by Romano Di Franco
Coming off an impressive 4-2 win at home against the Renfrew Wolves, the Nepean Raiders began their three game road trip with an away game against the Cornwall Colts at the Ed Lumely Arena.
John Gedratitis got the start for the Raiders while Donald Hickey was in between the pipes for the Colts.
The first period of the game saw Cornwall take an early lead, thanks to Kobe Tallman’s goal at 11:09. Tallman was assisted by Fernand-Olivier Perron and Etienne Lessard. Just over six minutes later, Nathan Garnier extended the Colts’ lead with a power-play goal, with assists from Kaiden Pyke and Fernand-Olivier Perron.
As the game progressed to the second period, the Nepean Raiders mounted a comeback effort. Jonah Henderson, on a power-play opportunity, found the back of the net, narrowing the deficit to 2-1. Nicolas Papineau provided the assist. It was his first career CCHL goal. However, the Cornwall Colts responded with goals from Ethan Montroy, Fernand-Olivier Perron, and Nicolas Gingras to pull ahead. Montroy’s second goal of the night came on a power play early in the third period, further cementing the Colts’ lead.
Despite the two-goal deficit, the Nepean Raiders showed resilience and determination throughout the game. Riley Streska managed to score on the power play late in the second period, assisted by Marty Magaletta and Carson McGurn. However, the Cornwall Colts’ defense and goaltending held strong in the third period.
The game was not short of penalties, with both teams spending time in the penalty box. Physicality and intensity were evident on the ice, but the disciplined special teams of both squads managed to contain the opposition’s power plays.
Ethan Montroy of the Cornwall Colts earned the game’s first star with two goals, leading his team to victory. Nathan Garnier also played a pivotal role, contributing a goal and an assist, earning him the second star. For the Nepean Raiders, Jonah Henderson was recognized as the third star, showcasing his scoring ability with a power-play goal. He is hoping to make a name for himself in the coming weeks.
The Raiders next game will be held on Sunday November 5th when the Raiders visit the Pembroke Lumber Kings at the Pembroke Memorial Centre for a 7:00PM puck drop as they continue their three game road swing.
