Presque Isle, Brewer to meet for title Wildcats upend Orono; Witches post shutout

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WINSLOW – Down two goals headed into the third period, the top-ranked Orono hockey team came at underdog Presque Isle with everything it had.

Wildcats’ goaltender Ethan Hill came back with a little something of his own.

Hill stopped 15 shots in a frantic third period and No. 4 Presque Isle upset the Red Riots 4-2 at Sukee Arena in the first of two semifinal matchups Saturday.

No. 2 Brewer got a similar spirited effort from its goaltender in a 3-0 triumph over Winslow in the second semifinal.

Aaron Saunders made 18 saves and Dylan Fitzpatrick had two goals and an assist in Brewer’s shutout.

Presque Isle and Brewer will square off at 7 p.m. Wednesday at Alfond Arena in Orono for the Eastern Maine Class B title.

In the first game, Orono (17-3-1) entered Saturday’s semifinal having won 17 of its last 18 games, but Presque Isle (13-7-1) came in with nothing to lose.

“That was our whole game plan,” Wildcats’ coach Carl Flynn said. “We told the guys there was no need to be nervous, just go out there and skate your butts off.”

Presque Isle struck first 6:06 into the first period when Dylan Collins wristed a slow, floating shot that fooled Red Riots’ goaltender Jared Bussell.

Orono evened things later in the first when Tony Raymond rebounded a shot from Chris McConnon past Hill, but in the final seconds of the period Presque Isle wrested the momentum back.

Bussell stopped Brennan Shaw’s first attempt but left a big rebound for Sean Flanigan, who scored into the open right side of the net.

“That goal was huge. It’s always easier to play with a lead,” Hill said of Flanigan’s tally.

The lead grew to 4-1 in the second period on goals from Shaw at 5:48 and a nifty power-play score from Ben McPherson at 4:10.

Orono got one back late in the second after a scramble in front of the Wildcats’ net resulted in a goal by Sean Babin, but Hill stepped up in the third period.

The Red Riots dominated play and had a wealth of opportunities but didn’t get any closer.

“We had our chances. They played a great defensive game,” Orono coach Greg Hirsch said. “[Presque Isle] was underrated all year, and they played with reckless abandon today.”

In the second game, Brewer (19-3-0) was the higher seed, but the Witches were playing on Winslow’s home ice.

Whatever edge the 16-6-0 Black Raiders’ might have had, though, was taken away early.

Fitzpatrick fired a simple wrist shot past Winslow goaltender Chris Jay 4:47 into the game to give Brewer a 1-0 lead.

“I thought it was really important, playing down here, to get that first goal. It kind of deflated their balloon a little,” Brewer coach Bill Schwarz said.

While the first game Saturday was mostly free of penalties, Brewer and Winslow played a more physical style and traded penalties throughout most of the contest.

Winslow killed more than a minute of 5-on-3 late in the first period. The Witches responded by not allowing the Black Raiders any strong opportunities during Winslow’s own 5-on-3 late in the second period.

The Black Raiders also had a goal waved off in the second period that would have tied the game.

“That could have changed the game right there,” Winslow coach Corey Lessard said. “But our kids still pressed hard. They simply beat us.”

Instead of a tie game at the end of the second period, Brewer’s Fitzpatrick converted a 3-on-2 break with just 12 seconds to play in the period for a 2-0 Witches’ lead.

“There were a lot of chances for them to even the score, but we kept our composure well,” Fitzpatrick said.

Brewer’s tacked on a power- play goal late in the third period when Ryan Nadeau lifted a shot over Winslow’s sprawled goaltender.

The Witches outshot the Black Raiders 29-18.

WILDCATS 4, RED RIOTS 2

Presque Isle (13-7-1) 2 2 0 – 4

Orono (17-3-1) 1 1 0 – 2

First period – 1. Presque Isle, Collins (unassisted), 6:06. 2. Orono, Raymond (McConnon, Dudley), 11:40. 3. Presque Isle, Flanigan (Shaw, Cyr), 14:51. Penalties: none.

Second period – 4. Presque Isle, Shaw (Collins, Flanigan), 9:12. 5. Presque Isle, McPherson, Hovey), 10:50 (pp). 6. Orono, Babin (Raymond), 13:37. Penalties: Presque Isle, team, delay of game, 5:13. Orono, Hovey, slashing, 9:12.

Third period – No scoring. Penalties: Presque Isle, McPherson, tripping, 3:03; Orono, McConnon, interference, 9:48; Presque Isle, Ford, tripping, 13:28; Orono, Babin, roughing, 5-min. major misconduct, 14:28; Presque Isle, Cyr, roughing; 14:28. Presque Isle, Hill, roughing, 14:28; Orono, Raymond, roughing, 14:28.

Shots on goal: Presque Isle 7-13-3-23; Orono 10-12-16-38

Goaltenders: Presque Isle, Hill (38 shots-36 saves); Orono, Bussell (23-19)

Power-play opportunities: Presque Isle 1 of 2; Orono 0 of 3

WITCHES 3, BLACK RAIDERS 0

Winslow (16-6-0) 0 0 0 – 0

Brewer (19-3-0) 1 1 1 – 3

First period – 1. Brewer, Dy. Fitzpatrick (Risser, De. Fitzpatrick), 4:47. Penalties: Winslow, Thorne, slashing, 2:27. Brewer, Kotredes, tripping, 8:00; Winslow, McCabe, interference, 10:27; Winslow, Cosgrove, hooking, 11:09; Brewer, Kotredes, interference, 14:34.

Second period – 2. Brewer, Dy. Fitzpatrick (Nadeau, Helfen), 14:48. Penalties: Brewer, Relford, tripping, 9:06; Brewer, Nicknair, hooking, 9:59; Brewer, De. Fitzpatrick, cross checking, 10-min misconduct, 10:08; Winslow, Wheeler, slashing, 12:46.

Third period – 3. Brewer, Nadeau (Dy. Fitzpatrick, Nicknair), 13:01. Penalties: Brewer Relford, interference, 6:22; Winslow, Maroon, tripping, 8:26; Brewer, Perry, slashing, 8:26; Winslow, Cosgrove, interference, 9:38; Winslow, Cosgrove, hooking, 12:02; Brewer, Kotredes, tripping 14:05.

Shots on goal: Winslow 6-6-6-18; Brewer 11-10-8-29

Goaltenders: Winslow, Jay (29 shots-26 saves); Brewer, Saunders (18-18)

Power-play opportunities: Winslow 0 of 6; Brewer 1 of 5