Raiders lock up fifth as playoffs loom
Club will face Brockville
Malcolm MacMillan
With their 4-1 win over the Kemptville 73’s on Tuesday night, the Nepean Raiders locked up fifth place in the Central Junior Hockey League standings.
Now they've learned they'll face the Brockville Braves in the opening round of the playoffs, which begin on Sunday.
Because they’ll finish fifth out of eight playoff-bound teams, the Raiders will not enjoy home-ice advantage – but that’s OK for the club that’s had just as good a road record this season.
Regardless, the Raiders will head into the postseason on a high note, with a win and a tie in their last pair of games.
“We’ll take it and carry it into the playoffs,” said head coach Gerard Cowie.
In perhaps a late-season push for NCAA scholarships, the Raiders top line of graduating players Emmond Bell, Andrew Mather and Stephen Miles has been on fire of late, having scored six of the team’s last seven goals.
“They’ve been our most consistent guys over the last month, and they’re going to have to continue to perform in the playoffs,” said Cowie.
Mather chipped in with a pair of goals and an assist against the 73’s, and Bell and Jeff Christison provided the other offence. Goaltender Darren MacDonald has shown top playoff form in the last week, and turned aside 24 of 25 Kemptville shots.
Two days earlier, the Bell scored a natural hat trick in the first period, but the Raiders could only salvage a 3-3 tie against the Bears. In that tie, MacDonald again was sharp, turning aside 38 shots.

TOUGHER
Though the Raiders have made it to the CJHL finals five straight years, the only knock on the club is that it hasn’t been big enough and tough enough for the postseason grind.
That shouldn’t be a problem this year.
Mid-season pickups Shane Bakker and Ryan Medel, both veteran power forwards, are back in the lineup after battling injuries and the team’s physical play has been augmented by the duo.
Against Kemptville, after Dan Frawley boarded Bakker away from the puck, Medel and Brad Barber were quick to jump to their teammate’s defence.
A game earlier, Medel and Barber were in the think of things again, following a cheapshot on Medel by Smiths Falls’ Jonathan Milley. The club doesn’t want to take reckless penalties when the season hangs in the balance, but it certainly won’t allow itself to be pushed around, either.
Though outshot in the Smiths Falls game, the Raiders defence has been exhibiting playoff-style hockey – responsible in its own zone before worrying about generating offence.
Shots are being blocked, and pucks sent out of precarious zones on the ice.
“We’re trying to limit the shots on our goalies,” said d-man Jordan Gallea. “We’ve got to keep the puck out of our end before we can score goals.”

PLAYOFFS
Though not every playoff pairing is decided, the first-place Pembroke Lumber Kings will meet the Kanata Stallions in the first round. Second-place Cumberland will face off against the always-tough Hawkesbury Hawks, and because Nepean plays Brockville, Smiths Falls will face Royal Bank Cup host Cornwall.
MacDonald is ready to ready to go. “We’re ready for anyone," he said.
The Raiders will kick off the 2007-2008 postseason on Sunday on the road. Their first home game, game two of the series, will be played Tuesday, March 11, at the Nepean Sportsplex’s Steve Yzerman Arena. The puck will be dropped at 7:30 p.m.

Raiders 3, Bears 3
Bell hat trick paces Nepean to tie with SF
Here are a couple video clips from yesterday afternoon's 3-3 tie with Smiths Falls. Raiders centreman Emmond Bell scored a natural hat trick in the first period, and goalie Darren MacDonald was solid with 38 saves.

Some action in the Raiders end

Big save by Darren MacDonald