Adam Prudhomme
Beaver Staff
Offense was bountiful for the Napanee Raiders this weekend as they swept a home-and-away meeting with the Amherstview Jets by a combined score of 18-8.
At home on Friday night they were in control right from the opening face-off, building a 4-0 lead after the first period en route to an 8-3 victory.
Sunday’s game in Amherstview wasn’t quite so smooth, as the Jets held a 3-2 lead after the first 20 minutes. Napanee’s offense woke up in the second however, rattling off five unanswered goals to take control and never look back for an eventual 10-5 victory.
Though the two clubs combined for 15 goals in Sunday’s tilt, the first goal of the game didn’t come until just shy of the halfway mark of the first period. That’s when Amherstview’s Aidan Harris put the home team up 1-0.
That lead held until the 13:17 mark when Brodie Maracle knotted it at 1-1. Just over a minute later Devon King put the Raiders up 2-1. The lead was short lived however as Amherstview’s Zach Maciel and Hunter Chapman each found the back of the net at 15:42 and 17:01 respectively to give the Jets a lead to work with heading into the first intermission.
Between periods the momentum shifted in a big way towards the Napanee bench however as Cullen Hinds scored the tying goal just a 1:50 into the period, igniting the Raiders’ offense in the process. Ryan Casselman put the Raiders ahead for good with a power-play goal, his first of two in the period which was sandwiched around one from Griffen Conger.
Amherstview’s Konner Burtenshaw had a power-play goal late in the period to end Napanee’s five goal run, but by then the damage was done. Joey Mayer had a quick strike goal to open the third to cut the lead to 7-5, but was overrun by goals from Conger, Casselman and Justynn Steven, who all scored within a four minute span to push Napanee’s total to double digits. Casselman’s goal, which gave him a hat trick on the night, came when the Raiders were down a man on the penalty-kill.
Napanee’s Jake Campbell attempts to provide a screen in front of Amherstview’s Hayden Ford. Adam Prudhomme photo.
Jeremy Piazzi picked up the wild win, stopping 26 shots. Keegan Paulette started for the Jets, but gave way after allowing seven goals while making 15 saves. Hayden Ford took over, stopping six while allowing three to cross the red line.
On Friday the Raiders had eight goals from eight different sources as Casselman, Maracle, Josh Murphy, Steven, Hinds, Austin Labelle, King and Conger all found the back of the net in their 8-3 win. Nicholas Nabuurs earned the win, turning away 26 Jet shots. Ford made 33 saves in the losing effort.
Because a meeting with Campbellford was postponed last Saturday, the Raiders actually played the Jets three times in a row, winning all three and have won four straight overall.
They’ll see a different team Friday night when they welcome the Port Hope Panthers to the SPC for an important showdown. Puck drop is 7:30 p.m. The Panthers are still the only team to beat Napanee in regulation this year, doing so way back on opening night. Napanee has since won the last three previous meetings with its rival, whom the Raiders have met in the division final the last three years running, with Port Hope winning all three.
Napanee’s Brendan Hagerman (right) battles with the Jets’ Evan Hunt. Adam Prudhomme photo.
On Sunday the Raiders travel to Gananoque to take on the Islanders.
For the latest standings and offensive leaders, visit www.napaneebeaver.ca/2017/11/09/raiders-stats