December 23, 2024
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Two goals by Brown bring win Broncos top Witches

BREWER – The goals weren’t pretty. But they don’t have to be.

Hampden Academy junior left wing Greg Brown scored the tying and go-ahead goals 3:17 apart in the second period, one from a difficult angle along the extended goal line and the other from behind the net, to lead the Broncos to a fast-paced 4-2 hockey win over Brewer at Bouchard Arena Wednesday evening.

It was Hampden Academy’s opener while Brewer is now 1-1.

Adam Standley and Patrick Bailey scored the other Bronco goals while Josh Caldwell and Jamie Mansfield had the goals for Brewer, which came 19 seconds apart in the second period.

Standley opened the scoring and triggered a flurry of four goals in a span of 2:05 in the middle period. Caldwell and Mansfield gave the Witches a short-lived lead before Brown tied it.

He scored the game-winner at the 10:46 mark and Bailey provided an insurance goal on the power play 43 seconds into the third period.

“Coach [Tom] King deserves credit for my goals. He told us to shoot whenever we could,” said Brown.

Linemate Bailey set up the tying goal with a crunching check behind the net.

The puck squirted to Brown, who was to the left of Brewer goalie Rob Elliott, and he wristed a quick shot that glanced in off Elliott.

“I just tried to throw it in front. It went in off his leg,” said Brown.

Just 3:17 later, Brown’s centering pass from behind the net trickled in off Elliott’s glove.

“I don’t know what happened,” said Elliott. “I had it covered and it went in the net.”

Center Bailey and junior right wing Colin Ingram, the third member of the line, teamed up for the fourth goal.

Ingram skated from right to left behind the Brewer net and dropped the puck to Bailey, who was coming the other way. Elliott followed Ingram.

“I had a wide-open net,” said Bailey of his wraparound.

The Witches stormed the Bronco net trying to get back into the game, but Hampden goalie Julian Kaelin came up with several superb saves to frustrate the Witches.

He may have caught a break when Will Prescott had several whacks at the puck and may have snuck one behind Kaelin only to have it nullified by the refs.

“I scooped it out before it went over the line,” said Kaelin, who made 14 third-period saves.

Kaelin had seen a seemingly harmless 40-foot wrist shot by Caldwell glance in off his glove, but he didn’t let that goal affect him.

“That was my fault. But I knew I had to come back. I had to keep my focus,” said Kaelin. “Everybody played well for us. The defensive coverage was good. I saw all the shots.”

Standley’s game-opening goal came on a 20-foot wrist shot off a Greg Taylor pass.

Following Caldwell’s goal, Mansfield beat Kaelin with a low 17-foot backhander.

But Hampden began playing the body all over the ice and it paid off.

Hampden Academy (1-0) 0 3 1-4

Brewer (1-1) 0 2 0-2

First period – No scoring. Penalties: Brewer, T. Largay, slashing, 8:26; HA, Macone, roughing, 14:22; Brewer, Caldwell, roughing, 14:22.

Second period – 1. HA, Standley (Taylor), 5:24; 2. Brewer, Caldwell (R. Hayes), 6:39; 3. Brewer, Mansfield (Richter, Prescott), 6:58; 4. HA, Brown (unassisted), 7:29; 5. HA, Brown (unassisted), 10:46. Penalties: Brewer, Mansfield, cross checking, 9:01; HA, R. Bailey, unsportsmanlike conduct, 9:01; Brewer, Caldwell, roughing, 12:19; Brewer, Cocklin, slashing, 13:56.

Third period – 6. HA, P. Bailey (Ingram), :43, pp. Penalties: Brewer, Mansfield, charging, 1:19; Brewer, Cocklin, interference, 2:27; HA, Moser, cross checking, 7:26; HA, Moser, interference, 10:23.

Shots on goal: HA 8-17-5-30; Brewer 9-10-14-33

Goaltenders: HA, Kaelin (33 shots-31 saves); Brewer, Rob Elliott (30-26)

Power plays: HA 1 of 5; Brewer 0 of 2

Attendance: 125 (est.)


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