Timely scoring, stingy defence, and strong goaltending leads to two more wins

 

The battles tightened in Week 2, but the Napanee Raiders followed a familiar script to find success.

In wins over Picton, Friday, and Frankford, Saturday, Napanee relied on a tireless team

effort to take away shooting lanes, stellar goaltending performances by Jacob Brown and Denholm Blair respectively, and timely goals by top scorers.

Friday’s effort would require overtime after the teams traded leads in a 2-2 game after regulation. Picton had the balance of early pressure in the extra stanza with Brown standing tall.  A fortunate bounce left the Raiders with three men heading up ice with the Pirates on their heels. Top scorer Trent Williams carried the puck all the way in before firing the winner high past Pirates goaltender Nolan Lane 3:32 into sudden death.

The Pirates struck first in the opening stanza.  Just seven seconds into a Tanner Hawkins’ tripping minor, their efficient power play found veteran Keenan Wiles on the door step to finish a pretty passing play at 8:13.

At the same time mark in the second period, Spencer Cranley scored his fourth goal of the season off the rush to allow the Raiders to draw even. It would stay that way for about seven more minutes until the Raiders got their first opportunity with the man advantage.  Defender Eric Taher skated in behind the goal line and fed Reid Lambert in the slot for a heavy one-time goal.

Picton was not to be outdone with the man advantage, however, as captain Gerritt Kempers tipped home a Jakob Gardner shot just six seconds into their next advantage 5:09 into the third, forcing the tie.

Brown turned aside 39 of 41 shots, some from point-blank range in the goalie duel, while Lane stopped 31 of 34.

Special teams were a big part of the Raiders’ story in a tough Frankford barn Saturday as they had two power-play goals and a shorthanded marker in a 3-1 victory over the Huskies.

Jackson Barnes opened the scoring 6:41 into the game with a seeing-eye point shot that found an opening in the net just below the crossbar to his right. Andrew Carr and Hawkins drew the assists.  The Huskies continued to pressure throughout the first with the Raiders adjusting to their physicality and counting on Blair to shut the door.  With 55 seconds left in the first, the home side got a goal with Ty McCambridge getting to a loose puck low and sliding it under Blair’s pad to tie.

Neither side scored in a hard-fought second period, but the Raiders came out for the third on a man-advantage after the Huskies’ Liam Storms took a roughing penalty in the final minute.  Ryan McGee, who’d already made an impact in the game with a pair of big hits, showed his determination by jamming multiple attempts at the goal from the left wing.  One got past goalie Liam Boyer to give the Raiders the lead. Hawkins had his second assist of the night.

Williams would give the Raiders some breathing room with a second breakaway tally in as many nights, this time shorthanded with Kaden Byne off for clipping.  He picked up the puck in his own zone and carried the puck down the ice, firing a low show that Boyer couldn’t squeeze with 8:43 to go.

Just 12 seconds later, that goal seemed even more pivotal as Williams was assessed a roughing penalty. Napanee killed over a minute-and-a-half of a five-on-three disadvantage and kept the Huskies off the scoresheet with tight, tenacious play.  Blair repeatedly stayed square to shooters and he wouldn’t let up another goal.

He was credited with 18 saves on 19 shots, though he likely faced more in the third period than recognized.  Boyer was credited with 32 saves on 35 shots.

Officially, the Raiders killed 18 minutes on nine infractions, while scoring twice on seven Frankford penalties.

Second-year vet Zered Haller drew into the lineup for his first two games last weekend, while newcomer Owen Lutz made his Raiders debut Saturday after a long look at the Pembroke Lumber Kings’ Junior A camp.

Napanee (4-0-0) faces Lakefield (2-0-0) Friday at the Best and Bash Arena.  They’ll see the Trent Hills Thunder (1-2-0) on Sunday in Campbellford.