Witches fly past Broncs Hayes, Richter power Brewer

BREWER – Coming off an ugly loss to Lewiston on Saturday, the Brewer Witches hockey team needed little incentive to play well in Monday night’s game with Hampden Academy, one of Eastern Maine’s better Class B teams.

The Witches are a Class A team and showed there is a big difference between the classes in hammering the Broncos 10-1 at T.J. Ryan Center.

Brewer improved its record to 11-1 while Hampden fell to 9-2.

Junior Robbie Hayes scored four goals for Brewer. He and Will Prescott scored 21 seconds apart early in the first period as the Witches jumped on Hampden, sending a message that it could be a long night.

It was the kind of start Hayes and the Witches wanted.

“We really needed to bounce back from Lewiston. You could see things were deteriorating after Lewiston. We needed to bounce back. This was a great way to do that against on of the best teams in Class B,” Hayes said.

Hayes scored twice in the second period. Senior tri-captain Jeremiah Richter picked up five assists on the night, including assists on both of Hayes’ second-period goals.

“Last game our line didn’t really produce, so we needed to start something tonight. They’re a good team, but we were faster,” Hayes said.

No one beyond Hayes scored more than one goal for the Witches. Kevin Kotredes and Jamison Cocklin scored first-period goals. Wally Tardiff and Josh Kochis tallied in the second period, and Jake Richter and Matt Grimes scored in the third period.

“Brewer skated well,” Hampden coach Tom King said. “They skated hard the whole game. They worked very well low. They just took us to the shed. They took us out back and gave us an old fashioned whipping.”

Hampden was not without its chances. They put 19 shots on Brewer goalie Spencer Dunbar, including three times when players broke in alone.

Perhaps their best chance came early in the first period when Hampden’s Adam Standley took a pass out of the corner from Greg Taylor and fired from point-blank range on Dunbar. The Brewer goalie took the shot off his chest and smothered the rebound.

Dunbar also robbed Standley and Chris Pease in the second period. They broke in alone on the goalie moments apart and Dunbar stood his ground.

“That’s what I’m there for,” Dunbar said. “The guys are playing a hell of a game for me, so I’m going to go out there and do what I can for them.”

Dunbar also said he felt indebted to his teammates after the Lewiston game.

“After eight goals I felt I owed the boys. I didn’t play my ‘A’ game against Lewiston,” Dunbar said.

Hampden’s goal came with 3:36 remaining in the first period. Standley scored off an assist from Taylor.

WITCHES 10, BRONCOS 1

Brewer (11-1) 4 3 3 ? 10

Hampden (9-2) 1 0 0 ? 1

First period ? 1. B, Prescott (Kochis), 3:12 (pp); 2. B, Hayes (Tardiff, Je. Richter), 3:33; 3. B, Kotredes (Prescott), 9:50; 4. H, A. Standley (Taylor), 11:24; 5. Tardiff (J. Caldwell), 14:41. Penalties: B, Grimes, hitting from behind and 10 min. misconduct, :54; H, Brooks, tripping, 2:39; H, Huntley, interference. 4:46; B, Prescott, interference, 4:46; B, Kochis, tripping and unsportsmanlike conduct, 6:20; H, Lee, tripping, 7:48; H, Bearor, hooking, 9:23; B, J. Caldwell, elbowing, 11:41; H, Bearor, roughing, 12:42; H, Harding, tripping, 13:05

Second period ? 6. B, Kochis (unassisted), 3:37; 7. Hayes (Je. Richter, Kochis), 4:23; 8. B, Hayes (Je. Richter), 14:27. Penalties: B, Ja. Richter, hooking, 4:58; H, Ingerson, hooking, 6:48; H, Lee, tripping, 9:14

Third period ? 9. B, Ja. Richter (J. Caldwell, B. Caldwell), 5:50; 10. B, Grimes (Je. Richter) 7:38; 11. B, Hayes (Grimes, Je. Richter) 13:44. Penalties: B, Harding, hooking, 9:15; B, Tardiff, roughing, 9:15; H, A. Standley, roughing, 9:15; H, Pease, interference, 11:30; B, J. Caldwell, roughing, 11:30; B, Tardiff, misconduct, 12:47; B, Harding, interference, 13:32; H, Ingerson, holding, 13:32; H, Huntley, spearing and game misconduct, 15:00

Shots on goal: Brewer 9-12-8?29; Hampden 10-7-2?19.

Goaltenders: Brewer, Dunbar and Puiia (19 shots-18 saves); Hampden, Macgowan (29-19).

Power-play Opportunities: Brewer 2 of 6; Hampden 0 of 6.

Attendance: 150 (est.)