(Amherst, NY) – When the Georgetown Raiders banged home two quick goals to jump to an early lead just two minutes into the contest, you could see the look of awe in some of the fans and the desperation in the Buffalo players hosting these Raiders. Adding to Buffalo’s woes was their inability to cash in on a 5-on-3 power play… twice. Yet they stayed in there and chipped away at Georgetown’s lead and rallied up to the final seconds, with the guests skating away 6-5 winners.
Nick Perruccio and Patrick Megannety scored the Raiders’ first goals, respectively, at the 0:41 and 1:03 marks of the first period. They then spent most of the period killing Buffalo’s power play opportunities and holding their 2-0 lead.
Buffalo got on the board at the 11:55 mark of the second when David Seward tipped a shot from the point. Larry Smith and Andrew Poturalski assisted on Seward’s goal. Georgetown responded with two more goals, scored by Tyson Fawcett and Ryan Lopes at 13:48 and 19:46, respectively.
Seward cashed in his second goal just 32 seconds into the third period, completing a not-so-pretty play set up by Poturalski and Tim Kielich. Fawcett responded for the Raiders with a power play goal, but Buffalo’s Shane Bennett scored on the power play as well to cut Georgetown’s lead to 5-3. Fawcett then added a shorthanded goal to complete a hat trick at the 11:28 mark and increase that lead to 6-3.
Max Mikowski’s power play goal at the 15:52 mark cut the lead to 6-4. Then, with Jr. Sabres goaltender Curran McNamara pulled for the extra skater, Mark Arnone tipped home a shot to bring Buffalo just one goal behind the Raiders. Georgetown held tough, though, and earned the 6-5 win.
McNamara stopped 24 of 30 Georgetown shots while Raiders netminder Steven Racine made 22 saves.
Buffalo returns to the Northtown Center at Amherst Tuesday night for their final home game of the regular season, hosting Oakville at 7:30pm on what is also Alumni Night. At least 50 former Jr. Sabres (including players from the franchise’s Lightning and Scenic eras) are expected to attend.
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