Brunswick’s Isaac Burtis (right) takes a shot on net in front of Gorham’s Aaron Mains during the third period of Thursday’s boys high school hockey game at Watson Arena in Brunswick. The Rams beat the Dragons, 6-4. (Eric Maxim / The Times Record)
BRUNSWICK – Brunswick coach Mike Misner knows to compete in Class B hockey, teams need to play a crisp game and take advantage of opportunities when they arise.
The Dragons and Rams played a relatively even game through two periods, but Gorham’s second power-play goal of the game early in the third period put some distance between the two teams and after two late goals, the Rams left Sidney J. Watson Arena with a 6-2 victory on Thursday.
It was the first win of the season for Gorham as the Rams improved to 1-1-1. Brunswick fell to 2-3.
“If you don’t capitalize on early opportunities against a disciplined team like Gorham, they’re going to take advantage of mistakes and they did,” Misner said. “They’re power-play unit was amazing and when you start making mistakes and taking penalties against a team that has a power play that good, they’re going to capitalize every time.”
The Dragons wasted no time lighting up the scoreboard. Just over a minute into the contest, Kennedy Eddy was in the right place at the right time and corralled a loose puck in front of the net and pushed it home for the game’s first score.
“It took a weird little bounce. It doesn’t matter who we’re playing in Class B, it’s always going to be a battle, ” Misner said. “It was nice to get (the lead), but we didn’t build enough on it.”
“I was in the right place when the puck came around,” Eddy said, scoring the goal after Sam Cassidy was credited with the assist. “It’s always important to score that first goal, grab that momentum.”
The momentum stayed with Brunswick until midway through the opening period when Gorham evened the score. A holding penalty put a Brunswick player in the box for two minutes, but just after 30 seconds of the man advantage, Aiden Owens blasted home the equalizer with assists from Aidan Enck and Cole Perrault.
Only 27 seconds after the score, Owens gave the Rams the lead off a Dawson Allen helper with six minutes remaining in the frame.
Brunswick’s Henry Burnham brings the puck down the ice during the first period of of Thursday’s boys high school hockey game at Watson Arena in Brunswick. The Rams beat the Dragons, 6-4. (Eric Maxim / The Times Record)
“We can’t give opportunities like that to a good team like Gorham,” Misner said. “We can’t be taking penalties and giving other teams chances, teams in Class B are good.”
Sophomore Joe Marro brought the Dragons even with a wrist shot from about 20-feet out with three minutes on the clock. Scout Masse and Liam Hemberger assisted on the goal.
The score stayed tied after 15 minutes of play as Gorham held the advantage in shots, 10-8, with Brunswick goalie Spencer Marquis making eight saves, while Gorham keeper Jasper Crane turned away six.
Still tied eight minutes into the second period, Gorham’s Camden Sawyer lit the lamp after picking up a rebound in front of Marquis to put the Rams ahead.
Despite eight more shots on goal in the second, the Dragons were unable to push the puck across and trailed 3-2 after 30 minutes of hockey. Brunswick held the advantage in shots for the game, 16-15.
Five minutes into the third period, Brunswick was called for a high-sticking penalty and 25 seconds later, Enck found the back of the net to extend the Ram lead to 4-2.
“Being a young team like we are, there is a lot to learn from this game, like seeing what another team does,” Misner said. “We had a few lines working pretty hard and grinding away and showing us stuff that if we can string together three periods of hockey, we can compete with anybody. The goalie they had there was outstanding tonight and I thought we played a lot closer than what the score showed.”
The Dragons continued to put shots on net, but Gorham’s freshman goalie stood tall, making 18 saves (24 in the game) over the final two periods to earn the victory.
A late goal by Jonah Bird and a short-handed breakaway score from Nolan Gava rounded out the scoring.
Marquis made 14 saves between the pipes for Brunswick, which visits Cheverus at Troubh Ice Arena on Saturday at 8 p.m.
Brunswick’s Brady LaForge takes a shot on net in front of Gorham’s Aaron Mains during the third period of Thursday’s boys high school hockey game at Watson Arena in Brunswick. The Rams beat the Dragons, 6-4. (Eric Maxim / The Times Record)
“We won’t hang our heads and take the good things from tonight and use them against Cheverus and keep putting the pucks on net,” Eddy said.
Gorham 6, Brunswick 2
At Watson Arena in Brunswick
Gorham — 2 1 3 — 6
Brunswick — 2 0 0 — 2
First period — 1. (B) Kennedy Eddy (Sam Cassidy), 1:04, 2. (G) Aiden Owens (Cole Perrault and Aidan Enck), pp, 9:07, 3. (G) Aiden Owens (Dawson Allen) 9:34. 4. (B) Joe Marro (Scout Masse and Liam Hemberger). Penalty — (B) Liam Hemberger (holding), 8:38.
Second period — 5. (G) Camden Sawyer (Cole Perrault and Aaron Mains), 8:39. No penalties.
Third period — 6. (G) Aidan Enck (Aiden Owens), pp, 5:21. 7. (G) Jonah Bird (Peter Richards) 8:42, 8. (G) Nolan Gava (Brady Sawyer), sh, 14:10. Penalties — (B) Michael Marro (high stick), 4:56, (G) Peter Richards (tripping), 5:31, (G) Jonah Bird (interference), 12:28, (B) Nick Marro (elbowing), 14:26.
Shots on goal — (G) 10-5-5 —20, (B) 8-8-10 — 26.
Saves — (G) Jasper Crane 24, (B) Spencer Marquis 14.
Power play opportunities — Gorham 2-for-3, Brunswick 0-2.
Records — Gorham 1-1-1, Brunswick 2-3.
Up next for the Dragons — Saturday against Cheverus at Troubh Ice Arena, 8 p.m.
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