by Romano Di Franco
NEPEAN, ON – The Nepean Raiders were playing in their first game 2022 against a team not named the Navan Grads. After completing a home-and-home series against Navan, the Raiders hosted the Carleton Place Canadians at the Nepean Sportsplex Steve Yzerman Arena.
It was the third meeting of the season between the two teams with each team winning one game.
The starting goalies for the Sunday matinee were Joe Chambers (10-9-1, 3.22 GAA, 0.893 GAA) for Carleton Place while Nathan Loisel (1-3, 5.44 GAA, 0.861 SV%) was between the pipes for Nepean.
Isaac Pascoal got things started for Carleton Place with a PowerPlay goal. The snipe came from a shot from close range after some good puck movement behind the Raider net after Adam Cater (Roughing) and Alex Bergeron (Cross Checking) got the gate at 12:39 along with Mark McPhee for Carleton Place.
Pascoal’s goal would not be the only one as Louis Chabot countered with a goal for Nepean. The short-handed effort came after a bad give-away between Jackson Hay and Brandon Walker that allowed Chabot to go in all alone on Chambers and beat him high blocker-side making it 2-1.
Matteo Disipio restored the CPC lead but it was short-lived after Todd Northgrave banked a blast from the point off the boards behind Chambers that bounced off his pads and into the Canadians goal to tie the game at 2-2. Zachary Lefebvre put the Raiders up for the first time in the game with a PowerPlay goal tipping in rebound off a Tyler Melvin shot from the right faceoff circle. Owen Hollingsworth had the other helper on the 3-2 goal.
After 20 minutes the Raiders had the lead despite trailing in shots 19-12.
Lefebvre got his second of the game towards the end of the second period. Tyler Melvin chipped a pass from his own end to Lefebvre in the neutral zone. He took took the puck the rest of the way and beat Chambers glove side to give the Raiders a two-goal cushion.
That was all the scoring in the middle stanza and after 40 minutes the Raiders led 4-2 being outshot 32-21.
Carleton Place made a goaltending change to start the third but Jack Hillier gave Brady McEwan a poor reception scoring early in the third period to put Nepean up 5-2 just fifty-six seconds into the final frame. Hillier scored on a breakaway after being sprung by Jordan Graham. Coleman Bennett had the second assist. Matteo Disipio got that one back with his second of the game to bring Carleton Place back within two.
Carleton Place pulled McEwan for the extra attacker but it was Chase Campeau icing the game for Nepean. Hollingsworth cleared the puck from the Raiders zone before Campeau slid the puck into the vacated cage. Coleman Bennet registered his second assist of the game and 17th of the season
Zachary Lefebvre (2G) was named the game’s first star, Nathan Loisel (44 SV on 47 shots) earned second star honours while Carleton Place forward Matteo Disipio (2G | 1A) was third star.
Owen Hollingsworth (2A) was named the hardest working Raider.
The Raiders are back at it Wednesday as the host the Renfrew Wolves at the Nepean Sportsplex Steve Yzerman Arena for a 7:30pm puck drop.
