by Romano Di Franco
CORNWALL, ON – The Nepean Raiders travelled to the Ed Lumley Arena to take on the Cornwall Colts. It was the fourth meeting between the two teams this season with all three previous games being decided in extra time. Cornwall won the first two games in a Shootout before winning the previous meeting on Januray 8 3-2 in overtime. Nepean is coming off a loss to the Renfrew Wolves while Cornwall is coming off a 3-0 victory over the Pembroke Lumber Kings.
Luca Sandu (5-10-1, 4.43 GAA, 0.894 SV%) started in goal for Nepean while Dax Easter (10-15-1-2, 3.13 GAA, 0.900 SV %) got the start between the pipes for Cornwall.
Cornwall was all Nepean in the first period with four different Colts registering goals. Brayden Bown, Andrew Langlois, Bradley Fraser, and Zack Speck-Meek all managed to beat Sandu. Sandu did turn aside 15 of the 20 shots he faced in the first period but did not return for the second period as Dominic Amodeo came in in relief. Nepean managed just five shots on Easter in the first with their best scoring chance coming off the stick of Anthony Rivard who took the puck around the Cornwall goal before his shot was blocked.
The middle frame was more successful for Nepean as they came out early with two quick goals to close the gap to 4-2. First it was Nicolas Papineau deflecting a blast from the point by Harris Hilfiker. Jacob Dupont had the other helper on the PowerPlay goal. Then Joshua Reid head-manned the puck to Luke Posthumus who streaked down the right wing on a two-on-one with Owen Hardy. Posthumus found a wide-open Hardy in front of the Cornwall goal who made no mistake depositing the puck into the yawning cage.
Keanu Krenn restored the three-goal Cornwall cushion late in the period and the two teams skated to their respective dressing rooms with Cornwall up 5-2 with a 32-13 advantage in shots.
Krenn got his second of the game and then Nolan Gagnon made it 7-2 before the five-minute mark of the final frame. The latter goal chased Amodeo and Luca Sandu re-entered the game in the Nepean goal.
Tristan Miron put the game out of reach with his eighth of the season to put the home team up 8-2.
Curtiss Sturgeon was assessed a High Sticking penalty with about two minutes to go in the game and Brayden Bowen, who opened the scoring in the first, got the final goal in the third to give the Colts a 9-2 victory.
The goals against was a season-high for the Raiders who also gave up a season-high 51 shots on the night, two more than the 49 they gave up to the Brockville Braves on January 8. Nepean managed 17 shots on Easter who picked up his eleventh win of the season.
Bradley Fraser (1G | 2A), who had the game winner was named the game’s first star. Zack Speck-Meek (1G | 2A) had the game winner and earned the second star. Nicolas Papineau got the nod as the game’s third star for Nepean.
Owen Hardy (1G) was named the Hardest Working Raider.
Nepean is in action again tomorrow night as they head to the North Grenville Municipal Centre to take on the Kemptville 73s for a 7:30 pm puck drop.
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