It was a simple process for the Brunswick High School boys hockey team.
Holding a 4-3 lead, with time ticking down and the Yarmouth net empty for an extra skater, the Dragons had possession of the puck, with a simple clear all that stood between a win and a 2-0 start to the season.
Instead, a tempting long shot at the empty net was wide of the target, resulting in an icing call and an offensive zone face-off for the Clippers.
The host didn’t let this chance go to waste, getting the tying goal from Isaak Dearden with four seconds remaining, and David Clemmer put home a rebound of a Pat Grant shot 1:36 into overtime as Yarmouth (1-1) picked up a 5-4 win Wednesday at Travis Roy Arena.
“I didn’t say much after the second period, just that this is a veteran room and it’s up to the guys, and they came out on fire. Unfortunately you can’t play for just 14 minutes and expect to come out on top,” said Brunswick coach Mike Routhier, whose charges will look to get back on track against Thornton Academy on Saturday at Biddeford Ice Arena.
Yarmouth top line
The Clippers came out slow as Brunswick held an 8-3 shots advantage through the first 11 minutes.
Yarmouth found its stride, especially the top line of Grant, Bobby Murray and Dearden. Grant managed to get free and fired a shot past Brunswick goaltender Devin Allard at 12:14 of the first for a 1-0 lead. Murray and Dearden each picked up an assist.
“That is a good line, and we had issues with them,” said Routhier.
Brunswick tied the game just 1:27 into the second period as Dwayne Palmer set up linemate Ryan Maciejewski, whose shot slipped past Yarmouth keeper Nick Allen.
The tie was short-lived, as Yarmouth took a 2-1 lead on Grant’s second goal, this one on the power play at 6:05 from Walter Conrad and Murray.
Brunswick had two power-play chances in the frame, four in the game, but failed to put the puck in the net, often struggling to set up in the Yarmouth defensive zone.
“On the power play, we are not on the same page, but it is early on and we have time to work on things,” said Routhier, who watched his squad fall behind 3-1 on Grant’s third goal, this time assisted by Brian Travers and Dylan Tureff.
Yarmouth had all the momentum in the middle frame, outshooting Brunswick 12-4, including the final nine shots.
But, Brunswick came out with fire to start the third period, getting Maciejewski’s second goal (assisted by Palmer and Jacob McGowan) to get to 3-2 at 1:56. A great setup from Cam Heatley led to a goal by defensive partner Nate Granholm three minutes later to tie the game, and Matt Brooks, after getting checked hard to the ice, bounced up and put home a pass from Tyler Sullivan at 6:47 for a 4-3 Brunswick lead.
Allen made two big saves to keep Yarmouth down a goal, and the Clippers pulled the goaltender with 1:21 remaining for an extra skater. Brunswick pinned in the Clippers for 30 seconds, and when Yarmouth lost control of the puck in the Dragons’ zone with 16 seconds remaining, it looked like Brunswick was going to escape.
But, an icing infraction gave the hosts new life.
“We have to make smart decisions and understand the situation, with the first priority of getting the puck out,” said Routhier of the regulationending segment that led to Yarmouth’s tying goal.
In overtime, Dearden broke out of the Brunswick zone and fed a pass to Grant. His shot was turned aside by Allard, but the rebound found the stick of Clemmer, who didn’t miss for the 5-4 Clippers win.
Yarmouth held a 25-21 shots advantage, with Allard turning aside 20 shots. Allen had 17 saves, and Yarmouth was 2-for-4 on the power play.
Yarmouth 5,
Brunswick 4, OT
| At | Travis | Roy | Arena | in | Yarmouth | |||||||
| Brunswick | —0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | 4 | ||||||
| Yarmouth | — | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | — | 5 | |||||
First period: 1. (Y) Pat Grant (Bobby Murray, Isaak Dearden), 12:14. Penalties: (B) Matt Brooks, interference, :16; (Y) Isaak Dearden, tripping, 4:56. Second period: 2. (B) Ryan Maciejewski (Dwayne Palmer), 1:27; 3. (Y) Pat Grant (Walter Conrad, Bobby Murray), pp, 6:05; 4. (Y) Pat Grant (Brian Travers, Dylan Tureff), pp, 13:55. Penalties: (Y) Isaak Dearden, tripping, 3:23; (B) Jared Parent, elbowing, 4:46; (B) Rudy Dumont, roughing, 6:50; (Y) Brian Travers, elbowing, 8:29; (B) Rudy Dumont, slashing, 12:03. Third period: 5. (B) Ryan Maciejewski (Dwayne Palmer, Jacob McGowan), 1:56; 6. (B) Nate Granholm (Cam Heatley, Tyler Sullivan), 4:26; 7. (B) Matt Brooks (Tyler Sullivan), 6:47; 8. (Y) Isaak Dearden (Bill Jacobs, Pat Grant), 14:56. Penalties: None. Overtime: 9. (Y) David Clemmer (Pat Grant, Isaak Dearden), 1:36. Penalties: None. Shots on goal — (B) 8-4-9-0-21; (Y) 6-12-6-1- 25. Saves — (B) Devin Allard 20; (Y) Nick Allen 17. Power-play opportunities — Brunswick 0-4; Yarmouth 2-4. Records — Brunswick 1-1, Yarmouth 1-1. Up next for Brunswick — Saturday vs. Thornton Academy at Biddeford Ice Arena, 3 p.m.
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