Adam Prudhomme
Editor
The Napanee Raiders put a bow on the 2019-20 regular season this weekend, hanging on for a 2-1 home ice victory on Friday over the Amherstview Jets before cruising to a 10-1 road win over the Campbellford Rebels on Saturday.
After a quiet first period in Campbellford the Raiders erupted for four in the second and six more in the third.
Evan Foley led the way with three goals and three assists, pushing his league leading points total to 87. He led the Raiders in goals with 34 but finished three back of Picton’s Khaden Henry for the league lead.
Napanee’s Aidan McFarland picked up four assists in the game to give him a league high 55 on the year. His 79 points were second most in the league. Napanee’s Brodie Maracle had 70 points on the year, giving Napanee the top three point-getters in the league.
McFarland’s four point night ended with a fighting major and a game misconduct, meaning he’ll miss Napanee’s first game of the postseason.
Bailey Maracle picked up the win, his league leading 20th of the season. He finished the year with a 2.12 GAA, second best to teammate Mitch Bown who posted a 1.99 GAA to go with 16 wins, third most in the league.
While Saturday’s game against the last place Rebels was a cakewalk, Friday’s game versus the Jets had more of a playoff atmosphere and was likely more the kind of game the Raiders wanted to play as they get set to attempt to defend their Schmalz Cup title.
Reid Humphrey scored at 12:10 of the first with help from Foley and Austin Labelle.
Jakob Harris responded for the Jets just over two minutes later with assists from Brayden Bertrand and Caden Kekewich.
The 1-1 score held until late in the second when Foley scored the eventual game winner at 16:22. Cameron Sheehy and Soren Zamuner earned assists.
Bown earned the win with 23 saves. Brady Sarazin was strong for Amherstview, turning away 41 of 43 in the loss.
This weekend’s games were nothing more than a postseason tune up for the Raiders, who already had the top seed locked up prior to Friday’s game. They will however have to wait a few days before they learn who they will face in the first round as Gananoque and Port Hope finished in a virtual tie for fourth, both with 49 points. The two teams will now face a one game, winner-take-all to see who advances to the playoffs. The date, time and location of the game is yet to be determined.
Meanwhile the second and third seeded semifinal series is set with the Picton Pirates to host the Amherstview Jets. Game 1 goes Thursday in Picton with Game 2 Sunday in Amherstview. Puck drop is 7:30 p.m. and 7:25 p.m. respectively.
With this weekend’s victories the Raiders finish the regular season with a 36-5-1-2 record, giving them 75 points on the year. That ties the franchise record for second most points ever earned in a season, just slightly off last year’s record setting 78 points.