The Brunswick High School boys hockey team hosted a Bangor squad coming off a tough week. Head coach Denis Collins resigned, and the Rams were on the road again, traveling the twoplus hours to Sidney J. Watson Arena on Saturday for an Eastern A tilt.

The Dragons played the Rams straight up through two periods, but Bangor showed its grit in a dominating third period, getting the game-winning goal from Jordan Tracy with just 30 seconds remaining for a 5-4 victory.

The win gives Bangor a 4-0 record, while Brunswick fell to 2-2 and visits Waterville on Thursday.

“I’m sure they wanted to come out hard, especially considering the events of this week, and we just tried to play hard and get our legs going,” said Brunswick coach Mike Routhier. “They were able to get on a roll in the third period, and we haven’t been in that situation against top teams. If we play like this, we will win some games this year.”

Bangor shook off eight power plays against in the first two periods, playing a near-perfect third period. The Rams outshot Brunswick 15-4 in the frame, had two goals waved off (high stick, crease violation) and most importantly, stayed out of the penalty box.

“The third period we came out and played Bangor hockey,” said Rams coach Quinn Paradis, who took over the team after Collins resigned. “We battled back today and got a big win, and we are just moving forward. We just work hard every day, play like there is no tomorrow.”

“With everything that happened this week, it was great to get the win,” said Bangor senior forward Parker Sanderson, who picked up two assists in the victory. “We worked on focusing in practice and coming together as one. It’s been hard, but this is a big team win. When we were out there, you could tell everyone was working hard.”

Bangor quick ones

The Rams came out strong in the opening period, getting two goals 40 seconds apart for a 2-0 lead.

Tracy opened the scoring off a Sanderson assist, and Kyle Farley doubled the Bangor lead, with Sanderson assisting again.

Brunswick dented the scoreboard at 8:33 of the period when Jacob Parent converted a pass from Matt Brooks, with Kyle Woodruff also picking up an assist.

The Dragons left some chances on the ice in the first, failing to score on three power plays, including two extended 5-on-3 advantages.

“We actually play better on the penalty kill than we do on the power play, which today was huge,” said Sanderson. “The tough thing with being shorthanded is the legs, mostly because you’re out their every other shift.”

Brunswick finally converted a man-up chance, tying the game 24 seconds into the second period on a goal by Brooks (Parent assisted).

But, Bangor answered with two more quick goals, with Carl Farnham and Farley scoring 1:18 apart for a 4-2 Rams lead.

Dwayne Palmer came right back for Brunswick, putting a shot behind Bangor netminder Rye Powell (17 saves) 45 seconds after Farley’s second goal, and the Dragons scored on another 5-on-3 power play chance when Parker Wild blasted a shot through a crowd at 10:18.

Through two periods, Brunswick was 2-for-8 with the man advantage, while Bangor’s power play unit failed to score on its only two chances.

“We took advantage of the power plays and got it going in the second period,” said Routhier.

Brunswick had few opportunities to take the lead in the third period, the best chance a hard wrister by Woodruff that Powell calmly turned aside.

Brunswick goaltender Blake Alexander turned aside 30 shots, including top-notch third-period chances by Bangor snipers Farnham, Zeb Tuell, Sanderson and Zach Papsadora.

There was little Alexander was able to do on Tracy’s winner, which tucked in underneath the cross bar to give the Rams the win.

“We have three good lines and a defense that is right in it, and Blake Alexander has been there for us and made some good saves tonight,” said Routhier.

“Jordan just had a nice shot there to win it.”

Bangor 5, Brunswick 4

At Sidney J. Watson Arena
Bangor— 221—5
Brunswick—130—4
First period — 1. (Bang) Jordan Tracy
(Parker Sanderson), 4:10; 2. (Bang) Kyle
Farley (Parker Sanderson), 4:50; 3. (Brun)
Jacob Parent (Matt Brooks, Kyle
Woodruff), 8:33. Penalties — (Bang)
Cam Dickson, elbowing, 5:26; (Bang)
Cam Dickson, double minor, roughing,
9:03; (Brun) Josh Thibeault, roughing,
9:03; (Bang) Justin Courtney, tripping,
10:31; (Bang) Sam Huston, tripping,
11:48; (Bang) Jordan Tracy, slashing,
14:53.
Second period — 4. (Brun) Matt Brooks
(Jacob Parent), pp, :24; 5. (Bang) Carl
Farnham (Sam Huston), 3:44; 6. (Bang)
Kyle Farley, 5:02; 7. (Brun) Dwayne
Palmer (Ryan Maciejewski), 5:47; 8.
(Brun) Parker Wild (Cam Heatley), pp,
10:18. Penalties — (Brun) Kyle
Woodruff, tripping, 1:08; (Bang) Cam
Dickson, tripping, 1:27; (Bang) Kyle Farley, cross checking, 7:27; (Bang) Kyle Farley, hit to head, 9:48; (Bang) Parker
Sanderson, slashing, 10:11; (Brun)
Dwayne Palmer, roughing, 12:44.
Third period — 9. (Bang) Jordan Tracy,
pp, 14:30. Penalties — (Brun) Nate
Granholm, roughing, :15; (Brun) Matt
Brooks, tripping, 12:37.
Shots on goal — Bangor 8-12-15—35;
Brunswick 6-11-4—21.
Saves — (Bang) Rye Powell 17; (Brun)
Blake Alexander 30.
Power play opportunities — Bangor 1-4;
Brunswick 2-8.
Records — Bangor 4-0, Brunswick 2-2.
Next for the Dragons — Thursday at
Waterville, 11 a.m.