Beaver Sports
Amateur sports have been green lit by the province, which means local hockey teams are set to return to the ice next week.
The Napanee Raiders will resume their season on Feb. 4 as they welcome the Campbellford Rebels to the Strathcona Paper Centre for a 7:30 p.m. puck drop.
They’ll be home every Friday afterwards through March 4, taking on the Picton Pirates (Feb. 11), Frankford Huskies (Feb. 18), Port Hope Panthers (Feb. 25) and finishing with the Rebels on March 4. All home games are 7:30 p.m. start times with 50 per cent fan capacity at the SPC and proof of vaccine required to enter.
The Raiders will also be on the road for five games, visiting Frankford (Feb. 5), Port Hope (Feb. 12), Campbellford (Feb. 19), Picton (Feb. 24) and wrapping up the regular season March 5 in Port Hope.
The Raiders resume the season currently in second place with a record of 14-4-0-2 through 20 games, good for 30 points. They trail the 17-4 Amherstview Jets (34 points) with no games left head-to-head to try and whittle that lead down without help from around the league.
The Panthers are third at 12-7-2-1 (27), the Pirates fourth at 10-9-0-1 (21), Rebels fifth at 7-14 (14) and Huskies in sixth at 1-19-2 (four).
The Deseronto Bulldogs of the Eastern Ontario Super Hockey League will also resume their season, starting with a Monday home tilt against the Frontenac Phantoms. Puck drop is 7:30 p.m. at the Deseronto Community Rec Centre.
The Bulldogs are 3-7-0-1 in 11 games this year, fifth in the six team West Division. They’re just ahead of the Phantoms, who will come into the game at 2-7-0-0-1 with five points.
The game will mark the first time in franchise history the Bulldogs have played a weeknight home game.
The EOSHL has announced it will shorten the original schedule of 20 games to 18 to ensure the regular season is completed by the end of February.
After Monday’s game the Bulldogs will have four remaining home games, starting with the Gananoque Islanders on Feb. 5 at 6:30 p.m. They’ll welcome the Tweed Oil King on Feb. 26 at 6:30 p.m. and take on Smith’s Falls Feb. 27 at 3:30 p.m.