by Romano Di Franco
The Nepean Raiders returned home to the Nepean Sportsplex Steve Yzerman Arena to welcome the Carleton Place Canadians following a successful Family Day win on Monday against the Cornwall Colts. Nepean came into Sunday’s game aiming to continue that great work ethic that was shown this past week. Carleton Place came off a 5-2 loss to the Smiths Falls Bears.
The starting goalies were John Gedraitis who was superb in his last two games got the start in goal for the Nepean Raiders and Ty Ferguson made his first start in a week which was against the Brockville Braves got the start for the Canadians.
The Canadians got on the board first when Loic Prud’homme capitalized on a wraparound goal to notch his 25th goal of the season. Ryan Small and Masen Culley got the assists. The Raiders took over for the rest of the first period when they got goals from Dylan Pollock and Owen Kinghan. It was Pollock’s twelfth goal of the season and extended his point-streak to seven. Kinghan added a goal of his own with help from Peter Freel and Luka Benoit. His shot from the point turned into his second goal of the season.
Although the shots on net were even at fourteen a piece, the Nepean Raiders had a 2-1 lead at the end of the first period.
The Raiders extended the lead to 3-1 on Luka Benoit’s team leading 23rd goal of the season. Peter Freel and Carter Williamson who scored one of six goals on Monday drew the assists.
Nepean outshot Carleton Place 10-7 in the middle frame.
The Canadiens stole the momentum in the third period with Henry Doucet scoring twice in the period and Masen Culley supplied the game winning goal for the Canadiens.
Nepean had two great chances to tie the game at four. The first was from Carter Williamson who unleashed a canon of a shot, but Ty Ferguson flashed the leather to make the save. Also, Deklyn Campbell had a rebound chance, but Ferguson channeled Curtis Joseph who made a sliding blocker save.
The first star of the game went to Henry Doucet who scored twice in the game. Owen Kinghan (1G) earned the game’s second star for the Raiders and Masen Culley who scored the game-winning goal was named the third star of the game for the Canadians.
Nepean’s next game is Wednesday, February 26th when they host the Pembroke Lumber Kings for the first of two meetings at the Nepean Sportsplex Steve Yzerman Arena.
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