Camden Hills Beats Hampden Academy 6-5 in Overtime
Thanks to our special High School Hockey correspondent Adrian Ellingwood for his coverage of the Camden Hills-Hampden Academy hockey game on Saturday, December 20th.
On Saturday night, December 20th, the Camden Hills Windjammers hosted the Hampden Academy Broncos in a Class B North hockey matchup. After a three goal comeback last season against the Broncos, the Windjammers had more late-game heroics this season, earning their second win of the season.
An end-to-end first 10 minutes saw chances on both ends of the ice. Hampden Academy had the game’s first power play opportunity, but it was the Windjammers who struck first. With the puck in Hampden’s zone after a clearance, Bridger Witbeck picked up the puck and scored an unassisted shorthanded goal with 3:14 to go in the opening period.
Despite the lackluster start to the power play, the Broncos were able to cancel out the shorthanded goal. Silas Bryant’s wrist shot from the blue line flew past Quinn Hoppin in the Windjammers net, and the game was tied with 2:16 to go before the intermission. Matthew Donahue and Cameron Wharff were given the assists on the play.
Less than a minute later, the Broncos went in front with a goal by Wyatt Allen, assisted by Henry Armell. The lead wouldn’t last for long, though, as Witbeck scored his second of the game just 14 seconds after Allen’s goal, with an assist from Blake Christie. The score remained tied heading into the intermission.
Early in the second period, Camden Hills went on the power play, but couldn’t capitalize. Just 10 seconds after the penalty expired, Brody Miller gave the Broncos the lead with an unassisted goal off of a 3-on-1 rush. 12 minutes remained in the second period.
After a flurry of penalties in the minutes following the goal, neither side took advantage on the power play. Three minutes after failing to score on a two-man advantage, Hampden doubled its lead anyway. Henry Armell scored his fifth goal of the season, assisted by Wyatt Allen with 2:23 to go. Moments later, Allen scored his second of the game to make it a 5-2 lead, the Broncos held the three-goal lead for the remaining 29 seconds of the period.
Needing three goals to level the score, the Windjammers got off to a quick start in the third period. Bridger Witbeck completed his hat-trick 2 minutes and 55 seconds into the final frame, with Josh Hitchings on the assist. Barely over a minute later, Flynn Lilly drew a penalty while on a breakaway, but scored anyway as he crashed into the net, cutting the lead to one. Tyler Dorr had the assist, and the momentum was now in the home team’s favor with 10:58 to go.
A minute and a half later, Aiden MacFarline almost had a breakaway for the Broncos, but was upended by Oliver Adams, who went to the box for a 2 minute kneeing penalty, plus a 10 minute misconduct with 9:28 to go. However, the Broncos lost most of their power play after Miles Shields went to the box for holding and roughing after the whistle had blown, receiving a 4 minute double-minor. After Adams’ minor penalty had expired, the Windjammers went on the power play, and took advantage of it to tie the game. Josh Hitchings scored, assisted by Blake Christie with 7:03 remaining in a 5-5 game.
For the final seven minutes, neither team was able to break the tie, so overtime. Both sides had chances in the extra 8 minute period, but none greater than with 2:47 remaining. Josh Hitchings scored off a rebound to give the Windjammers the victory in their home opener, assisted by Blake Christie. Camden Hills is now 2-1, and will play Cony on Monday, December 22nd, at the Thomas College Ice Vault in Hallowell. Hampden Academy falls to 1-2, and will host Messalonskee on Tuesday in their home opener at Sawyer Arena in Bangor.
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