BANGOR – The big question surrounding the Orono Red Riots hockey team after their 5-0 shutout of the Hampden Broncos Saturday is not: How good are they?

They’re 7-0 for goodness sake. And that’s after beating a Hampden Academy team that was ranked third in the Heal Point standings through Dec. 26.

No, the question for the Riots after Saturday’s win at Sawyer Arena is: how good can they become?

With Adam Sewall back in the lineup for only his second game, the Riots worked on their typical slow start and got an early push by the senior. Then they finished their scoring with a couple of freshmen hammering the Broncos.

When Sewall got together with fellow senior Eric Holmes at the end of the first period, they made scoring look easy, as Sewall took Holmes’ pass from the point, spun around and drove it in the near side with a hard wrist shot.

The Riots then responded with a three-goal rampage in the second. And from then on, the game was an impressive Orono effort of quick defensemen – who shut down Hampden forwards Scott and Sean Tardif, a mostly untested goalie who shut out the Broncos’ 12 shots, and a freshman who scored like a veteran.

Hampden coach Bob Morin said his team played hard, but still struggled against Orono’s depth, talent, three solid lines, and sound defensive effort.

“They’re an excellent team,” Morin said. “We played with them for two periods. But they came out in the second period and scored three goals. Historically, we’ve let down in the second. My kids came out in the third and kept their heads up. I’m proud of them.”

Hampden had six power-play opportunities, including a 5-on-3 in the first, but even then, they couldn’t keep the puck in Orono’s zone, leaving Riots goalie Stuart Cady entertained more than relieved.

“Our defensmen are fun to watch,” Cady said. “And I’ve got the best seat in the house.”

On offense, Orono was just as impressive, outshooting Hampden 23-12 with two power-play goals.

After Holmes opened the second with a 4-on-4 goal off Sewall’s assist, Sewall scored off a rising slap shot two minutes later. With 1:43 left in the period, freshman third-liner Mike Merritt poked in a rebound to make it 4-0.

“Mike has really come around,” Holmes said. “We didn’t expect it in the beginning, but now we’ve got a solid third and fourth line. The fourth line is really working hard.”

Merritt scored again 2:45 into the third when he converted freshman Pat Skall’s assist on an Orono power play.

“[The third line] scores regularly,” Merritt said. “First, when I started, a couple of players were injured and I moved up from the fourth line. I’m glad where I am. I’ll [wait to] move up again next year.”

Hampden goalie Brian Cataldo stopped 18 shots for the Broncos, now 4-3.

Red Riots 5, Broncos 0 Orono (7-0) 1 3 1 – 5 Hampden (4-3) 0 0 0 – 0

First period – 1. Orono, Sewall (Holmes), 11:33 (pp). Penalties: Orono, Lundy, hooking, 8:43; Hampden, Astbury, cross checking, 11:08; Orono, Powers, hooking, 12:03; Orono, Sewall, cross checking, 12:15; Hampden, Se. Tardif, holding, 12:54

Second period – 2. Orono, Holmes (Sewall), 8:23, (4-on-4), 3. Orono, Sewall (una), 10:22, 4. Orono, Merritt (Gordon, Hedrick), 13:17. Penalties: Hampden, Caldwell, hooking, 3:25; Hampden, Achey, holding, 4:17; Orono, Monberg, charging, 6:35; Hampden, Sc. Tardif, roughing, 7:46; Hampden, Astbury, tripping, 14:09; Orono, Cady (served by Sleight), lifting, 14:30

Third period – 5. Orono, Merritt (Skall), 2:45 (pp). Penalties: Hampden, Sc. Tardif, unsportsmanlike conduct, 2:34; Orono, Sewall, slashing, 7:32; Orono, Kill, roughing, 11:11; Hampden, Se. Tardif, roughing, 11:11; Orono, Merritt, slashing, 12:14; Hampden, Achey, slashing, 12:14; Orono, Williams, hitting after the whistle, 12:57; Hampden, Morin, hitting after the whistle, 12:57

Shots on goal: Orono 7-10-6-23; Hampden 3-2-7-12

Power-play opportunities: Orono 2 of 6; Hampden 0 of 6

Goaltenders: Orono, Stuart Cady (12 shots-12 saves), Hampden, Brian Cataldo (23-18)