Maine news, sports, weather from Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram, Portland, Maine

February 29, 2012

Western Class B hockey quarterfinals: Clippers reach semis by holding off Camden

Yarmouth avenges two earlier losses to the Windjammers with a 7-6 win.

By Paul Betit pbetit@mainetoday.com
Staff Writer

ROCKPORT — After building a four-goal lead Tuesday night, No. 5 Yarmouth held off No 4 Camden Hills during the last eight minutes of the game for a 7-6 win in a Western Class B boys' hockey quarterfinal at the Midcoast Recreation Center.

The Clippers (12-6-1) advanced to play top-seeded Greely (12-4-2) in a regional semifinal Saturday night at the Portland Ice Arena.

Yarmouth's victory came against a team it lost to twice in the regular season. Last Wednesday, the Windjammers won 4-1 at Rockport.

"We talked a lot in practice about taking care of our own zone," Yarmouth Coach David St. Pierre said. "We came up here last week and defensively we had some big letdowns and left guys in front of the net wide open and they converted. We worked hard on that in practice and really tightened it up."

Yarmouth did a good job of containing the Windjammers (10-8-1) until the frenzied final eight minutes.

"We definitely stuck to our game plan on the defensive side of the puck, making sure we were doing our job there," St. Pierre said. "We felt if we could keep them to a one- or two-goal game, which we did to the last eight minutes, we could come out with a (win)."

The Clippers built a 6-2 lead during the first 36 minutes.

Yarmouth's Red DeSmith turned in a masterful performance during the first two periods, stopping 19 of 20 shots.

"The first two periods actually he kept us in the game, and he gave us a chance to score some goals," St. Pierre said.

"The end of the game there was really nothing he could do about all those goals. It was just the frenzy of the playoff atmosphere."

Yarmouth opened the scoring two minutes into the game on the first of Marshall Brunelle's three goals.

It took the 'Jammers nearly 12 minutes to tie the score. With 17 seconds left, Grayson Szumilas made it 1-1 when he jammed in a rebound for a power-play goal.

The Clippers regained the lead 12 seconds later on Mark Brown's backhander.

Yarmouth moved into a 4-1 lead on second-period goals by Alex Kurtz and David Clemmer.

After Cal Robbins scored for Camden Hills two minutes into the third period, Brunelle completed his hat trick by converting centering passes from Eamon Costello to make it 6-2 with 8:40 left to play.

The 'Jammers reeled off the next three goals -- Jack Orne (short-handed) and two by Szumilas to make it 6-5 with 1:29 left to play.

Costello scored the winning goal by putting the puck into an empty net with 41 seconds left.

Camden Hills James Annis jammed the puck past DeSmith with 5.8 seconds left.

"We kind of got in a total desperation mode," Camden Hills Coach Carl Enroth said.

"Hockey is such a game of momentum, and once a team gets it, it's like a tsunami. The fact we got it back to a one-goal game is remarkable."

 

Staff Writer Paul Betit can be contacted at 791-6424 or at: pbetit@pressherald.com

Twitter: PaulBetitPPH

 

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