BANGOR – Thirteeen months ago, Brewer High School’s Josh Caldwell scored with five seconds remaining in regulation to give the Witches a 3-2 win over Bangor that ended six years of futility against their arch-rivals.

The senior center came through in dramatic fashion yet again Thursday night as his power play face-off goal 2:45 into overtime supplied the undefeated Witches with a thrilling come-from-behind 5-4 victory over the Rams before an energized near-capacity crowd at Sawyer Arena.

Brewer junior right wing Robbie Hayes overcame a swollen elbow to force overtime with just 1:20 left in regulation.

Senior center Jeremiah Richter had a pair of goals and an assist for the 8-0 Witches and his brother, Jake, had the other goal.

Hayes also had an assist and senior defenseman Josh Kochis had two assists.

Bangor junior right winger Kevin Cobb had a pair of goals with junior center Brian Lever and freshman center Nick Payson scoring the others. Payson also had an assist and his older brother, junior defenseman Ben Payson, had a pair of assists.

Caldwell cleanly beat Ram sophomore center T.J. Vanidestine on a draw to the right of Ram goalie Aaron Buzzell for his game-winner.

“I poked it through his legs, chased after it, drew it back and shot it. I didn’t think it was going to go in. There wasn’t much room. It squeaked in the near side,” said Caldwell who converted a backhander.

“It went between my pads and blocker as it was going down. It was a nice shot,” said Buzzell.

Hayes’ had tied it 52 seconds after Payson had given the Rams a 4-3 lead. Brewer had a goal disallowed for a man in the crease 30 seconds before Payson’s goal.

Hayes wheeled out of the left corner to the lower half of the left circle before tucking a 12-footer between Buzzell’s right skate and the near post.

“I threw it in front. It went between people’s legs. I used them as a screen,” said Hayes.

The young and tenacious Rams played the body very effectively throughout the game, slowing down the quicker Witches.

“I was amazed how well they bodied up,” said Caldwell.

“Our guys played fantastic. They left everything on the ice,” said Bangor coach Dan Kerluke, whose Rams are 2-4.

Both goalies, Bangor’s Buzzell (32 saves) and Brewer’s Spencer Dunbar (28 stops), turned in quality performances.

Richter converted a Hayes rebound in the first period but Bangor answered in the second period Cobb capitalized on a breakaway and Lever finished off a Ben Payson rush and pinpoint pass.

Jeremiah Richter’s rising 25-foot wrist shot tied it 56 seconds into the third period but Cobb swatted home a rebound less than two minutes later.

Dunbar stopped Ben Payson’s breakaway to keep the deficit at 3-2 and Jake Richter tied it with a 30-foot slapper from the right circle.

Nick Payson also scored for Bangor.

WITCHES 5, RAMS 4 (OT)

Brewer (8-0) 1 0 3 1 ? 5

Bangor (2-4) 0 2 2 0 ? 4

First period ? 1. Brew, Je. Richter (Hayes), 3:23 (pp). Penalties: Ban, Buzzell, interference, (served by Marin), 1:05; Ban, McPike, tripping, 2:18; Brew, Ja. Richter, holding, 5:52; Brew, Jo. Caldwell, interference, 9:45; Brew, Hayes, slashing, 12:07; Ban, B. Payson (roughing), 14:39.

Second period ? 2. Ban, Cobb (unassisted), 5:24 (pp); 3. Ban, Lever (B. Payson), 13:13 (sh). Penalties: Brew, Cocklin, interference, 3:39; Ban, George, interference, 6:15; Brew, B. Caldwell, charging, 8:41; Ban, Lever, slashing, 8:58; Ban, Huhn, tripping, 12:24; Brew, Tardiff, roughing, 12:57; Ban, Frost, roughing, 12:57; Ban, Cobb, tripping, 13:50.

Third period ? 4. Brew, Je. Richter (Kochis), :56; 5. Ban, Cobb (Huhn, N. Payson), 2:50; 6. Brew, Ja. Richter (unassisted), 9:09 (pp); 7. Ban, N. Payson (McPike, B. Payson), 12:48; 8. Brew, Hayes (Je. Richter, Kochis), 13:40. Penalties: Ban, Mansfield, 10-minute misconduct, 2:30; Brew, Tardiff, boarding, 5:56; Ban, Cobb, tripping, 7:15; Brew, Je. Richter, 14:00.

Overtime ? 9. Brew, Jo. Caldwell (unassisted), 2:45 (pp). Penalties: Ban, Lever, cross-checking, 1:25

Shots on goal: Brewer 10-15-10-2?37; Bangor 10-8-13-1?32

Goaltenders: Brewer, S. Dunbar (32 shots-28 saves); Bangor, Buzzell (37-32)

Power-play Opportunities: Brewer 3-9; Bangor 1-7

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