by Romano Di Franco
NEPEAN, ON – The Nepean Raiders played their final home game of the 2021/22 season as they hosted the Navan Grads at the Nepean Sportsplex Steve Yzerman Arena on Wednesday night.
It was the fifth and final meeting between the two teams. Navan has had a lot of success versus the Raiders this season winning big in each game.
Ben West (20-18, 0.900 SV%, 3.21 GAA) got the start in the net for Brockville while Nathan Loisel (5-12-1, 0.883 SV%, 4.86 GAA) was between the pipes for Nepean.
The Grads scored early in the first with Alec Lovisek putting the Grads in front 1-0 after just 46 seconds. Owen Parsons, Gabriel Crete, and Black Butler also scored to give Navan a 4-0 lead after 20 minutes. Shots in the period favored the Grads 26-18.
The teams traded goals in the second period. Zachary Lefebvre spoiled West’s shutout bid with his team-leading 23rd goal of the season. The goal came off a spectacular Savardian-spinnerama pass from Owen Hollingsworth. Adam Cater, back from a suspension, got the other helper. Alex Lovisek’s second of the game restored the four-goal lead to make it 5-1. Shots in the second period were 16-15 for Navan.
Michael Kopcok and Cayden Faust scored in the third period to make it a 7-1 final.
The Grads went 3-for-4 on the PowerPlay.
An empty netter by Ryan Liverman did make it 5-3 as they Raiders skated off with a win in their second last game of a busy March schedule.
Ben West (44 saves on 45 shots) was named the game’s first star, Alex Lovisek (2G | 1A) got the nod as second star. Zachary Lefebvre (1G) earned the third star.
Nathan Loisel (47 saves on 54 shots) was named the hardest working Raider in his final CCHL home game.
The Raiders open their four-game April schedule on Friday night with a trip to the Robert Hartley Sports Complex to take on the Hawkesbury fo5r a 7:30pm puck drop.
