Adam Prudhomme
Editor
A five point week has vaulted the Napanee Raiders into third place heading into the final week of the PJHL Tod Division regular season.
Napanee skated to a 3-3 draw in Picton on Thursday before cruising to a 6-1 home win over Port Hope on Friday and a 14-0 walloping of the Campbellford Rebels on Sunday.
The net result has the Raiders holding onto the third seed with 52 points, three ahead of the fourth place Panthers. With just one game remaining, a third place finish is the best outcome the Raiders can obtain. The Panthers do have two games remaining, meaning if they win out and the Raiders lose their final game, the two teams would flip-flop.
The Frankford Huskies have clinched first place with 60 points, while the Amherstview Jets have locked up second with 55. Those top two clubs will enjoy a first round playoff bye.
Should the Raiders hold onto third, they would open the playoffs against the last-place Campbellford Rebels. In the event they tumble to fourth, they’d draw a much tougher match-up against the fifth seed Picton Pirates, a team that has given them trouble at times this season, most recently Thursday’s tie.
Napanee can guarantee third with a win on Friday-but it will be no picnic, taking on the first place Huskies. The Raiders are on a roll however, having gone unbeaten in all seven games they’ve played in February. Puck drop for the regular season finale is 7:30 p.m. at the Strathcona Paper Centre.
As for the Panthers, their final two opponents are Picton (Thursday) and Campbellford (Sunday).