Adam Longchamps scores twice as Lewiston tops Messalonskee.
LEWISTON – It wasn’t a runaway like many people thought it might be. Then again, none of the potential runaways have materialized as such for Lewiston this season. Still, the Blue Devils have found ways to win.
Adam Longchamps had two goals, and Scott Geoffroy had a goal and two assists to lead Lewiston to a 5-3 Class A hockey win over Messalonskee on Wednesday night at the Central Maine Civic Center.
“Messalonskee has been playing well lately,” said Lewiston coach Tim Smith. “Granted we hit the cross bar a couple of times, and we did outshoot them, but they were opportunistic and took advantage of a power play and a couple of our breakdowns in the defensive zone.”
Eagles’ coach Mike Latendresse, a former play at the University of Maine, had a different perspective on his team’s play.
“They outplayed us all game,” said Latendresse. “I don’t think we played well against them at all.”
According to Latendresse, nerves about playing a traditional Class A power may have played into the game early.
“I think that may be a little bit of what happened,” said Latendresse. “The players weren’t getting involved in every play.”
Lewiston got on the board first at 8:31 of the opening period when Geoffroy took a pass behind his own net from Adam Wilding, skated the length of the ice along the left boards and popped a slap shot from the left circle past Messalonskee netminder Ben Conti.
The Eagles retaliated with what seemed like a momentum breaker at 13:46, on the power play.
“That was important for us, but it wasn’t good to give up another right away,” said Latendresse.
Seven seconds later, Longchamps scored his first of the night to give the Blue Devils the lead for good.
A tight-checking second period produced just one goal, an Eric Grenier tally on a rebound in front of Conti.
Lewiston threatened to open it up in the third with a quick goal by Longchamps, but the Eagles retaliated with a goal at 4:14 by Bert Marston to draw within two again.
“We needed to know how we would react to situations like this after last weekend’s win over St. Dom’s,” said Smith. “Now we have to look ahead to Bangor this weekend, and how tough that will be.”
Travis Gauthier of Lewiston and Justin Lawler of Messalonskee rounded out the scoring in the game. Preston Poussard recorded 12 saves for the win, while Conti stopped 30 shots in the loss.
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