Adam Prudhomme
Editor
The Napanee Raiders’ offense wasn’t yet quite in midseason form this weekend as they mustered four goals over their two pre-season hockey games, losing one while winning the other in overtime.
Both games were against their Orr Division rival Gananoque Islanders.
On Friday the Islanders were in Napanee, where the pink-clad visitors skated to a 5-2 victory.
Devin Morrison got the Islanders on the board at the 7:30 mark of the first, beating Bailey Maracle. Evan Jaimeson doubled the lead just over a minute into the second.
Napanee’s Devon King cut the lead in half, converting on a feed from Noah Westwater and Liam Mroueh.
Gananoque reeled off three unanswered from Roman Cannell, Nic Stafford and Kyle Casford to close out the period.
Napanee’s Bailey Matthews scored the third period’s only goal pull the Raiders to within 5-2, with Westwater drawing the assist.
Maracle finished the game with 24 saves on 29 shots. Former Raider Jeremy Piazzi earned the win for the Islanders, turning away 31 shots.
On Sunday the Raiders were in Gananoque to close out their brief two-game pre-season, skating away with a 2-1 victory.
Westwater scored 4:12 into overtime to secure the win. Reid Humphrey earned the assist.
Napanee native Logan White, who was acquired from the Picton Pirates just ahead of Friday’s game, scored the opening goal on Sunday. Last year in 39 games with the Pirates the 18-year-old had 16 goals and 11 assists, while also scoring a goal and picking up an assist in three games with the OJHL’s Wellington Dukes.
Soren Zamuner had the assist on White’s goal in Sunday’s game at 16:50 of the second.
Morrison scored just 35 seconds into the third for the Islander’s only tally of the night.
Newly signed Raider goalie Mitchell Bown recorded the win, stopping 19 of 20 shots for Napanee. A native of Woodstock, NB, the 19-year-old Queen’s student had a 2.84 GAA with the Ottawa West Golden knights.
Gananoque’s Brandon Heaslip turned in a strong performance, stopping 43 of 45 Raider shots in the tough luck loss.
Their pre-season now wrapped up, the Raiders will open the regular season this Saturday on the road against the Uxbridge Bruins. Puck drop is 7:45 p.m.
They’ll continue their road trip on Sept. 19 when they visit Picton take face the Pirates at 7:30 p.m.
Then it’ll be the home opener on Sept. 20, when the team celebrates its 2019 Schmalz Cup championship with a pre-game ceremony. The Port Hope Panthers will provide the opposition with the game slated to start at 7:30 p.m.