By Adam Prudhomme
Beaver Sports
A subpar showing on Friday’s opening night was followed by a double-digit goal outburst on the road Sunday night as the Napanee Raiders split their first two games of the 2017-18 season.
The quality of their opponents likely played a huge role in the final scores as well. On Friday they were stymied by the three-time reigning league champion Port Hope Panthers in a 5-1 loss at the SPC before they jumped all over the Gananoque Islanders 10-1.
Ryan Casselman scored once in every period to help pace the Napanee offence in Sunday’s victory. Justynn Steven and Zach Knapp-Hermer each had a pair while Josh Murphy, Jake Campbell and Brendan Hagerman all contributed with singles.
Nicholas Nabuurs picked up his first career win as a Raider, stopping 13 shots. He was perfect until Gananoque’s Kyle Casford bested him at the 6:50 mark of the second for the Islanders’ lone score of the night. Meanwhile the Raiders launched 55 pucks at Gananoque’s Josh Rowden in the dominating effort. Despite being the second game of their season, the Islanders were short staffed for the game, dressing just 15 skaters. Prior to taking on Napanee, the Islanders dropped their season opener 5-1 to Amherstview on Saturday. Though very early in the 40 game season, the Islanders are showing signs they may be in for a long season. Counting an exhibition game on Sept. 8, the Raiders have now outscored the Islanders 30-2 in two games.
As for the Raiders, they may have concerns of their own when it comes to dethroning Port Hope. After a busy offseason spent retooling specifically to break a three-year losing streak in the league finals to the Panthers, their first test against the perennial powerhouse club didn’t go as planned.
Early on the Raiders certainly held their own, outshooting the visitors 9-6 in a scoreless first period. Cam Lowery got the Panthers on the board at the 13:33 mark of the second for the lone tally of the middle frame. It wasn’t until the third period when the wheels really fell off for Napanee as the Panthers struck for three goals in just over two minutes. Brad Bolllert book-ended the offensive outburst, scoring at the 3:45 and 5:48 mark, sandwiched around one from Graham Dickerson. Jarrett Desormeaux added an insurance goal late in the period for a comfortable 5-0 lead.
Napanee’s Riley Steeves broke the shutout for the Raiders’ first goal of the season, converting on a pass from Steven and Riley Manion with just over two minutes to go in the game.
Jeremy Piazzi, who may have been in line for first star of the night were it not for that rough two minute stretch, stopped 29 shots. Sheldon Calbury turned away 34 Raider attempts. Neither team made good use of their power-plays, with Port Hope going 0-5 and Napanee 0-4.
Like the Raiders, the Panthers followed Friday’s game with an offensive eruption of their own, drubbing the Campbellford Rebels 12-0, proving that at least in the early going they will be a force to be reckoned with once again.
The Raiders will have seven more regular season opportunities to improve against the Panthers as the season it still in its infancy.
In the meantime, the Raiders will set their sights on the 1-0 Jets as they travel to Amherstview on Sunday for a 7:30 p.m. game. That’ll be the lone game of the week for Napanee, who won’t see any other action until Sept. 29 when they welcome the Picton Pirates into the SPC for a 7:30 p.m. puck drop.
The Pirates’ start to the regular season was delayed as Sunday’s season opener in Amherstview was postponed due to technical difficulties with the ice resurfacer. Picton is next scheduled to take on the Panthers Thursday at home.