Shayne scores in final minutes as Hampden Academy Hockey Beats Brewer 3-2

Here's another article from our special Hampden Academy Hockey correspondent Adrian Ellingwood, regarding the Hampden Academy - Brewer High School Hockey Game played on Thursday, December 23rd.

On Thursday night, the 23rd of December, the Hampden Academy Broncos beat the Brewer Witches 3-2 at Sawyer Arena

After previously beating the Capital Region Hawks 9-0, the Kennebec Riverhawks 8-0, and winning against the Houlton-Hodgdon Blackhawks 9-1, the Broncos were in for a bigger challenge against Brewer. The Witches, after losing to Bangor 5-1 and Camden Hills 2-1, were also in for a huge challenge.

Just like their first 3 games, the Broncos scored early in the first period. With just 33 seconds elapsed from the game, Khaleb Hale put the Broncos in front with an assist from Morgan Tash.

The Broncos added a second with 7:58 gone from the game, when Hale scored again assisted by Tash and Keith Brooks on the power play.

For 1:43 seconds, Brewer had a 5 on 3 power play in the first period but weren't able to score. The penalties were called against Morgan Tash at 9:55 for cross checking and Cam Henderson for roughing at 10:12.

Later into the second period with 59 seconds until the second intermission, the Witches made things interesting. Jed Gilpatrick scored assisted by Grady Vanidestine to make it 2-1. That was the second goal that the Broncos had allowed all season.

Going into the 3rd period, the score was 2-1. The game could have gone either way. The Witches were trying to come from behind to get their first win of the season while the Broncos were looking to protect their lead to stay undefeated.

Not much happened in the 3rd period until there was just 4:03 remaining in regulation. Grady Vanidestine evened things up for Brewer to give the visiting fans some hope and a chance at winning for the first time this year.

Hampden called a timeout with 1:35 remaining in regulation.

If anyone thought the timeout wouldn't be useful for the Broncos, they were wrong. With just 1:22 left in the game Matt Shayne scored the game winner for the Broncos assisted by Morgan Tash and Khaleb Hale.

Surprisingly, Brewer didn't pull goaltender Evan White out of his goal which could have cost them, as they went on to lose 3-2.

Despite the close scoreline, the Broncos outshot Brewer 67 to 34 with 34 Hampden shots ending up on target. Brewer had 25 shots on goal.

Hampden Academy stayed unbeaten after this close game against Brewer but now they face a tough challenge away against Bangor, who they share Sawyer Arena with, at 6:30 pm on Wednesday December 29. Bangor beat Brewer 5-1 earlier in the season so the Broncos may have a tough time. Brewer will play their next game at 6:10 pm on December 29 against Houlton-Hodgdon.