by Romano Di Franco
The Nepean Raiders traveled to the Rockland Arena Pad 1 to visit the Rockland Nationals in a very busy Friday night. John Gedraitis got the chance to go between the pipes in goal for Nepean while Benoit Forget made his first start as a National having stopped all 21 shots in relief for Patrick Charette against Kemptville.
First Period Surge:
The first five minutes have been tightly contested. Gedraitis and Forget making saves with these two teams combined. Perhaps, Gedraitis’ best stop of the game was when he denied Sam Dumont on the penalty shot. The Rockland Nationals wasted no time setting the tone in this game. Xavier Laurent ‘C’ opened the scoring just 9 minutes and 6 seconds into the first period, with assists from Kyle Leonard ‘A’ and Trystan-Félix Tremblay. Samuel Dumont extended the Nationals’ lead with a power-play goal at 14:17, assisted by Trystan-Félix Tremblay and Xavier Laurent ‘C’. Only 1 minute and 21 seconds later, Dumont struck again on the power play, unassisted this time, giving the Nationals a commanding 3-0 lead at the end of the first period.
Raiders’ Resilience:
The Nepean Raiders showed their determination in the second period, fighting their way back into the game. Curtiss Sturgeon found the back of the net on the power play at 9:08, assisted by Nick Sinani and Marty Magaletta. It was Sturgeon’s fourth goal in five games dating back to two weeks ago on October 15th which was also against the Nationals. Nick Houben added another goal for the Raiders at 12:46, with Kendel Geier providing the assist. At the end of the second period, the score stood at 4-2 in favor of the Rockland Nationals.
Nationals Seal the Victory:
In the third period, the Rockland Nationals continued to control the game. Trystan-Félix Tremblay scored at 6:37, with an assist from Jack Treacy. This goal further solidified the Nationals’ lead, and they managed to maintain their advantage until the final buzzer, ultimately claiming a 5-2 victory.
Penalty Box Action:
This game was marked by numerous penalties, with both teams spending considerable time in the penalty box. These penalties added an extra layer of intensity to the matchup, with both teams fighting hard on special teams. Notably, there was an incident in the third period that resulted in an extended fight and several game misconduct penalties for the players involved, making for a dramatic turn of events.
Star Performers:
Trystan-Félix Tremblay of the Rockland Nationals earned the first star of the game with an impressive performance, contributing one goal and three assists. Samuel Dumont, also from the Nationals, secured the second star with two goals. Curtiss Sturgeon of the Nepean Raiders earned the third star for his goal.
In summary, the game between the Rockland Nationals and the Nepean Raiders on October 27, 2023, was a thrilling contest filled with scoring, penalties, and standout performances. The Rockland Nationals came out on top, but both teams showcased their skills and determination, making it an exciting match for hockey fans to remember.
The Nepean Raiders will have one more game this month and that’s on October 29th when they go back home to welcome the Renfrew Wolves.
