Riots rout Raiders at ‘home’

WINSLOW – The home team skated onto the visitors’ ice 10 minutes before game time.

Yes, that was Eastern Maine Class B top-seeded Orono Red Riots decked out in home white loosening up for its semifinal game on the Sukee Arena ice late Saturday afternoon. Odder still was the sight of the Winslow Black Raiders, the fourth seed, entering what is normally their home ice through the visitors’ gate.

“It felt kind of weird,” Red Riots goalie Casey Hale said.

Weird all the way around. Weird for Winslow fans, who were repeatedly reminded over the public address system throughout the pre-game that they were to sit in the visitors’ section. Weird for Orono fans who wondered aloud why they were in Winslow at all. But with pre-determined sites for the state’s regional semifinals such weirdness was possible.

The weirdness ended just 1:01 after the puck had been dropped to start the game when Pat Skall followed up on Mike Merritt’s slapper from the left faceoff circle and poked home the rebound to put Orono on the board and on its way to a 5-1 win.

The Red Riots will play Gardiner, a 7-1 winner over Winthrop-Hall-Dale in the other semifinal game, Wednesday night in the Eastern Maine Class B final at Alfond Arena in Orono.

“It was kind of awkward,” Skall said. “We don’t really like this arena. Last year we lost our semifinal game against Gardiner here. Of course, that was in the back of our minds.”

Orono’s special teams were a force, scoring three times on the evening. The first of which came shorthanded when Merritt stole the puck at center ice, broke down the left side and fired a laser shot just inside the far post with 4:14 left in the first.

While Orono, now 22-0, was doing the first-period scoring, the numbers indicated Winslow was getting more chances as the Black Raiders outshot the Red Riots 11-5. But Orono goalie Chris Hale made no mistakes, covering up the puck when needing to and also showing his ability to play the puck up the ice.

“We had our chances,” Winslow coach Lee Bureau said. “We got in the red zone, but we didn’t have the quality shot.”

And the game appeared all but over when senior Travers Kurr’s shot through a screen from the left point was on the mark to give the Red Riots a 3-0 lead with 8:38 left in the second.

But Winslow, 10-11-1, was given life when Orono was whistled for handling the puck in the crease.

The Black Raiders’ Scott Grenier took the awarded penalty shot, beating Hale by faking left and then roofing a backhander.

The Red Riots bounced right back. Moments later the Orono crowd howled for a penalty shot of their own when senior Jake Hedstrom was hauled down from behind as he broke in on the Winslow goal.

Hedstrom scored on the ensuing power play with Skall picking up his second assist of the night on the play. It was Hedstrom 36th goal of the year.

Junior Will Toner closed out the scoring 36 seconds later.

“We had a great showing from our students and community,” Hirsch said. “So this almost turned into an even game as far as who had home ice. It’s tough playing down here. They have a ton of fans. It’s a loud environment, but our crew was great, too.”

Red Riots 5, Black Raiders 1

Winslow (10-11-1) 0 1 0 ? 1

Orono (22-0) 2 3 0 ? 5

First period ? 1. Oro, Skall (Merritt, Gordon), 1:01; 2. Oro, Merritt (Skall), 10:46 (sh). Penalties: Oro, Hedstrom, interference, 2:15; Win, Carter, high sticking, 6:43; Win, Buxton, interference, 7:10; Oro, Williams, 10:31

Second period ? 3. Oro, Kurr (unassisted) 8:38; 4. Win, Grenier, penalty shot, 9:24; 5. Oro, Hedstrom (Toner, Skall), 10:20 (pp); 6. Oro, Toner (M. Caggiano), 11:54 (pp). Penalties: Oro, Williams, holding, 4:59; Win, Buxton, roughing, 7:11; Win, Marcoux, slashing, 8:33; Oro, Breece, handling the puck in the crease, 9:36; Win, Picard, hooking, 9:40

Third period ? No scoring. Penalties: Win, Grenier, roughing, 2:50; Win, Buxton, double minor, tripping, unsportsmanlike conduct, 8:44; Oro, Breece, holding, 9:56

Shots on goal: Winslow 11-7-7?25; Orono 5-10-7?22

Goaltenders: Win, Cloutier (5 shots-3 saves), Gallagher (17-14); Orono, Hall (25-24);

Power-play Opportunities: Winslow 1 of 4; Orono 2 of 7