Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Napanee’s goaltending duo of Ethan Babin and Logan Vale turned in a pair of sterling efforts this weekend, each allowing just one goal to lead the Raiders to consecutive victories.
Babin made 24 saves in Friday’s 5-1 win over the Campbellford Rebels at the Strathcona Paper Centre. Saturday night in Frankford it was Vale’s turned to shine as he stopped 40 pucks to preserve a 2-1 triumph over the Huskies.
Blake Aylesworth provided the offense for Napanee in Saturday’s tight win, scoring his first of the night with just over a minute to go in the second period, tying the game at 1-1. He gave the Raiders their first lead of the game with a power-play tally 4:03 into the third.
Vale was able to hold off the ferocious pack of Huskies skaters who attempted to convert on the tying goal over the final 20 minutes, stopping 17 shots in the third period alone. His counterpart Dean Spry made 23 saves but his offense couldn’t help him out. Napanee made good one of their nine power-play opportunities while the Huskies were blanked on all nine of their man-advantages.
In Friday’s win the Raiders found themselves tied 1-1 with the visiting Rebels after the opening 20 minutes. Ben Carter scored for the home team at 17:36 while RJ Jackson responded for Campbellford 58 seconds later.
Luke Jarmin restored Napanee’s lead just shy of the midway mark of the second period and it was all Napanee from there. Erik MacNiel doubled the lead while Reid Lambert and Cameron Krupa tacked on one each in the third.
The two wins keep Napanee unbeaten in November as they continue to climb out of the hole they dug themselves in the standings during a small stumble in October. Napanee is now 11-6-0-1 on the season, just one point back of the Huskies for second place in the East Tod Division. Port Hope leads the way with a 13-3-1-1 record, good for 28 points. That’s four up on the 11-4-2 Huskies (24 points) and five ahead of Napanee. The Picton Pirates are fourth at 8-8-0-1 (17) while the Amherstview Jets are 8-10 (16). The Rebels are still winless on the season with 16 losses, but do have two points by virtue of an overtime loss and a tie.
The Raiders will look to close out a perfect November with a pair of games this weekend. On Friday they welcome the Jets to the SPC for a 7:30 p.m. puck drop. On Nov. 25 they’ll travel to Campbellford to face the Rebels at 7:30 p.m.