by Romano Di Franco
The Nepean Raiders came to the Smiths Falls Memorial Centre to not only visit the Smiths Falls Bears, but to continue their winning ways as the season winds down to the end. Nepean came off a fantastic game edging the Cornwall Colts 3-2 on DIFD day. Not only that, but the Bears also came off a 3-1 win on Sunday against the Pembroke Lumber Kings. Notably, this game featured two teams that were coming off victories this past Sunday.
For the staring goalies, Evan Grant got the call in goal for the Nepean Raiders and Logan Heidemann who was the former Pembroke Lumber King got the start for the Bears.
There were no goals to report because Evan Grant and Logan Heidemann each put on a master class for either side. Smiths Falls appeared to have gotten on the scoreboard first on a goal by Kade Hockenhull, but the goal was waived off when the puck was kicked into the net on a stick kicking motion.
As a result of that, the Nepean Raiders dodged a bullet. Despite being outshot 12-4 in the first period, Evan Grant put on a master class stopping all twelve shots in the first period.
The second period saw the Raiders turn the tables on the Smiths Falls Bears. They scored goals from Ryan English and Tristan Konobelj. More importantly, Evan Grant was dynamite again as he stopped all sixteen shots in the second period.
The Raiders had lots of wonderful opportunities to put the icing on the cake only to hit the goal post twice. The only goal the Smiths Falls Bears scored in the game was from Carter Beauchesne which was his 25th goal of the season assisted from Tyson Parker and the former Raider Luka Benoit.
That would be all the offense Smiths Falls could muster as Evan Grant turned aside 41 of the 42 shots on goal.
For the three star selection, for his great work in goal stopping these aforementioned shots on goal, Evan Grant was given the first star of the game for Nepean, for the game winning goal, it was Ryan English that nabbed the second star of the game for the Raiders and for his team leading 25th goal of the season, it was Carter Beauchesne that got the third star for the Smiths Falls Bears.
Nepean concludes the month of February posting a record of 2-3-2.
Their next game is on March 1st when they visit the Carleton Place Canadians at the Carleton Place Arena Rink 1.
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