Adam Prudhomme
Beaver Staff
Playing their first meaningful game in nearly two months, the Napanee Raiders opened their playoff quest with a 3-1 win over the Amherstview Jets to go up 1-0 in their best-of-seven PJHL Tod Division semifinals.
The win left the Raiders coaching staff with something to be desired however as the team that was nearly flawless in the regular season showed tiny signs of imperfection.
“I think in spurts we played well,” said Raiders head coach Mike Hartwick. “Some guys had really strong games, Justynn Steven, Cullen Hinds, especially were good. Griff Conger had a pretty strong game, (Aiden) Lawford-Wickham battled hard. But overall I know we can be better.”
Hinds scored the Raiders’ first goal of the postseason just 4:32 into the game. That would be Napanee’s lone goal of the period, despite outshooting the Jets 15-4. Steven doubled the lead early in the second and Ryan Casselman tacked on another at the 14:53 mark of the second, while on the penalty-kill. Steven broke up a Jets’ pass attempt in his zone and then sent Casselman in alone with a long pass. With a Jets defender in hot pursuit, the league MVP buried the puck just as he was hauled down in what would have likely been a penalty shot had he not scored.
Though Amherstview was held scoreless through the first 40 minutes, they did ring shots off the post twice, one in each period. Zach Maciel finally found the back of the net for the visitors at the 7:16 mark of the third. That seemed to spark the Jets, as they finished strong and outshot the Raiders 21-16 in the third but couldn’t chip away at the deficit.
Both teams went 0-5 on the power-play. Napanee drew three misconducts and a bench minor.
“Some guys let their emotions get the best of them,” said Hartwick. “There’s no reason we should be taking some of those 10 minute misconducts. The bench penalty, we can’t do that in the playoffs. We’ve got to do a better job than that.”
Hartwick also credited Jets goalie Alexel Masanko for limiting his team’s offense, stopping 48 of 51. Napanee’s Nicholas Nabuurs was especially strong in the third, saving 36 on the night for the win.
Game 2 of the series will go Friday at the SPC, with a 7:30 p.m. puck drop. The series will shift to Amherstview on Sunday for Game 3 and Tuesday for Game 4, both at 7:30 p.m. at the W.J. Henderson Arena.