BRUNSWICK

Before Tuesday night’s Class B South hockey quarterfinal, Brunswick boys coach Bill Bodwell talked about the importance of the first goal against sixth-seeded Cape Elizabeth at Sidney J. Watson Arena.

The Capers must have been listening, scoring the first goal a mere nine seconds into the game, and riding that momentum to a 5-2 Cape Elizabeth victory.

Cape Elizabeth (8-9-2) takes on No. 2 Gardiner, a 4-0 victor over seventh-seeded Gorham, on Friday at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston in the semifinals, while the Dragons, the No. 3 seed, saw their season come to an end at 9-9-1.

The opening goal, scored off an offensive zone face-off by Cape’s Ben Ekedahl off an assist from Matthew Riggle, put the Dragons in an early hole. But, Brunswick pushed back, firing five shots over the next 90 seconds on Capers netminder Grant Rusk (14 saves), who turned each aside.

However, late in the first period, two goals by Sean Agrodnia 2:43 apart staked the Capers to a 3-0 lead after a period, a deficit Brunswick was unable to make up.

“I thought the first 10 minutes of the first period we were carrying the play,” said Bodwell, whose Dragons tied and lost to the Capers during the regular season. “The last third of the first period was tough, as they kind of took over there. We had a lot unlucky stuff go against us. We were down 3-0 and I didn’t think we had done anything wrong. Cape is a deep team and I knew if we got behind it would be a struggle.”

In the locker room between periods, Bodwell said one of his assistants stepped up and fired up his Dragons.

“My assistant coach Brandon

Tiner gave the best speech that I have ever heard. He told the guys we were fine and to get out there and skate hard and we’d be OK,” said Bodwell. “It was a great speech.”

Cape increases lead

Brunswick, which went without a shot over the final 13:30 of the first period, pressured Cape Elizabeth to open the middle frame. Rusk made a nice glove save on Brunswick senior Nate Granholm, then stopped Jacob Doring in the slot before a chance by Andrew Eno caught the glass.

The Capers fired back. Brunswick goaltender Riley Kirk made a solid stop on Riggle, but the rebound bounced right back to the senior forward, who didn’t waste the open net to give Cape Elizabeth a 4-0 lead at 5:49 of the period. Gavin Spidle earned the second of his two assists on the fourth Capers goal.

Another late period goal hurt the Dragons. This time Kirk turned aside Tim Corsello, with the puck bouncing around the goaltender’s crease. Forward Philip Tarling dug the puck out and scored underneath the crossbar for a 5-0 Cape Elizabeth lead through 30 minutes of hockey.

Through two frames, Brunswick had produced just nine shots on Rusk, while the Capers sent 17 shots on Kirk’s cage.

The Dragons refused to go away without a fight. Again Brunswick came out strong to open a period, with Eno, Max Burtis, Michael Deveaux and Doring picking up scoring chances.

Finally Granholm put Brunswick on the board. He picked up a loose puck near center ice, sped past a Cape Elizabeth defenseman before firing a rising wrister past the stick of Rusk for a goal with 7:41 left.

“I am proud of the way this group finished,” said Bodwell. “ They have worked hard.”

Brunswick kept coming, out-shooting the Capers, 7- 5, in the final frame and receiving a second unassisted goal from Granholm with 1:11 remaining to complete the scoring.

Bodwell loses seniors Corey Taker- Laberge, Granholm, Keenan Andrews, Ben Black, Doring and Jacob Towle to graduation.

“The seniors changed the culture of hockey around here,” said the Brunswick coach. “ When we didn’t beat Greely the other night ( a 2- 1 loss), they were angry. They expected to have success, something that bodes well for the future.”

Kirk turned aside 17 shots in the loss. Both teams failed to score on one power play.

No. 6 Cape Elizabeth 5, No. 3 Brunswick 2

Class B South Boys Hockey Quarterfinal At Sidney J. Watson Arena

Cape	Eliz.	—	3	2	0	—	5
Brunswick		—	0	0	2	—	2

First period — 1. (CE) Ben Ekedahl (Matthew Riggle), :09; 2. (CE) Sean Agrodnia (Ryan Collins, Ethan Gillespie), 11:37; 3. (CE) Sean Agrodnia (Gavin Spidle), 14:20. Penalty — (B) Andrew Eno, cross checking, 8:23. Second period — 4. (CE) Matthew Riggle (Gavin Spidle), 5:49; 5. (CE) Philip Tarling (Tim Corsello, Ryan Collins), 12:33. Penalty — (CE) Sean Agrodnia, holding, 7:11. Third period — 6. (B) Nate Granholm, 7:19; 7. (B) Nate Granholm, 13:49. Penalties — (CE) Carter Brock, holding, 11:06; (B) Nate Granholm, slashing, 11:06. Shots on goal —(CE) 9-8-5-22; (B) 5-4-7-16. Saves — (CE) Grant Rusk 14; (B) Riley Kirk 17. Power play opportunities — Cape Elizabeth 0-of-1; Brunswick 0-for-1. Records — Cape Elizabeth 8-9-2; Brunswick 9-9-1. Up next — The Capers face No. 2 Gardiner on Friday at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in Lewiston at 8 p.m. in the Class B South quarterfinals. Note — Brunswick’s season is completed.