West A final called state’s longest game

PORTLAND – Whew, it’s finally over.

A five-overtime marathon hockey game, called the longest ever for Maine high schools, ended Tuesday night with Lewiston slipping past Brunswick 2-1 for the Eastern Maine Class A championship.

The Blue Devils’ triumph came at 6:44 of the fifth overtime on a goal by Matt Letourneau following a centering pass from behind the net.

“I’ve never seen a game like this, ever,” said Brunswick assistant coach Dave Boucher, who recalled a couple of two-overtime struggles at another Maine high school where he coached.

Two previous high school games in Maine have gone into a fifth overtime, but Tuesday night’s 83-minute, 44-second nail-biter at the Cumberland County Civic Center was the longest in terms of minutes played, and the longest in large-school Class A play.

“After the second overtime, I had to ask my assistant coaches which overtime it was,” said Lewiston coach Norm Gagne, who has seen nothing longer than two overtimes from the bench. “I had no idea.”

Lewiston is used to long games. Five of the Blue Devils’ last six games have gone into overtime, including the last two in this year’s playoffs. Lewiston has gone 3-1-1 in those games.

Tuesday’s struggle featured superb goaltending by both teams. Lewiston senior Brian Nason made 40 saves, while Brunswick’s Matt Pellerin, a sophomore, made 43 for the Dragons.