It had been nearly a decade since the two teams had met in the regular season, and the Saints reasserted their dominance in a big way Friday, posting a 6-0 shutout victory.

“They are a very strong team, it was always a struggle when they weren’t in the Western Maine (Conference), and when we finally met them in the tournament, it was definitely a good game,” Sacopee Valley coach Jaci Ritter said.

Hannah Trottier-Braun led the charge with a hat trick and two assists. Paige Cote added another pair of goals and a helper of her own. Abby Slonina had an outstanding day in goal, making 12 saves to preserve the shutout.

“The four forwards work really well together,” St. Dom’s coach Brian Kay said. “Paige, and Kylie (Leavitt) are sophomores and Hannah is a junior. We only have two seniors, which is good. They have really stepping it up all summer in the Bates league. We had a summer league here; it makes a difference.”

The game opened with both teams trying to feel each other out. Both teams had an opportunity to break the scoreless deadlock, but it was the home team that capitalized. Just past the 20-minute mark of the first half, Trottier-Braun jammed the ball home with Kylie Leavitt getting the assist.

“Once we scored that first goal, it turned up the whole intensity of the game,” Trottier-Braun said. “I think the first 10 minutes of the game, we were trying to feel it out and see what they are like. We never played them before. We are in a different conference now, it was a different feel for us.”

Two minutes later, Cote stretched the lead to 2-0 with Trottier-Braun setting the table.

The goal seemed to spark the Hawks, as they controlled play for the next few minutes and earned three successive penalty corners for their efforts. With opportunities to get back in the contest, they couldn’t get past Slonina.

“We couldn’t get a stick and get it in,” Ritter said. “To their credit, they played great defense, they had their sticks on the ground and we need to finish the play. We need to follow that ball until it’s in that cage.”

It seemed the Saints fed off a goal. In the second half, Trottier-Braun scored 10:20 into the half with Leavitt picking up the assist. Just before the 12 minute mark, Cote tipped a pass from Trottier-Braun past Hawks goalie McKenize Cormier.

“I think in the second half, we turned it up a notch and brought the intensity,” Cote said. “They did too, but it was a good game.”

Trottier-Braun recorded the hat trick at the 16:17 mark. Leavitt and Cote set the play up and both notched assists. Caroline Johnson capped the scoring with a goal at the 17:44 mark, with Cote adding an assist.

Cormier made 16 saves and kept the game close in the first half.

“Our goalie is fantastic, she also plays as an ice hockey goalie,” Ritter said. “I received her as is, and only needed to make minor adjustments for the grass. She’s definitely one of our most valuable assets on that field.”

Cormier plays for Scarborough in ice hockey, and was in net for the 2016 State Championship game, which the Saints won, 2-1.

nfournier@sunjournal.com