RAYNHAM – With two evenly matched teams entering, a close game was to be expected in the Week 6 Bantam Spotlight. All was going according to plan until early in the third period when the Raynham Raiders (3-2-0) sparked and rode that momentum to a 4-2 victory over the Norfolk County Hawks (2-3-0) on Sunday at the Raynham IcePlex.

Both teams started fast looking to get their record above .500, but the Hawks were the better team early, keeping up pressure with a strong fore check. Some quality stops from Raynham netminder Derrik Rivet kept the game even until he was caught off-guard by an off angle wrister from Kevin O’Reily, the power play goal giving the Raiders a 1-0 lead at 6:02 of the first.

With Norfolk County continuing to press, Raynham held on and eventually drew back to even late in the opening period, a backhand goal by Kyle Charboneau making it 1-1 at 11:42.

The second period followed a similar script to the first as O’Reily once again gave the Hawks a one-goal advantage, this time for a 2-1 lead at 3:32, before the Raiders drew it back to even, Luke Moulin with the tip-in score at 5:08. It was not until the third either side was able to get away from their opponent.

Raynham did not long to do so in the third. Dillon Huntington broke free off the period’s opening face-off, streaked down the rightwing and put away the go-ahead goal just 14-seconds into regulation’s final 15 minutes.

After assisting on the go-ahead tally, just a few minutes later it was Payton Allen’s turn to get into the scoring column, putting away a rebound to give the Raiders some insurance, 4-2, at 4:49. Raynham rode the momentum of the two early goals to their third victory of the season.

Huntington led all scorers in the contest with a goal and three assists, factoring into every Raiders score, while Charboneau and Allen were credited with a goal and an assist apiece.

O’Reily was credited with both scores for Norfolk County.