Game of the Week: Richmond Hill Rampage vs. St. George Ravens
Sunday, December 15th, 2024 – Gaukel Memorial Community Centre, St. George, ON

The Richmond Hill Rampage made history with their first road win in franchise history, defeating the fourth-place St. George Ravens 4-3 in a tightly contested matchup. As the last-place team in the division, the Rampage came into the game as heavy underdogs but shocked the Ravens with a relentless effort and a standout goaltending performance from William Whited. This upset serves as a monumental moment for the Rampage’s inaugural season and a testament to their potential growth.

Game Summary

First Period

The Ravens wasted no time establishing their presence, with Daniel Tremblay scoring just 41 seconds into the game, assisted by Carter Dwornikiewicz and Maxim Schmidt. At 7:19, St. George doubled their lead with a shorthanded goal by Anthony Arthurs, who capitalized on a setup from Tyler Arthurs. Richmond Hill finally responded at 17:45, when Matthew Noble buried a goal off a feed from Nicoló Galeone. St. George extended their lead to 3-1 at 18:10, with Arthurs netting his second of the game, assisted again by his brother Tyler and Josh Colavito.

Second Period

Richmond Hill came out firing in the second period, taking advantage of a power play early on. Mateo Doucet pulled the Rampage within one at 1:26, converting on a pass from Christapor Gosdanian and Galeone. Less than a minute later, Reily Wosik tied the game 3-3 with an unassisted effort. The Ravens controlled the period’s pace, outshooting Richmond Hill 19-11, but Whited stood tall in net to keep the game tied heading into the third.

Third Period

The Rampage found the go-ahead goal at 11:15, with Cameron Crouse burying the game-winner, assisted by Wosik and Noble. St. George ramped up their offensive pressure, firing 15 shots on goal in the final frame, but Whited proved unshakable, turning away every opportunity to preserve the lead. Despite late-game chances and a pulled goaltender, the Ravens were unable to break through Richmond Hill’s defense.

Goaltending Battle

William Whited was the hero of the night for Richmond Hill, stopping 41 of 44 shots and posting a .932 save percentage. His composure under relentless pressure earned him first-star honors. On the other side, Nathan Penman made 27 saves on 31 shots for St. George but struggled to match Whited’s brilliance in key moments.

Key Performances

• William Whited (Richmond Hill): A stellar 41-save performance to secure the victory.
• Matthew Noble (Richmond Hill): Tallied a goal and an assist, leading the Rampage offensively.
• Reily Wosik (Richmond Hill): Scored the game-tying goal in the second period and assisted on the game-winner.
• Anthony Arthurs (St. George): Registered two goals, including a shorthanded tally, to pace the Ravens’ offense.

Implications

This victory is a monumental milestone for the Richmond Hill Rampage as they continue their inaugural season. Beating a top-four team like St. George shows their ability to compete when firing on all cylinders. For the Ravens, the loss is a wake-up call, underscoring the need for greater discipline and focus to avoid slip-ups against lower-ranked opponents.

What’s Next

Richmond Hill will look to build on this momentum as they host the Tottenham Railers later this week, while the St. George Ravens aim to bounce back in a divisional matchup against the Niagara Predators just before the winter break. With the season heating up, both teams have plenty to prove in the weeks ahead.