BRUNSWICK

A season opener can show certain things to a coach, from weaknesses to strengths.

Brunswick High School girls hockey coach Bill Bodwell watched his squad control play, outshooting Winslow 37-19 in its season debut at Bowdoin College’s Sidney J. Watson Arena, with his top line accounting for three goals and seven points.

But, Black Raiders forward Jennifer Poulin and goaltender Jessica Cain proved to be the difference in Winslow’s 4-3 victory on Friday night.

Poulin scored three goals, while Cain turned away 34 shots, including seven in the game’s final two minutes to preserve the one-goal win.

“I thought we did a good job controlling play tonight, but their goalie is very good and we knew going into the season that we have some youth, which provides a good opportunity for us to improve as we move forward,” said Bodwell, whose Dragons visit defending state champion Greely on Wednesday 8 p.m. (at the Falmouth Family Ice Center). “I am proud of the way we played today. We hustled and competed, and it is our job as coaches to keep teaching them as we go along.”

Poulin used her speed to cause turnovers, with each of her goals coming on breakaways.

“Our game plan was to use the basics of what we learned in practice, and get to our points and hash marks,” said Poulin. “We tried to capitalize on things, and we were able to do that. We knew Brunswick could come back, but we just kept working on things and it worked out for us.”

“She is a good player, and we wanted to try and make good decisions inside their blue line, and tonight that hurt us,” said Bodwell of Poulin.

Dragons score

It didn’t take long for the Brunswick line of Rachel Moroney, Eliza Brooks and Tessa Cassidy to click, with Brooks, assisted by both of her linemates, chipping a shot past Cain just 54 seconds into the game for a 1-0 Dragons lead.

Poulin answered at 6:36 of the opening period. She stole the puck at her own blue line before wristing a hard shot underneath the cross bar above the glove of starting goaltender Erin Gay (11 shots, eight saves, three goals allowed) to tie the game.

Brunswick applied pressure from there, with Moroney scoring her first of the season from Brooks with 1:54 remaining in the frame for a 2-1 lead after 15 minutes.

The Dragons kept coming, but Brooks and Moroney were both stonewalled by Cain, and the Black Raiders scored two bang-bang goals to take a 3-2 lead. Alexis LaChance netted an unassisted goal at 6:35 of the middle frame, and Poulin’s second tally just 1:05 later put Winslow ahead to stay.

Poulin completed her hat trick at 5:03 of the third period, taking a lead pass from LaChance and beating Claire Mendes (eight shots, seven saves, one goal allowed) for a 4-2 advantage for the visitors.

“We have three new people playing defense, and it was just a couple opportunities that we gave them,” said Bodwell, who praised the play of his defenders, Grace Rabinowitz, Caitlyn Olson and Maddie Wilkes. “They did well throughout the game. There were really just a few mistakes, and Winslow took advantage.”

Brooks’ second goal, from Moroney, just 1:13 after Poulin’s third score, drew the Dragons back to within one, and Brunswick kept coming, outshooting the Black Raiders 14-5 in the third period. Moroney thought she had scored with 2:44 left, but the goal was waved off as the puck was ruled kicked into the cage.

Moroney and Brooks each had opportunities with Mendes pulled for an extra skater, but Cain stopped Brooks, and Moroney’s shot glanced off the post.

“She hit a post, and had a lot of opportunities tonight,” said Bodwell of Moroney, who had 13 shots on goal and the one post. “This game reminded me of the Cheverus game last season where we had 50 shots and lost the game.”

Brunswick failed to score on the only two power plays of the game.

Winslow 4, Brunswick 3

At Sidney J. Watson Arena
Winslow— 121—4
Brunswick—201—3
First period — (B) Eliza Brooks (Rachel Moroney,
Tessa Cassidy), :54; 2. (W) Jennifer Poulin, 6:36; 3. (B)
Rachel Moroney (Eliza Brooks). Penalties — None.
Second period — 4. (W) Alexis LoChance, 6:35; 5. (W)
Jennifer Poulin, 7:40. Penalties — (W) Alexis LoChance
(tripping), 4:02; (W) Paige Veilleux (interference),
12:52.
Third period — 6. (W) Jennifer Poulin (Alexis
LoChance), 5:03; 7. (B) Eliza Brooks (Rachel Moroney),
6:16. Penalties — None.
Shots on goal — (W) — 7-7-5 — 19; (B) 12-11-14 —
37.
Saves — (W) Jessica Cain 34; (B) Erin Gay 8, Claire
Mendes 7.
Power play — Winslow 0-0; Brunswick 0-2.
Records — Winslow 1-0, Brunswick 0-1.
Next for the Dragons — Wednesday vs. Greely at Falmouth Family Ice Center, 8 p.m.

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