By Justin Pelletier,Staff Writer

HALLOWELL – Leavitt finally won a close one.

In the last two weeks, the Hornets suffered last-second setbacks to Winslow, Cape Elizabeth and York, three teams ahead of them in the latest standings.

On Thursday, with a precarious one-goal lead in tow, Leavitt played the final seven minutes of its game against the Win-Dale Ice Dogs on pins and needles. Late-game penalties and a persistent Win-Dale attack were enough to give Leavitt fans fits.

Leavitt forward Gabe Cloutier banked the puck in off of Win-Dale defenseman Garrick Wilson with six seconds remaining in the second period for the eventual game-winner as the Hornets squeezed out a 3-2 win over the Ice Dogs at Kennebec Ice Arena.

“We’re very happy to finally win a close one,” said Leavitt coach Fern Racine. “My goalie (Kenny Gauthier) keeps us in all of the close games, and it’s nice to finally come out on the winning side of one.”

The second period proved to be the turning point, as the teams skated to a 1-1 deadlock through the first period.

The Hornets came out with a vengeance in the second and seized control of the game. After a series of up-and-down battles, Leavitt took its first lead of the night at 8:44 when Brian Leighton tipped home a feed from Justin Rouillard after Rouillard fought through two defenders and managed a quick backhand feed from the left circle.

Win-Dale led in time of possession in the second period, although the shot totals would never indicate it. The Ice Dogs managed three shots on goal in the middle frame despite carrying much of the action in the Leavitt zone.

“Our top line was in their zone all night and didn’t get any shots on net,” said Win-Dale coach Dave St. Hilaire. “They were trying to be too fancy with the puck.”

Leavitt made Win-Dale pay, coming off of a power play with time running down in the period.

That’s when Cloutier fired a cross-ice feed from the right corner to the front of the net, and was credited with a goal that actually went in off of Wilson’s skate. That goal opened up a two-goal lead and deflated Win-Dale as it headed into the locker room.

In the third, much like it had in the first, Win-Dale came out firing, peppering Gauthier with 12 shots. One, a screen shot from Seth Kimball at the left point, found its way by, pulling the Ice Dogs within one.

“One thing they do well as a team is put traffic in front,” Racine said of Win-Dale. “I don’t know that he saw that one at all.”

Leavitt had a chance to again up the lead at 10:42, but a goal was disallowed when officials ruled that the puck was kicked in. The Hornets held on, despite allowing three power plays in the final frame.

Neither team managed much offense in the first five minutes, with the teams trading icing calls and solid hits at center.

Nate Frechette capitalized on a perfect feed from Sam Frost on a 2-on-1 break when he tipped a pass from the left boards past a diving Gauthier.

A fortuitous turnover at the Win-Dale blue line helped the Hornets pull even at 10:46. With the Ice Dogs trying to break out, Chris Cloutier stabbed at the puck and sent it trickling toward the high slot. Jonathan Pelletier swooped in from the left side and fired a quick wrist shot that beat Win-Dale netminder Tavis Hasenfus high to the blocker side, knotting the score at one.