Broncos upend Brewer

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BREWER – The Class A Brewer Witches had to be considered heavy favorites in Wednesday’s hockey game against Class B Hampden Academy, which had lost three straight.

But the Broncos, who were outshot 30-10 over the first two periods, received the tying goal from junior defenseman Ian Lee with 37 seconds left, setting the stage for senior center Mike Brown’s game-winner with 58 seconds left in overtime as Hampden triumphed 4-3 at the T.J. Ryan Center.

HA improved to 4-3 while Brewer fell to 3-3.

“We weren’t focused. We thought it was going to be an easy game. They were ready to play and definitely showed it,” said hard-hitting Witch defenseman and tri-captain Jake Richter.

The Witches appeared primed to break the game open in the third period after scoring three second-period goals, including one with two-tenths of a second left, to erase a 2-0 deficit.

But the Witches were undisciplined in the third, taking five consecutive penalties including a 10-minute misconduct and game misconduct on leading scorer Zach Wilson for mouthing off to the officials with 7:21 remaining.

The Witches killed off all of them, including a full two-minute, two-man disadvantage, but Lee forced the OT with a slap shot from the top of the right circle.

“I was just trying to get it on net so the forwards could get a rebound. But it wound up going in,” said Lee.

“It squeezed through my glove and my pad,” said Brewer goalie Aaron Saunders. “It was one of those goals.”

Brewer received a power play in overtime and had the first seven shots on goal.

But senior Rory Woods continued his superb netminding and Brown decided it.

“We were sending two guys in behind the net and the puck squirted out to me,” said Brown, who was in the middle of the high slot. “I just turned around and shot it. It’s overtime and anything can happen. If you throw the puck on net, good things happen.”

“I never saw it,” said Sauunders.

“I was happy Mike Brown scored. He’s one of the hardest-working kids I’ve ever coach,” said Hampden Academy coach Bill Schwarz.

Chris Pease converted a pair of breakaways to give HA a 2-0 first-period lead.

Marc Relford finally solved Woods 5:10 into the second period; Dave Perry tied it 3:25 later and Relford converted a face-off play just before the buzzer to make it 3-2.

“That [second Relford] goal took the wind out of us. It was a tough way to go off. But it shows that we’re a real team to come back and win in overtime,” said Lee.

“There was no quit in these kids,” said Schwarz.

Pease opened the scoring by taking a Lee pass and beating Saunders to the glove side and then he converted a Kevin Brooks pass with a backhander between the pads.

Relford maneuvered past two checkers and flipped a 12-footer past Woods before Perry jammed in a loose puck. Matt Matt Grimes assisted.

Relford’s go-ahead goal came off a Zach Wilson rebound after Wilson won a faceoff and fired off a quick shot.

“We kept the pressure on them but they didn’t give up, got a couple of bounces and buried the puck. It was a big win for them,” said Brewer coach Steve Van Dolman, whose Witches outshot HA 40-24.

“Their goalie stood on his head,” said Richter.

BRONCOS 4, WITCHES 3 (OT)

Hampden (4-3) 2 0 1 1 – 4

Brewer (3-3) 0 3 0 0 – 3

First period – 1. HA, Pease (Lee), 3:58; 2. HA, Pease (Brooks), 8:22. Penalties: Brew, M. Wilson, high sticking, 2:44; HA, Ingerson, interference, 4:15; Brew, Ambrose, 5:38; Brew, Perry, hitting from behind and 10-minute misconduct (served by Coombs), 8:39; HA, Kirk, tripping, 14:06; HA, Ingerson, cross checking, 14:25.

Second period – 3. Brew, Relford (Ambrose), 5:10; 4. Brew, Perry (Grimes), 8:35; 5. Brew, Relford (Z. Wilson, Richter), 14:59. Penalties: Brew, M. Wilson, 10-minute misconduct, 6:45; Brew, Dunbar, tripping, 10:17.

Third period – 6. HA, Lee (unassisted), 14:23. Penalties: Brew, Z. Wilson, slashing, 4:28; Brew, Z. Wilson, 10-minute misconduct and game misconduct, 7:39; Brew, Relford, unsportsmanlike conduct, 8:56; Brew, Shufelt, 8:56; Brew, Fitzpatrick, interference, 11:11.

Overtime – 7. HA, Brown (Ingerson), 7:02. Penalties: HA, Beal, tripping, 3:03.

Shots on goal: HA 7-3-10-4-24; Brewer 16-14-2-8-40

Goaltenders: HA, Woods (40 shots, 37 saves); Brew, Saunders (24-20)

Power-play opportunities: HA 0-8; Brew 0-4

Attendance: 150 (est.)