Adam Prudhomme
Editor
A pair of goals in the final minutes of Sunday’s road game helped the Napanee Raiders push their winning streak to eight straight to open the season.
Evan Foley put the Raiders ahead of the home team Little Britain Merchants 3-2 with just 58 seconds to go in the game. Marshall McFarland added an empty-net insurance tally 28 seconds later to help the Raiders hang on for the 4-2 victory.
Napanee never trailed in the game, but never held more than a two goal lead until the final 30 seconds of the third period.
Devon King put the visitors in front 1-0 with an unassisted goal at the 8:55 mark of the first.
That lead held until the Merchants’ Mac West scored just over three minutes into the second. The score remained 1-1 until Foley scored his first of the game with a power-play strike with 30 seconds left before the final intermission. Jacob Gilbert and Aidan McFarland earned assists.
Once again Little Britain responded quickly after the break, with Jordy Harris tying the game 1:50 into the third, scoring on the power-play.
Napanee dominated the attack for the rest of the third, outshooting the Merchants 16-8, finally breaking through with two goals in the final minute.
Bailey Maracle earned the win, stopping 21 shots. Oliver Webster took the loss, facing 27 pucks.
Napanee was one for seven on the power-play while Little Britain converted on one of their four chances.
Friday’s game wasn’t as tightly contested, as Napanee cruised to an 8-3 win over the visiting Port Perry Mojacks at the SPC.
Aidan McFarland and Justynn Steven each scored in the first for a 2-0 lead at the break.
The teams traded goals in the second with Marshall McFarland and Foley scoring for the home team while Carter Thornton and Nicholas Chokrev-Cerpnjak responded for the visitors.
Napanee put it away in the third with four unanswered, including a pair from Foley to complete the hat trick. Bailey Matthews and Logan White each had one. Justin Jacobs scored in the final three seconds for Port Perry, but it made little difference.
Bailey Maracle picked up the win, turning away 25 shots. Nicholas Dicks took the loss for Port Perry, allowing all eight goals on 52 shots.
Napanee will look to extend their win streak to double-digits this weekend, first by hosting the Lakefield Chiefs on Friday at the SPC. Puck drop is 7:30 p.m.
On Sunday they will travel to Port Perry for a rematch with the Mojacks. Puck drop is 2:25 p.m. for the road tilt.
Napanee remains the only unbeaten team in the Tod Division, two points better than the 6-0-0-2 Gananoque Islanders who have two overtime losses. Amherstview (4-3) and Picton (4-4) are tied with eight points, Port Hope is 2-4-0-1 with five points while Campbellford continues to struggle at 0-6-0-1 on the year.