Waterville wins Class A title Yarmouth scores three late goals to top Gardiner in Class B

LEWISTON – Late scoring binges were the theme of the night on Saturday as Waterville scored six goals over the game’s final 14 minutes en route to an 8-1 win over Portland in the state Class A hockey championship and Yarmouth blew open a close Class B game with three goals over the final 4:42 in the Class B title clash. The Clippers topped Eastern Maine champ Gardiner 4-1.

In the Class A game, Waterville earned its first state Class A hockey title since 1996 with a late-game surge.

Portland tied the game at 1-1 on a Tony Humeniak goal with 10:37 to go in the second, but Steve Bruch scored a goal in the period’s final minute to give Waterville a 2-1 lead, and the Panthers pounced in the third.

Corey Gardiner scored two goals and assisted on another, Darrick Pratt tallied two goals, and Kyle McMorrow and Steve Bruch contributed a goal and an asist apiece for Waterville. Zach Pelletier and Seth Richardson scored the other goals.

Mark Dostie made 22 saves for the 21-3 Purple Panthers.

Mike Scott stopped 29 of the 37 shots he faced for 15-7-1 Bulldogs.

In the Class B game, Yarmouth’s Ryan Delaney broke open a one-goal game by scoring three goals over the final 4:42 of the contest in the Clippers’ 4-1 win over Eastern Maine champ Gardiner.

The Clippers headed into the third with a 1-0 lead, courtesy of a Kris Bean first-period goal.

But in the third, Delaney provided 19-4 Yarmouth all the insurance they’d need.

First, he snapped a rebound of his own shot past Gardiner goalie Ray Jean (32 saves). The 19-2-3 Tigers pulled back within a goal when Shawn Kelley scored.

Delaney pushed the cushion back to two goals on a breakaway with 1:42 to play, then added an empty-netter with 18 seconds left.

Jay Fletcher finished with 32 saves for Yarmouth.