Witches defeat Red Riots 4-1

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INDIAN ISLAND – There was a glimmer of hope for the Orono High School Red Riots when Jesse Field scored to pull them within 3-1 in the second period of their Eastern Maine Class B tournament quarterfinal game against Brewer at the Sockalexis Memorial Ice Arena here Wednesday.

But Brewer’s leading goal scorer, senior center Mike Treat, dashed that glimmer just nine seconds later with his second goal of the game and the Witches went on to post a 4-1 win.

“That goal made a big difference,” said Brewer Coach Bill Schwarz. “That enabled our kids to relax. In our last game with them, we were up 3-1 and they wound up tying it late.”

Treat won the center ice faceoff and cleanly beat a Orono defenseman wide.

“I cut towards the net (off the left wing) and took a backhander,” said Treat, whose goal was his 21st of the season.

“It hit my wrist (on his glove hand) and went in,” said Orono freshman goalie Marc Halsted.

Brewer killed off four penalties in the third period, including a two-man disadvantage that lasted 1:35, and senior goalie Billy Knopf came up with some key saves when called upon over the course of the game.

The win sends the 12-4-1 and third-seeded Witches into Friday’s Eastern Maine Class B semifinal against rival Old Town, 15-3 and the second seed.

Top-seeded Winslow, 16-2, will play No. 5 Lawrence of Fairfield, 8-9 following Wednesday afternoon’s 5-3 win over Stearns of Millinocket, in Friday’s 6:30 opener.

The semifinals will be played at the University of Maine’s Alfond Arena.

The Witches notched three first-period goals as Scott Munroe scored on the power play at the 4:05 mark; Darren Beers made it 2-0 3:29 later and Treat scored at the 10:09 mark.

“We played really well in the first period,” said Schwarz.

Munroe’s goal was set up by Saulius Vydas and Scott Moorhead, who passed the puck back and forth along the right wing. Moorhead then slid a perfect cross-ice pass to Munroe at the far post.

“I one-timed it and it went between his legs,” said Munroe.

Treat set up Beers’ goal after taking a Jason Henderson pass, coming out of the corner with the puck and trying to jam it in the short side.

The rebound rolled across the crease and Beers tapped it in.

Henderson made a nice play on Treat’s goal, busting down the left wing and putting a pass onto Treat’s stick in the slot.

“I put it low to the glove side,” said Treat.

In the second period, Field and Vinnie Marzilli passed the puck back and forth before Marzilli fired off a 30-foot snap shot that rebounded to Field, who swatted it home.

But that would be the only goal for the youthful and scrappy Riots, who wound up 4-14-1.

The smooth-skating Vydas brothers, Hector and Saulius, were standouts on defense for Brewer.

Brewer outshot Orono 29-26 and had a sizeable territorial edge in play.

“We gave it everything we had but the puck didn’t bounce our way and Brewer has more physical strength,” said Orono Coach Larry Berthiaume.

Witches 4, Riots 1

Brewer 3 1 0 – 4 Orono 0 1 0 – 1

First Period – 1. Brewer, S. Munroe (Moorhead, S. Vydas), 4:05; 2. Brewer, Beers (Treat, Henderson), 7:34; 3. Brewer, Treat (H. Vydas, Henderson), 10:09. Penalties – Orono, Field, unsportsmanlike conduct, 3:21; Orono, Marzilli, interference, 10:44; Brewer, Treat, holding, 13:13.

Second Period – 4. Orono, Field (Marzilli), 9:38; 5. Brewer, Treat (unassisted), 9:47. Penalties – Brewer, S. Munroe, roughing, 3:41; Brewer, Treat, interference, 4:45; Orono, Stone, delay of game, 13:20.

Third Period – No scoring. Penalties – Brewer, Treat, holding, 1:12; Brewer, H. Vydas, interference, 5:05; Brewer, O’Donnell, holding, 7:16; Brewer, S. Munroe, holding, 7:41.

Shots on goal: Brewer 10-7-12 – 29; Orono 8-9-9 – 26

Goaltenders: Brewer, Billy Knopf; Orono, Marc Halsted