Rapids Battle Hard in 6-4 Exhibition Loss to Rideaus

The Paugan Falls Rapids gave fans in Masham an exciting afternoon of hockey on Saturday, going toe-to-toe with one of the NPHL’s top Western Conference teams, the Smiths Falls Rideaus. In the end, the visitors pulled away late to earn a 6–4 victory, but the Rapids left the ice with plenty of positives to build on.

The opening period set the tone with fast-paced, back-and-forth action. Smiths Falls opened the scoring midway through the frame, but the Rapids wasted no time responding. Dylan Chamberlin, in his first game with the club, scored his first NPHL goal on a breakaway, wiring a shot past the Rideaus goaltender to tie the game. The Rapids took their first lead minutes later when newcomer Kevin Domingue slid a perfect backdoor pass to Etienne Champagne, who buried it into the open net.

Smiths Falls answered with two goals of their own, but the Rapids kept battling. At 15:23 of the second, Ryan Peck fed Domingue for a rocket one-timer on a 2v1 rush — his first goal as a Rapid and his second point of the night. Just before the intermission, with time winding down on the power play, Ric Shin pounced on a rebound and scored with only three seconds left, giving the Rapids a 4–3 lead heading into the third.

The Rideaus showed their firepower in the final period, scoring three unanswered goals to secure the win. Despite the result, the Rapids matched Smiths Falls stride for stride, finishing nearly even in shots (44–39) and showcasing some great new additions to the roster.

Domingue’s debut earned him second star of the game honours, while Chamberlin and Shin also made memorable first impressions with their goals. Malcolm Patry and Aidan Foley provided steady goaltending, and the Rapids’ power play looked sharp, capitalizing twice.

For local fans, the Masham game was the only home exhibition contest before the home opener in Low on October 11th. The Rapids will travel to Smiths Falls on Sunday, September 21st, for a rematch with the Rideaus before turning their full attention to the start of the NPHL season.

While the scoreboard read 6–4 for Smiths Falls, the Rapids left with a strong sense of momentum — proving they can skate with a Western powerhouse and offering fans plenty of reasons to be excited for what’s ahead.