Jason Parks
For the Beaver
After three games, the 2022 Tod Division Finals between the Napanee Raiders and the Amherstview Jets were where they are supposed to be.
That is, split 2-1 with one goal being the deciding margin save a last second empty netter in Game 3. Game 4 in the series one Tuesday night at the Strathcona Paper Centre after Beaver press time.
Heading into the contest, Raiders bench boss Ben Hagerman agreed most observers would have projected a 2-1 series and close games to produce that margin through 180 minutes of regulation play.
“And that’s how any PJHL division finals should be,” Hagerman said.
Beckett Palmer-Stephen scores on a penalty shot against Jeremy Piazzi in the first period of Game 2. (Jason Parks/ For the Beaver)
In order to be successful, Hagerman needs his team to be utilizing their depth. Big and fast, the Raiders are a punishing team that needs to have constant physicality employed on the forecheck. But a special teams contest plays into the hands of the high flying Jets and their lethal powerplay and that’s what derailed the Raiders on Sunday in Game 3.
Goals from Mathieu Halle and Dawson Frost over the opening 25 minutes had the contest at 2-0 in favour of the host Jets but the real story was the constant march of players to their respective sin bins.
A total of 14 penalties were whistled, with only two being coincidental.
“Every shift has been a battle and a grind,” Hagerman said. “When we play 5-on-5, we can employ an aggressive forecheck and create opportunities off that. I don’t think it’s a secret, we aren’t going to wow anybody with scoring rushes but it’s going to be hard work that pays off for us.”
Trailing 2-0, it was dogged determination by Chris Edwards that netted a short handed tally at the 17:09 mark of the second to carve the Amherstview lead in half at 2-1.
But penalties continued to disrupt the flow of the game and a 5-on-3 opportunity for the Jets saw Raymond Benoit score his first of the playoffs at 13:33 to give the hosts a lead they would relinquish.
With Napanee net minder Bailey Maracle off for an extra attacker, Rheydan McCoy would spring Cameron Krupa for a successful volley past Jets goaltender Jeremy Piazzi with under two to play to make it 3-2.
But the Raiders couldn’t muster a third goal to tie the contest and Matt Donovan was able to beat the buzzer and the Jets forward was able to shoot the puck into the yawning Napanee cage.
On Friday at home in Game 2, Maracle came up big for the Raiders in a 37 save performance that the locals skated off with by a score of 2-1.
“Bailey’s the best player on our team and probably one of the best two or three PJHL goalies in the province. At his age, he knows what it takes to win and he’s probably a little too hard on himself at times but you can appreciate that type of commitment,” Hagerman added.
Napanee would open the scoring midway through the first when Beckett Palmer-Stephen was fouled while heading to the Amherstview net with the puck on a breakaway.
Skating into the Amherstview zone alone on a penalty shot, Palmer-Stephen swept to his left. Piazzi would leave his goal line to meet the rush but stumbled in his crease, allowing Palmer-Stephen to cut across the goal mouth and net the game’s first goal at 9:14.
In the second, Napanee doubled the lead in the first minute.
Soren Zamuner netted the game winner Friday. (Jason Parks/For the Beaver)
Ben Chubbs was able to break in on Piazzi and couldn’t bury his wrist shot. Following up on the play, Soren Zamuner had a couple of whacks at the rebound and beat Piazzi at the 52 second mark.
In the third, Braydon Robinson would break through for the visitors, writing a puck past Maracle off a scramble in front of the Napanee net at 12:37.
But that was all for the Jets as the Raiders held on to beat their arch rivals for the first time since mid-October.
In Game 1, it was the host Jets opening the series with a 4-3 win.
Amherstview had quick strike early in the first as Jakob Leonard and Halle scored 19 seconds apart inside the first five minutes of the series.
Aidan Johnson would respond at the midway point for Napanee to make it 2-1.
The teams traded goals in the second. Jack Wiley scored his first of the playoffs at 2:29 but the Raiders would see Connor Brooks tee up Chubs at 18:39 on the power play to get Napanee to within a goal.
The Raiders would finally get it back to even early in the third as Zamuner set up Sheehy for a power play marker at 8:30.
But Halle, the PJHL’s leading scorer, came through for his club at the 13:097 mark, potting his second of the playoffs
After hosting Game 4 on Tuesday, the teams were destined to meet for Game 5 Wednesday in Amherstview.
Should Game 6 be required, it will be hosted in Napanee on Friday at 7:30 p.m.