Slumping Raiders drop first at home

Slumping Raiders drop first at home

EAMONN MAHER Staff Writer Winners of just two of their last eight games, the Georgetown Raiders lost their first game on home ice Wednesday night of the 2006-07 season to the lowly Mississauga Chargers 5-4 in overtime. Yes, the Raiders did get a point for coming back in the third period with a pair of goals, but giving up two points to the 2-15-0-0 Chargers will no doubt have its repercussions heading into a pair of difficult weekend games. Georgetown took a 2-0 first-period lead and outshot Mississauga 47-27 overall in the contest, with Charger goalie Mike Mesaros frustrating the hosts on several occasions. Even with leading scorer Adam DeJong out of the lineup and backup goalie Cam Healy making his fourth start of the campaign, the Raiders looked to be in control from the outset, as centre Ryan Ford notched a hat trick on the night, yet Mississauga scored three times in the first half of the second period to take the lead. Local resident Liam Heelis, a 16-year-old centre drafted by the Ontario Hockey League's Peterborough Petes in the 10th round last spring, scored the second Mississauga goal on a close-in rebound and played a regular shift, starting off the 4-on-4 overtime period. See RAIDERS, pg. 3

Raiders handed overtime defeat

Continued from pg. 1 On a delayed Georgetown penalty 2:27 into extra time, an unchecked Steve Natywary slapped in a pass from behind the net to end the contest and the Chargers' six-game losing streak. A usual basement-dweller in the standings, Mississauga's struggles got worse last week when leading scorer Bruce Crawford walked out on the club. That opened up more ice time for an eager Heelis, who underwent a major growth spurt since attending the Raiders' rookie camp back in May, putting on 25 pounds and three-and-a-half inches in height. He felt that signing with Mississauga would give him a better chance to develop. "I went into the Petes' rookie camp in top shape and then I broke my wrist in our last exhibition game," said the Grade 11 Christ the King student. "I thought I had a great camp with four goals and two assists in three games, so I was really surprised that I got cut. Thankfully my wrist wasn't that bad and I only missed a couple of weeks." Heelis has five goals and four assists in 11 games for Mississauga and has set a goal of making Peterborough next season. The Raiders, meanwhile, travel to Burlington Friday night to take on the Cougars, then host the Oakville Blades Saturday at the Alcott Arena beginning at 7:30 p.m.