Adam Prudhomme
Editor
All the offense the visiting Amherstview Jets would need in their 6-2 win over the Napanee Raiders on Friday came in the opening 5:20 of the game.
Dawson Frost scored just 21 seconds after the opening draw followed by Caden Kekewich at 1:29 and Zackery McMahon less than four minutes later.
The Raiders did attempt to make a game of it as Ben Chubbs scored in the dying seconds of the first and Blake Ellis chipped in with a goal in the opening five minutes of the second to cut the deficit to 3-2.
Napanee’s momentum died there while the Jets continued to pour it on as McMahon scored less than a minute later. Nicholas Deichmann tacked on Amherstview’s fifth goal at 11:24 of period and Artyom Shiman added an insurance marker at 14:30 of the third to finish off the 6-2 victory.
The Jets were 0-2 on the power-play while the Raiders had no power-play opportunities. Both teams played a much more disciplined game, a stark contrast to their meeting just one week prior.
Jeremy Piazzi picked up the win with 23 saves while Preston Swan-Merrison took the loss, allowing all six goals on 29 shots.
After dropping their first two meetings, the Jets have now roared back to win four straight against the Raiders. They’ve also leap-frogged the Raiders into sole possession of first place of the Tod Division in the process. The Jets are now 16-4 on the season (32 points) while the Raiders are 14-4-0-2 (30 points).
Heading into the weekend the Port Hope Panthers are tied for third at 9-6-2-1 (21) with the 10-8-0-1 Pirates (21). The Campbellford Rebels are outside the playoff picture at 6-12 (12) as are the Frankford Huskies at 1-18-2 (four).
The Raiders will welcome those Huskies to the SPC on Friday for their final home game of 2021. Puck drop is at 7:30 p.m.
On Dec. 18 they travel to Campbellford and then close out the 2021 portion of their schedule with a trip to Picton on Dec. 23.
-Napanee will send Reid Lambert, Rheydan McCoy and Ellis to the PJHL’s Prospects Day game this afternoon in Orillia. Head coach Ben Hagerman and trainer Caitlin McCuaig will also represent the team at the showcase.