The Sharks, with an empty net goal by Martins Vitolins with 16 seconds left, capped a 4-2 victory at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee.

“I thought in particular in the last eight minutes in the second period, we were really good,” Fighting Spirit acting head coach Cam Robichaud said. “We had 14 shots in an eight-minute span and that got us on track. In the third period, we were looking to claw back, we had a couple. Too little too late, I guess.”

Corey Rees had a nice heads up play as he hit Kyle Sada with a pass from blue line to blue line to give the Sharks the 1-0 lead. Sada sprung free at the offensive blue line and blasted a shot past Fighting Spirit goalie Michael Errico 3:08 into the contest.

Vitolins stretched the lead to 2-0 with Oskar Lindberg picking up the lone assist at the 9:26 mark.

“They are able to put up points not only of their skill, but you look at everyone else on our team that is out there grinding out and making space,” Long Beach coach Mike Stanaway said of Vitolins and Lindberg. “It’s a team effort.”

Vitolins notched his second goal of the game 8:02 into the second period when Carmine Taffo found him in the slot. Lindberg had the second helper.

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Matt Siegel put the Fighting Spirit on the board as he deflected a Walker Hamilton point shot 3:58 remaining in the second period. Dylan Vrees also had a helper.

Former St. Dom’s standout Caleb Labrie made an impact in his Fighting Spirit debut, notching his first as he flipped the puck over Long Beach goalie Kyle Van Wagner 1:47 into the third. Thomas Kuntz picked up the assist.

“It felt really good,” Labrie said. “I got a good feed from (Kuntz) and Felix Nyqvist, once again I have to thank my linemates, but it felt good to score at the Colisee again.”

Labrie who started the season with the Central Maine Community College Mustangs, will continue to play for CMCC and will try to play most of the Fighting Spirit home games this season.

The Fighting Spirit and the Sharks go at it again today at 2 p.m.

nfournier@sunjournal.com


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