AUBURN — The St. Dominic Academy/Gray-New Gloucester/Winthrop/Monmouth girls hockey team started the new year off on the right foot.
The Saints picked up a 5-2 victory over York/Marshwood/Traip on Saturday at Norway Savings Bank Arena.
It was the Saints’ first win of the 2021-22 season.
“I think a little bit of confidence (helped),” Saints coach Paul Gosselin said. “The last couple of games we have lost, we got down pretty quick. The fact we went into the second period even, I think gave us some confidence to the girls.”
Gabby Allen scored a goal and added two assists and Emma Roy potted two goals.
The Wildcats suffered their fourth straight loss.
“It was a good game for us, we played well,” Wildcats coach Saidie Wright-Ward said. “Letting three goals in the second period let a little wind out of our sails, but I was really proud of how the girls played. I was really proud of how they didn’t let up and fought to the end.”
After a scoreless first period, the Saints’ (1-5) offense started to click right off the opening faceoff in the second. Allen, a freshman forward, found the senior Roy off the faceoff and Roy had a breakaway and beat Wildcats goalie Katie Brower 12 seconds into the period.
“We try to work on utilizing their speed and chipping it in,” Gosselin said. “I can’t say it’s totally designed, but we are trying to use their speed.”
Allen scored on a breakaway of her own when defenseman Isabella Webster flipped the puck to her in the neutral zone. Allen skated into the offensive zone and her shot just trickled past Brower before the 10-minute mark.
“She had some get-up in her skating today, and she snuck behind the (defense) a few times. It worked out well, hats off to her,” Gosselin said.
Allen returned the favor to Webster in the final minute of the second period when Allen made to pass to Webster and Webster blasted a slap shot to make it 3-0.
“We moved (Webster) back (to defense). It gives her some opportunity. She sees the ice really well.” Gosselin said. “She helps us out (moving the puck).”
Roy scored another quick goal to start the third period, just 63 seconds in, for a 4-0 lead.
Elizabeth Buckley put the Wildcats (2-4-1) on the board at the 6:17 mark of the third period.
“Elizabeth has been an offensive threat for us; she plays both ways,” Wright-Ward said. “She’s still coming off sickness, but for her, it was a nice little motivator. She’s a threat any time she has the puck on her stick.”
West Duffy lifted a backhanded past Brower to put the Saints up 5-1 three minutes later.
Buckley scored her second goal of the game with four seconds remaining.
“It been like that every game,” Wright-Ward said of playing to the final whistle. “No matter what the score is, they play hard to the end.”
Aubrey White made 12 saves in the win and Brower made 21 saves in the loss.
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