by Romano Di Franco
NEPEAN, ON – The Nepean Raiders hosted the Cornwall Colts at the Nepean Sportsplex Steve Yzerman Arena fresh off a victory over league leading Ottawa Junior Senators. They are playing some of their best hockey of the season coming into the game 3-2 in their last five games.
The Sunday matinee was the third meeting of the season between the two teams with the Raiders having won both games. The first meeting saw Nepean pull off a 4-3 win in overtime while the previous game at the Ed Lumley Arena was a wild 8-6 victory for the Raiders.
Dax Easter (5-9, 0.894 SV%, 3.71 GAA) got the start between the pipes for Cornwall while Nathan Loisel (3-6, 0.884 SV%, 4.56 GAA) got the start in the Raiders goal.
The Raiders have a record of 6-3 when they score first and that’s a good omen because Ryan Liverman opened the scoring for the Raiders pouncing on an Alex Bergeron rebound burying the puck into the open net. Adam Cater had the other helper.
Aaron Shaw made it 1-1 a couple of minutes later snapping a shot from just inside the right faceoff circle under Loisel’s blocker.
The period ended with the score even at one apiece and the Colts outshooting the Raiders 15-8.
Anthony Rivard put the Raiders back on top 2-1 after the Colts coughed up the puck in their own zone. Rivard blasted the shot over Easter’s shoulder. Zachary Lefebvre and Owen Hollingsworth had the assists.
The Raiders would go up 3-1 a few minutes later when Samuel Beaulne sent a laser beam from the point through the five-hole and into the back of the net. Nolan Mozer and Owen Hollingsworth had the helpers.
After 40 minutes, the Raiders held on to the 3-1 lead despite being outshot in the period 13-11 and 28-19 after two.
The teams traded goals in third. First, Anthony Rivard collected his second of the game and fifth of the season this time on the PowerPlay after a mad scramble in front of the Colts’ net to make the score 4-1 Raiders.
Tristan Miron got the Colts back within two on a 2-on-1 that might have been kicked in but counted just the same.
Louis Chabot replied a couple of minutes later to make it 5-2. Chabot took the puck from behind the net and jammed it home for his seventh of the season. Jordan Graham and Anthony Rivard were also in on the goal.
Bradley Fraser answered back for Cornwall to make it 5-3.
Cornwall pulled Dax Easter for the extra attacker with 2:25 left in the period to try come back. Jack Hillier was assessed a Cross Checking penalty at 18:38 to play the rest of the game at 6-on-4 but Loisel turned aside everything Cornwall threw at him.
Anthony Rivard (2G | 1A) was named the game’s first star, Tristan Miron (1G | 1A) got the nod as second star for Cornwall. Raiders D-man Adam Cater (1A) was named third star.
Samuel Bealne (1G) was named the hardest working Raider.
The Raiders have a very busy March schedule with 14 games. They are in action again on Thursday when they travel to the Brockville Memorial Centre to take on the Braves for a 7:00pm puck drop.
