LEWISTON — Greely didn’t let an early lead slip away this time. In fact, the Rangers never took their foot off the gas pedal.

A year after losing to Old Town/Orono in overtime in the Class B boys’ hockey state final, Greely got its revenge with an 8-0 victory over the Black Bears at Androscoggin Bank Colisee on Saturday.

“There’s nothing better than this,” said Greely junior Jake MacDonald, who recorded a hat trick. “Playing the same team that beat us last year in overtime, coming back and beating them 8-0, it’s a real great event for this team.”

The state title is Greely’s fourth – all since 2009. The Rangers also won in 2012 and 2013.

Just like a year ago, the Rangers (19-2) quickly put two goals on the board, but they did it even quicker this year. Evan Dutil scored on a tip-in just 2:14 into the game, and Jackson Williams finished a feed from Andy Moore on the power play less than two minutes later.

The key for Greely was scoring the next goal, which it failed to do in last year’s state final after taking a 2-0 lead. This time, Moore and MacDonald broke out on a short-handed 2-on-1 rush, and Moore beautifully dished to MacDonald, who one-timed a shot past Black Bears goalie Kohle Parker midway through the opening period.

“Obviously, getting that third goal in the first period opened it up a little bit,” Greely Coach Barry Mothes said.

The third goal forced Old Town/Orono Coach Chris Thurlow to use his lone timeout with two and a half periods still to play.

“Kind of got us quick, and before we could blink our eyes, we’re down 3-0,” Thurlow said. “You know, hats off to them. That’s a heck of a team. Our guys kind of played a little jittery, you know, definitely at the start.”

The Black Bears (15-6) didn’t put their first shot on goal until about four minutes remained in the first, but once Sam Henderson sent a shot at Greely goalie Jared Swisher, two more followed and another hit the post.

But Swisher kept the net clean, and the Rangers skated into the first intermission up 3-0.

Two full power plays in the second period netted three shots apiece for Old Town/Orono, but still no goals.

“I thought we played a decent second period. We got some pucks deep and generated a little bit of offense, but just couldn’t get one by that goalie,” Thurlow said. “You know, we had a couple chances. I think if we could have made it 3-1 at one point, or whatnot, then you’re talking a different game.”

Greely scored again on the power play 2:33 into the period. MacDonald finished off assists from Moore and Alex Wallace. Ryan Moore then made it 5-0 just over seven minutes into the period, with assists by MacDonald and Richard Walker.

“They came out strong in the second, and I was glad we were able to kind of get a couple and win that middle period,” Mothes said. “It certainly made the third period easier.”

Greely had a would-be goal wiped out by a penalty with 1:19 left in the second, giving the Black Bears a power play that carried into the third.

That turned into a two-man advantage, but after Greely killed the first penalty, an Old Town/Orono penalty negated the rest of the power play.

“We didn’t do ourselves any favors for sure by getting in the box,” Thurlow said.

The Rangers then put the game away with three more goals in the third.

Peter Lattanzi scored unassisted on a breakaway, and MacDonald completed his hat trick with help from Andy Moore’s fourth assist. Andy Moore rounded out the scoring, assisted by Jackson Williams.

Swisher stopped all 14 shots he faced, while Parker made 17 saves and Aiden Rand stopped 5 of 6 shots for the Black Bears.

“(Jared) came up great,” MacDonald said. “Just because of him in net, that’s why there was zero goals up on the board.”

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