The Riots’ Andrew Whipple delivered six brutal lashes – two hat tricks – against visiting Marshwood/Traip at Portland Ice Arena Thursday evening, while teammate Aidan Schifano tallied seven assists. The No. 6 Riots, which features players from South Portland, Freeport and Waynflete, jumped to a record of 9-6 on the eventual 8-4 victory, while the 11th-place Hawks slipped to 3-13.

Riots head coach Joe Robinson felt his boys lacked mustard in the first – an ongoing issue for the team. “Beginning of the first period, even though [the Hawks] didn’t score, we came out flat,” he said.

Still, not only did the Riots score first – a Chris Mitchell goal assisted by Whipple and Aidan Schifano – they scored second, third, and fourth as well. T-Moe Hellier picked up their next point as he crashed the net alongside Kyle Halvorsen, who assisted, and Whipple grabbed numbers three and four.

The Hawks fended the Riots off for the first half of the second period, then grabbed a goal of their own – Matt Sylvester from Jeff Hichens and Evan Cole – to set the score at 4-1. They continued to pressure in the coming minutes, even drawing Riots goalie Jason Halvorsen into a spectacular suicide poke-check. The risky maneuver worked, and though Halvorsen overshot his dive back into position and slid into the corner, his defense covered the net in the seconds he needed to get back on his feet.

Whipple notched his first hat trick in the late second period on assists from Mitchell and Schifano for 5-1, and began work on his second hat trick less than a minute later, assisted once again by Schifano.

“Last time we played them, we only beat them 2-1,” Robinson said. “Lately, we’re finally starting to come on strong. At the right time.”

The Hawks grabbed a quick, worrisome pair of goals to start the third period, ticking the scoreboard to 6-4, but they couldn’t seem to find a counter for the scourge of Whipple, who soon hashed two more, the second of which was especially pretty. Whipple, Mitchell and Schifano broke into a textbook three-on-two, Whipple dished to Schifano on the right, who fed Mitchell in the middle; Hawks goalie Alex Weeks stopped Mitchell’s initial shot, but Whipple stuffed the rebound home. All that in the span of moments for an 8-4 final.

“We dominated the majority of it,” Robinson said, “but I told [my] guys, ‘This team’s not going away.’ They’re well-coached, they always battle; they do.”

Three regular-season games remain on the Riots’ schedule: two vs. Windham (seventh in A East), and one with Noble/Wells (fifth in A West). That latter bout is critically important. With the post-season approaching, a Riots win over the team one slot ahead of them in the standings could secure them a preferable seed for the tournament.

The Riots lost recently to Noble/Wells, coincidentally also an 8-4 result. But the Riots will be hungry for another shot.

“I think if we bring our game, and play like we normally can,” Robinson said of the coming rematch, “I think we can win. I really do.”

South Portlander Andrew Whipple netted six – count ‘em, six – goals against visiting Marshwood/Traip on Thursday evening.South Portland’s Aidan Schifano assisted on seven of the Riots’ eight goals in their win over visiting Marshwood/Traip on Thursday.Chris Mitchell (South Portland) put the Riots on the board first and early against visiting Marshwood/Traip on Thursday evening.The Riots’ Evan Poissonnier (Freeport) shoots up ice on a shift in his squad’s 8-4 win over visiting Marshwood/Traip on Thursday.Harrison Johnson (Freeport) watches the action on defense against Marshwood/Traip on Thursday evening. The Riots’ defense held the Hawks to four goals, while their offense posted eight to claim victory.Riots freshman starting goalie Jason Halvorsen (South Portland) lays down an incredibly risky – but spectacular, and in this case successful – suicide poke check against Marshwood/Traip’s Joe Spinney, foiling a breakaway.

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