FALMOUTH — Lewiston High features a boys’ hockey team that is finding its stride.
Falmouth High, meanwhile, is trying to figure things out without some of its firepower.
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Lewiston got a hat trick from Jeromey Rancourt and beat the Yachtsmen 5-2 Monday night at the Family Ice Center.
Josh Noyes and Robbie Armitage scored for Falmouth. Brandon Peters and Chris Camelio each had two assists. The Yachtsmen had the edge in shots, 32-24.
The Blue Devils, who entered the game in third place in Eastern Class A, improved to 8-3-1.
Falmouth, which sits atop the Western A standings, is 9-4. The Yachtsmen have lost last four of their last five games; their only win was a 5-4 victory at Lewiston on Jan. 14, when Falmouth blew a 3-0 lead and then came back.
This time it was Lewiston that took the 3-0 lead. The Yachtsmen came on strong, but could never catch up.
One obstacle for Falmouth was the absence of its leading scorer, Isac Nordstrom. Instead of holding a hockey stick Monday, Nordstrom was leaning on crutches, necessitated by torn ligaments in his right ankle. He might be back before the end of the season.
Not only was Falmouth without one of the state’s top players, it was missing two other forwards – one who moved out of state, the other is out with a nagging injury.
“This gives our younger guys a chance to play in a competitive environment,” Yachtsmen Coach Deron Barton said.
And Falmouth still has talent.
“They have so much depth,” Lewiston Coach Jamie Belleau said.
But his Blue Devils have momentum, going 4-1 in their last five games
“We’re playing well right now,” Belleau said, adding that the Blue Devils’ 7-3 win over Bangor Saturday “was our best overall game.”
Lewiston won the battle for possessions and quality chances in the first period, taking a 2-0 lead.
The Blue Devils got a nice bounce, literally, when Cole Ouellette’s pass hopped over the stick of a Falmouth defenseman. Rancourt gathered the puck, raced in and roofed it for a 1-0 lead at 2:24.
Lewiston’s forwards proved pesky and Brendon Croteau kept possession amid a crowd of Yachtsmen in the left circle. He slid a pass to Griffin Wade, who lifted a backhand shot in at 8:03.
Falmouth’s best chance in the period came when Camelio dropped a pass for Peters, but goalie Jacob Strout gloved his wrister.
Lewiston’s Kyle Morin broke in on Falmouth goalie Ryan Bonnvie near the end of the period, but Bonnvie blocked it with his shoulder.
The Blue Devils outshot Falmouth 11-8 in the first period.
Falmouth came out strong in the second period, getting the first nine shots on net. But when Lewiston finally got possession, Rancourt spun in the slot and scored at 3:30 for a 3-0 lead.
Noyes’ tally on a rebound gave the Falmouth crowd a lift at 11:20. But Rancourt scored on a backdoor pass from Croteau at 14:02 to give Lewiston a 4-1 lead.
Armitage’s power-play goal at 4:38 of the third got Falmouth closer. But Lewiston held on and Morin added an empty-netter.
Falmouth and Lewiston next play Eastern A leader St. Dominic. Falmouth visits St. Dom’s Wednesday at the Norway Savings Bank Arena in Auburn. Lewiston plays host to the Saints Saturday at the Colisee.
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