Adam Prudhomme
Editor
A chance for the Napanee Raiders to pull even in their Eastern Conference Finals series went by the wayside Wednesday night as they fell 2-1 in Game 4 at the SPC.
Clarington Eagle net-minder Oliver Webster was a major reason why as he turned away 33 shots to squeak out the victory and push his team’s series lead up to three-games-to-one.
Andrew Carr was the only Raider to solve Webster, scoring with 2:05 left to go in the third period to pull Napanee to within a goal. Blake Aylesworth and Trent Williams drew assists on the play.
That set up a tense finish but unfortunately for the home team they couldn’t muster the all important equalizer-both in the game itself and the overall series.
Clarington goalie Oliver Webster was nearly unbeatable with 32 saves in the 2-1 victory. Photo by Adam Prudhomme.
Adam Klaas opened the scoring just 1:31 into the game to get the Eagles in flight. Kolby Poulin added another at 18:10 on the power-play.
Neither side would generate any offence from there until late in the third as both goalies locked in. Logan Vale finished with 29 saves for Napanee but wound up with the tough luck loss.
Napanee wasn’t without its chances, drawing six power-plays but were unable to convert on any of them. They maintained their discipline for the most part, allowing just three Eagle man-advantages. The Eagles scoring on one of those would wind up as the difference.
The game saw the Raiders’ highest attendance of the entire season with 1,097 people packing the SPC stands.
With the loss the Raiders find themselves on the brink of elimination for the first time in the playoffs. They’ll now have to win the final three in the series, which continues tomorrow night at the Garnet B. Rickard Recreation Complex starting at 7:25 p.m.
A win there and they can bring the series back to Napanee on Saturday, 7:30 p.m. at the SPC. Game 7 would go Sunday afternoon at 3:25 p.m. in Bowmanville.