Adam Prudhomme
Editor
The usually reliable Napanee Raider offense went AWOL this weekend, producing just three total goals in back-to-back losses to Frankford and Amherstview.
Friday night at the Strathcona Paper Centre they were doubled up by the visiting Huskies 4-2 before 362 fans. Both teams scored twice over the first two periods before Frankford sealed the win with a pair of unanswered strikes in the third. Marshall McFarland and Michael Patrick accounted for Napanee’s offense while Joey Coates, Kieran Ellis, Gage Butcher and Jakob Gardner each found the back of the net for Frankford. Dean Spry had 34 saves in the win in contrast to Napanee’s Logan Vale with 35 saves. Napanee’s tender allowed three goals with the final goal coming while he was on the bench in favour of an extra attacker.
Sunday Night in Amherstview the Raiders were again hard-pressed to get anything going offensively in a 3-1 loss to the Jets.
Amherstview’s Andrew White was the difference, as he scored the go ahead goal on the power-play just a handful of seconds shy of the midway mark of the third. He added some insurance with an empty-net goal with 22 seconds left on the clock.
Blake Aylesworth had Napanee’s lone goal, scoring during a first period power-play. The lead was short-lived as Cole McEwen evened the game at 1-1 just two minutes and 20 seconds later.
Vale took the loss for Napanee, finishing with 34 saves, one of which was a penalty shot. Marc-Olivier Robert earned the win for the Jets with 32 stops.
Napanee’s three game losing streak, coupled with a three game win streak by the Jets, has seen the two teams swap spots in the East Tod Division standings. The Jets, now 16-11 on the season, have soared into third place with 32 points. The Napanee Raiders tumble to fourth, now 14-10 with a tie, good for 29 points. The Huskies continue to lead the way at 20-5 with three overtime losses, giving them 43 points. The Port Hope Panthers are second at 17-9-1-1 (36 points). The fifth place Picton Pirates trail the Raiders by 10 points while the Rebels continue to search for their first win, with just an overtime loss and a tie to go with 22 losses.
Napanee will close out 2023 with a pair of games this week, starting with a road game in Picton on Thursday. Friday they’re back home to host the Panthers. Puck drop at the SPC is at 7:30 p.m.
Following Friday’s game they’ll be off until Jan. 5, when they’ll welcome the Jets to the SPC for a 7:30 p.m. tilt.