Girls hockey: Brunswick rolls past Lewiston/Oak Hill

LEWISTON — Brunswick spread the wealth around Wednesday in its 8-0 girls hockey win over Lewiston/Oak Hill at The Colisee.

Allie Tatham and Gillian Countway each scored two goals in the second period and eight of their teammates found the score sheet with either a goal or an assist.

Countway said communication was key Wednesday.

“I think it was because we were talking up a storm,” Countway said. “It allowed us to be in the right position, and it allowed us to know where everyone was to make good passes.”

Lewiston coach Scott Laberge said Brunswick is one of the top teams in Northern Maine, along with the Penobscot Pioneers — the Bangor area co-op team made up of athletes from Brewer, Bangor, Hampden, Hermon, John Bapst, Old Town and Orono.

“They came out quick at the beginning,” Lewiston/Oak Hill coach Scott Laberge said. “They are a good team. I think they will be one of the top teams in the North, along with that Penobscot team. It was the result that I wasn’t expecting, I knew they were good, but I didn’t think we played very well, either.”

The Dragons (2-1) started the game by attacking on a breakaway. Lisi Palmer came into the offensive zone all alone and scored 20 seconds into the opening period.

“Lisi is probably the most dynamic skaters in the state,” Brunswick coach Chris Ledwick said. “We frankly get a lot of our offense from our defense. Lisi and Solveig (Ledwick) are both right up there in defensemen scoring in the state.”

Brunswick had two other chances on breakaways in the first four minutes of the contest, but Blue Devils (1-2) goalie Tatem Hunt stopped Lauren Labbe and then Palmer’s second breakaway.

Labbe got a puck through later when her shot from the left circle snuck under Hunt’s blocker 12 minutes into the period. Tannar Gagnon buried a loose puck right in front of the crease about 80 seconds later to make it 3-0.

Labbe is part of Brunswick’s top line along with Countway and Natalie Perham.

“We have a big punch with our first line when they are skating well,” Chris Ledwick said. “When they play with a lot of jump, they can skate with anybody in the state. If we can get the other team on their heels quickly, it’s always good to play in the lead, (rather) than from behind.”

The Dragons pulled away with four goals in the second period.

Forward Celaste Braillard made a beautiful cross-ice pass from Brunswick’s right offensive circle to Tatham, who blasted a shot from the left circle for her first goal a little past the five-minute mark.

“I know, me, Tannar and Celeste are very good friends, so it kind of translates on the ice,” Tathum said. “On that one, Celeste had a great pass and I happened to be there to hit in.”

The fourth goal was the tipping point for the Blue Devils.

“Once they got to four, the girls started to get a little dejected,” Laberge said. “The lack of stamina was affecting their decision-making; we just didn’t have it tonight.”

Tatham scored again when the puck squirted past Hunt 8:35 into the middle frame. Countway followed with two straight goals, giving the Dragons a 7-0 advantage heading to the final period.

Solveig Ledwick scored the only goal in the third period.

Brunswick’s defense only allowed four Lewiston shots on goal to give goalie Sensia Ley a shutout.

“We try to keep the gap tight, and we try to close early,” Chris Ledwick said about the Dragons’ defensive positioning. “We try to force shots early, we don’t want to play defense in our end — we want to play at the other end of the ice.”