Stephen scored less than a minute later to give the Raiders a two-goal cushion.
Ben White added a huge insurance goal at the 8:23 mark of the third, converting on the power-play for his fourth of the season. Westwater and Logan White picked up assists on the play.
Along with outshooting their opponents by 11 shots, the Jets also had seven power-play opportunities but couldn’t make good on a single one. The Raiders’ power-play unit finished the night 1-for-3.
Friday night at home Bown again stood out, albeit on far fewer chances, turning aside all 15 shots for a shutout win over the Port Hope Panthers.
Lambert led the way on offense, picking up the game’s first two goals as well as netting the final on in the third to cap off the hat trick. Lambert scored at 9:18 of the second and again just under four minutes later. Johnny Wright and White each had a goal towards the end of the middle frame. Lambert notched his third of the game at 7:33 of the third. Ben Carter finished the game with a pair of assists.
Port Hope’s Aidan Thomson was kept bust all night, facing 35 shots. The Panthers had just five shots in the first, four in the second and six in the third.
Thursday night in Picton it was a meeting of unbeaten teams as both clubs were 3-0 on the season heading into the match.
The game lived up to its billing with the Raiders hanging on for the 3-2 victory.
Ben Chubbs opened the scoring for Napanee just 1:13 into the game. Lambert scored late in the frame to give the Raiders a 2-0 lead heading into the first intermission.
The 2-0 lead remained until the final minutes of the second when Picton’s Landon McLellan potted his seventh of the season to cut the lead in half.
Palmer-Stephen scored what would wind up as the game winner just under four minutes into the third.
McLellan struck again with three minutes left in the game to set up a tense finish, but Bown stood tall to preserve the win.
Bailey Maracle made the start for the Raiders in net but left with an injury at the midway mark of the second. Bown took over for the final 29 minutes of the game, allowing both goals but did enough to secure the victory. The Raiders had Logan Vale available on the bench as an AP for Friday’s game but didn’t call upon him. Maracle was back on the bench for Sunday’s game, but was given the night off.
Napanee will welcome the Pirates to the SPC on Friday for a 7:30 p.m. puck drop. On Saturday they’ll hit the road for their first visit to Port Hope on the season.
The Raiders lead the East Tod Division with 12 points followed by the 3-1 Pirates (six points) and the 3-2 Jets (six points). The Campbellford Rebels and Port Hope Panthers are both 1-3 while the expansion Frankford Huskies are still searching for a win after five games.