BIDDEFORD — The Maine Wild welcomed back rivals, the New England Stars, Saturday night for a brutal battle and quickly both teams showed that there wasn’t a lot they would not do to win. The home team set out strong and picked up the first point in the first period, courtesy of Derek Erbe with assists from Connor Busch and Zach Gagne.
Before the close of the first period, both teams had taken time losses from penalties while shattered sticks littered the ice, sprinkled with the occasional helmet.
The carnage continued into the second period, when N.E. quickly scored two points, another stick broke, and one Wild player was sent off ice for the rest of the game after getting his knee bashed up.
A little less than seven and a half minutes in, the Stars put one in the goal. Following four minutes behind, NE Star Eric Glover picked up another goal, pitched hard and fast off the stick in a manner more like baseball or cricket.
The Wild held off the visitors until the last four minutes of the game. After Biddeford’s own, goalie Brandon Daigle denied New England by making a very close save with 3:43 remaining, it only took the Stars five seconds to put a real goal in the net. The Stars iced their victory cake with another goal less than 23 seconds before the final buzzer for the win, 4-1.
The Wild’s war with the Stars continues Jan. 28 and 29 for a game on each’s home planet.
The Wild will play in town this weekend, Saturday facing the East Coast Minutemen Jan. 21, and Sunday against the L/A Fighting Spirit Jan. 22.
TAYLOR MORRISONThe New England Stars skate against the Maine Wild on the Wild’s home ice, Biddeford Ice Arena, Sat., Jan. 14, 2017.
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