by Romano Di Franco
The Nepean Raiders made the trip to Carleton Place Ontario to complete their second meeting of the season against the Carleton Place Canadians. These two teams have met once before and that was on the last day of the CCHL Showcase back on October 10th where Nepean won that game by a final count of 5-3. Ian Vadenburg got the start for the Canadians while John Gedraitis was in goal for the Raiders.
First Period Action: Back-and-Forth Goals
The opening period set the tone for the night, with both teams showcasing their offensive prowess. Carleton Place took an early lead with two power-play goals, courtesy of Caton Ryan and Jace Benvie. However, Nepean did not go down without a fight as they responded with two power-play goals of their own from Owen Hardy and Nicolas Papineau, leveling the score.
Just past the midpoint of the first period, Owen Colter of the Carleton Place Canadians notched another goal, giving his team a narrow 3-2 lead.
Scoreless Second Period: Defensive Battle
The second period was marked by a defensive struggle, with both teams tightening up their play. Despite numerous shots on goal, neither team managed to break through the opposing goaltender, leaving the score unchanged as they headed into the final frame. Nepean’s best chance in the second period was when they had two great scoring chance from Nolan DeFazzio and former Canadian Dylan Pollack. This is his first game with the Raiders having completed a trade that sent Lleyton Mclean to Carleton Place.
Third Period Drama: Canadians Pull Away
The Carleton Place Canadians dominated the third period, extending their lead with three more goals. Will Soloway, Caton Ryan, and Bill Gourgon all found the back of the net, showcasing the Canadians’ offensive depth.
Nepean Raiders fought hard to mount a comeback, with Dylan Pollock scoring a late power-play goal. It was Pollack’s fourth goal of the season and his first against his former team. However, it wasn’t enough to overcome Carleton Place’s lead, and the Canadians secured a 6-3 victory.
Penalty Parade: Special Teams Battle
The game featured a flurry of penalties, with both teams spending significant time in the box. Power plays played a crucial role, with several goals scored during these man-advantage situations. The physicality and intensity of the match were evident in the penalty minutes accumulated by both teams.
Three Stars of the Game:
- Caton Ryan (#12) – Carleton Place Canadians
- Goals: 2 | Assists: 2
- Will Soloway (#23) – Carleton Place Canadians
- Goals: 1 | Assists: 4
- Owen Hardy (#91) – Nepean Raiders
- Goals: 1 | Assists: 1
The three stars of the game reflected the outstanding performances of Caton Ryan and Will Soloway for the Canadians, while Owen Hardy stood out for the Raiders with a goal and an assist.
This was the first game of a home and home series for the Raiders and the Canadians so these two teams will go at it tomorrow at the Nepean Sportsplex Steve Yzerman Arena for a 2:30PM puck drop.
