Hampden Academy Hockey Falls to Thornton Academy 3-2
Thanks to our special Hampden Academy Hockey correspondent Adrian Ellingwood for this recap!
The Hampden Academy Broncos were in Biddeford on Saturday for their 6th game of the season. After previously beating the Camden Hills Windjammers, the Broncos were in for another tough test against the defending Class A state champions and undefeated Thornton Academy Golden Trojans. Despite a valiant effort by Hampden Academy, the Golden Trojans were able to beat the Broncos 3-2 in an intense showdown.
These 2 teams had already faced each other in the John Bapst Holiday Faceoff Tournament during the preseason, which ended in a 2-2 tie. This game wasn’t much different, as the majority of the play happened in the Broncos defensive zone. Hampden Academy played solid defense for just over 8 minutes until Sophomore goalie Aiden Surran was finally beaten. Brady Pecora scored the opening goal assisted by Gavin Pellerin and Jake Skillings with 8:07 elapsed from the game. The score would remain 1-0 at the end of the first period, with TA outshooting the Broncos 15-6.
The Trojans penalty kill came up big early in the second period after Alex Alonso’s penalty with 11:20 to go, limiting Hampden’s scoring chances and having a few shorthanded chances of their own. The Broncos power play had another opportunity with Jacob Marcotte in the box, and this time it was a different story. Tucker Leland sniped a shot past TA goaltender Drew Johnson to tie it up just past the midway point in the game. Colin McKay and Matt Shayne got the assists with 7:02 to go in the period. Shayne would later score an unassisted goal with 35.6 seconds to go in the period to give Hampden Academy the lead going into the third period. The Trojans outshot the Broncos 16-8 in the second period.
Two minutes and five seconds was all it took for Nick Downing to tie the game for Thornton Academy assisted by Brayden Duane. Just 31 seconds later the Broncos were given a golden opportunity to take the lead on the power play, however the penalty killers held their own keeping it a 2-2 game.
Just when we all thought the game would go to overtime, a scuffle in front of the Hampden Academy net led to a Tucker Leland cross-checking penalty. That proved to be costly, as Gavin Pellerin scored a power play goal assisted by Jacob Marcotte and Alex Alonso with 2:53 remaining in regulation.
With about a minute and a half remaining in the game, Broncos coach Zach Wilson pulled goaltender Aiden Surran for an extra skater. Surran made 41 saves on 44 shots. Despite most of the final minute and a half being played in the Trojans defensive zone, Hampden couldn’t find one last goal, and the game finished 3-2 in favor of Thornton Academy.
The Trojans improved to 6-0, remaining 4-0 in Class A, while the Broncos fell to 3-3, remaining 3-0 against Class B North, with all 3 losses coming to Class A opponents.
Hampden Academy will head back home to face John Bapst (1-1-1) on Tuesday at Sawyer Arena, while Thornton Academy will host Bangor (6-1) on Wednesday.
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