MT. ARARAT/LISBON forward Jeremy Williams (7) skates with the puck after avoiding a check by Brunswick’s Dwayne Palmer (17) in an Eastern Maine Class A boys high school hockey game on Saturday at Watson Arena. The Dragons won 3-0.
When rivals meet, often times winning comes down to the team willing to grind it out, even if that squad isn’t playing at its best.
Take Saturday night’s Eastern Maine Class A boys high school hockey contest between bitter rivals Brunswick and Mt. Ararat/Lisbon at Bowdoin College’s Sidney J. Watson Arena.
From head coach Mike Routhier’s perspective, the Dragons clearly did not play their best hockey in the final two periods, but the efforts of grinder Jacob Parent allowed Brunswick to pick up a 3-0 victory.
Parent stuck his nose, and the rest of his diminutive frame, in front of Eagles netminder Ben Bishop as his teammates scored a pair of goals, including a goal by twin brother Clayton Parent to turn a precarious 1-0 advantage into a two-goal lead.
“That is his job and what we want him to do on the power play,” said Routhier after his Dragons improved to 4-2 and hosts St. Dom’s today at 3:45 p.m. “It is easy to get them confused, along with brother Jared. They are numbers three, four and five. They all work hard.”
“We got a couple goals by working hard in front of the net,” said Jacob Parent, who had two assists. “Against Mt. Ararat you always have to just grind it out. It was a nailbiter today. I thought Clayton’s goal (with 3:49 remaining in the third period) allowed us to relax.”
Close contest
Brunswick came out fast in the opening period, outshooting the Eagles 13-2 and taking a 1-0 lead on a Kyle Woodruff power-play goal. Goaltender Bishop, who had 24 saves, never saw the shot, as Jacob Parent battled a Mt. Ararat/Lisbon defenseman at the top of the crease, screening the Eagles’ netminder.
The Dragons failed to build off of their first-period momentum, with Mt. Ararat/Lisbon beginning to find its legs, especially forwards Jeremy Williams and Evan Tome. Williams was stopped by Brunswick goaltender Blake Alexander (17 saves) midway through the second period, while Tome shook off a hard check, skated the length of the ice and tipped a Logan McGuire shot inches wide of the goal.
“Ben played a great game in goal today,” said Mt. Ararat/Lisbon (2-4) coach Mike Bishop. “Brunswick is a good team. I thought the second period we played well, and our second line was all around the net.”
“We kind of played in a lull, something I attribute to not playing for about two weeks and a rivalry game that is always close,” said Routhier. “Mt. Ararat competed. They are not going to lay down. We were sloppy and helped them out.”
Mt. Ararat/Lisbon kept coming in the third period, firing eight of the first 10 shots on Alexander, who continued to frustrate the Eagles.
“They are just not ready when it really counts, when we have a chance to finish,” said coach Bishop of his squad, who hosts Edward Little on Thursday at 7:30 p.m.
Jared Parent helped give the Dragons some breathing room, setting up brother Clayton Parent for a 2-0 lead, and a major boarding penalty on Mt. Ararat/Lisbon allowed Brunswick to finish off the scoring as Jacob McGowan converted on the power play with 1:03 left, with an assist each going to Ryan Maciejewski and Nate Granholm.
Brunswick owned a 27-17 shots advantage, and finished two of four on the power play, while the Eagles failed to score on four man-up opportunities.
Brunswick 3,
Mt. Ararat/Lisbon 0
At Sidney J. Watson Arena
Brunswick— 102—3
Mt.Ararat/Lisbon—000—0
First period — 1. (B) Kyle Woodruff
(Jacob Parent, Clayton Parent), pp, 4:35.
Penalties — (MA) Evan Tome, hit to the
head, 3:57; (B) Ryan Maciejewski, interference, 9:25; (MA) Brett Gravel, interference, 11:35.
Second period — No scoring. Penalties
— (B) Jacob McGowan, hooking, 9:05;
(B) Tyler Sullivan, tripping, 11:31.
Third period — 2. (B) Clayton Parent
(Jacob Parent), 11:11; 3. (B) Jacob
McGowan (Ryan Maciejewski, Nate
Granholm), pp, 13:57. Penalties — (B)
Dwayne Palmer, slashing, 5:22; (MA)
Evan Tome, major boarding, 12:51.
Shots on goal — Brunswick — 13-5-9—
27; Mt. Ararat/Lisbon 2-7-8—17
Saves — (B) Blake Alexander 17; (MA)
Ben Bishop 24.
Power play opportunities — Brunswick
2-4; Mt. Ararat/Lisbon 0-4.
Records — Brunswick 4-2, Mt.
Ararat/Lisbon 2-4.
Next — The Dragons host St. Dom’s
today at 3:45 p.m.; Mt. Ararat/Lisbon
hosts Edward Little on Thursday at 7:30
p.m.
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