Scarborough snaps skid with OT win at SP/Freeport/Waynflete

PORTLAND—The hero was different, but the story was the same.

And Scarborough’s boys’ hockey team has shocked the South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete co-op squad in overtime once more.

Thursday afternoon at Troubh Ice Arena, the reigning Class A state champion Red Storm, burdened by a four-game losing streak, fell behind by a goal on three different occasions, but they were able to rally and reminded everyone that their overtime magic is alive and well.

Junior Tobey Lappin scored in the game’s second minute to put South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete on top, but Scarborough drew even at 9:46 of the first period on a power play goal from sophomore Wyatt Grondin, who scored three overtime goals during last year’s title run, including one to beat South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete in the state semifinals.

Late in the period, South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete went on top for the second time, as senior Roan Hopkins found the net.

At the 10:06 mark of the second period, the Red Storm tied the score for the second time on a goal from junior Tyler Kenney (remember that name), but again, Hopkins answered and South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete took a 3-2 advantage to the third period.

There, Scarborough drew even just over three minutes in on a goal from sophomore Cam Morin.

With Red Storm senior goalie Keegan Weed and South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete senior goalie Jasper Curtis standing tall, neither team scored the rest of regulation and it was on to an eight-minute, “sudden victory” overtime.

There, after its defense weathered an early storm, Scarborough went on the attack and with 1:47 remaining, Kenney scored on a two-on-one rush and the Red Storm won it, 4-3.

Scarborough snapped its losing streak, improved to 6-4 and in the process, dropped South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete to a misleading 4-6.

“It’s a good momentum lift for us to beat a good team on the road in a smaller rink,” said Red Storm coach Eric Wirsing. “It gives us the sense that we’re never out of a game. The guys were excited to get to the rink today and they didn’t want to go home losing another game. We just tried to do everything the right way, make good decisions and it paid off for us.”

A great midseason test

Scarborough began its title defense with narrow wins at Falmouth (5-4), at home over Windham (2-0), at Biddeford (4-3) and at Lewiston (4-2) before downing visiting Bangor (5-2). The Red Storm then lost at Thornton Academy (5-2) and Edward Little (3-1), fell at home to Falmouth by a 6-3 score, then lost at Cheverus/Yarmouth last Thursday, 3-2.

South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete, meanwhile, started with victories over visiting Fryeburg (5-0) and host Falmouth (4-3), then lost at home to Lewiston in overtime (3-2) and fell at Thornton Academy (8-1) and Biddeford (6-5). After an 8-0 home victory over Mt. Ararat, the squad fell at Marshwood (4-2) and at home to Falmouth (2-1) before bouncing back last Thursday with a 1-0 home victory over St. Dom’s.

Last winter, Scarborough went 2-0-1 against South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete, with the 5-4 double-overtime victory in the state semifinals on Grondin’s goal the most memorable.

Thursday, in front of a large and raucous crowd, South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete looked to beat the Red Storm for the first time since Feb. 2, 2019 (5-2 at home), but instead, Scarborough proved to be too much again.

The home team struck just 98 seconds into the game, as senior Ian Wright sent the puck on net and Lappin deflected it past Weed for a quick 1-0 lead.

Curtis then preserved the advantage by denying senior Jordan Sheppard, Kenney, junior Olin Pedersen on a rebound and freshman Kyle Gambardella.

Scarborough then went on the power play and drew even with 5:14 left in the first period, as Grondin beat Curtis top shelf with senior Thomas Hassett and Sheppard getting assists.

South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete got the goal right back with 3:11 remaining, as Hopkins scored for the first time, from senior Joey Soucy and senior Seth Cloutier.

“Roan played well tonight,” said South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete coach Joe Robinson. “He’s a very strong kid.”

Weed prevented the deficit from getting even worse as he saved shots from senior Liam Anderson and Soucy with his glove, then turned aside a bid from junior Hewitt Sykes, keeping the score 2-1 at the first intermission.

South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete had a 14-9 edge in shots on goal in the first 15 minutes.

Early in the second period, it hoped to double its lead, but Weed saved a shot from Soucy and a rebound from Cloutier.

The Red Storm went on the power play again and this time, came up empty, as freshman Jack Bathe and Pedersen were denied by Curtis.

Later in the period, South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete had its first power play chance, but Weed saved shots by Soucy and Lappin to keep it close.

Then, with 4:54 left in the second, Kenney scored for the first time, burying a one-timer top shelf, to make it 2-2.

After Kenney missed just wide in a bid for the lead, South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete went ahead again, as Hopkins scored for the third time, taking a pass in transition from Lappin, who barely stayed onsides, then tickling the twine with Cloutier also getting an assist, giving the home team a 3-2 advantage heading to the third period.

There, South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete began on the power play but couldn’t muster a shot on goal and with 11:54 left in regulation, after a turnover, Morin struck for Scarborough and the game was tied for the third time.

“We had to overcome adversity and be a team that could come back and fight back,” said Wirsing. “We were down going to the third period, but I told them to keep working hard and working smart and we’d be OK.”

The rest of regulation saw both goalies excel.

Weed twice robbed Lappin, then made a glove save on a shot from senior Richard Gilboy.

At the other end, Curtis saved bids from junior Will Marcotte, Sheppard and senior Griffin Denbow.

Late in regulation, South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete had multiple chances to retake the lead, but Weed denied Cloutier, Gilboy had a shot saved, Lappin had the rebound turned aside, then Gilboy was denied again.

With time winding down, Denbow tried to win it for the Red Storm, but Curtis’ save forced overtime.

South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete came out strong early in the extra session and had the puck in Scarborough’s zone for several minutes, but only managed a pair of shots, one from Gilboy which was saved by Weed, and a rebound from Lappin, which was also denied.

After Pedersen had two shots saved by Curtis, the Red Storm ended matters.

With 1:47 to go, on a rush, Kenney got past a fallen defenseman, went two-on-one with Pedersen by his side, then eschewed the pass and launched a shot which Curtis couldn’t stop and Scarborough had a 4-3 victory.

“I came down, the defensemen fell down and I looked to pass, but the pass wasn’t there,” said Kenney. “I didn’t even get everything on the shot, but it went into the net.

“We needed that win badly. We’d lost four in a row. Getting everyone back helped and it was good win. We played for each other. (South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete’s) definitely a good team. A better team then where they’re ranked.”

“When the defender fell, we had a two-on-one,” Wirsing said. “(Tyler) has a heck of a shot. He’s a smart hockey player. I thought he might give Olin an opportunity far pad, but he took a shot and it was fortunate enough to go in.

“They definitely controlled play the first part of overtime. Keegan made some big saves, then we regrouped and played smarter and got an opportunity.

“I give a lot of credit to the kids. They work hard. They were ready to go. They believed we could turn this thing around. (South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete’s) a good team. They’re physical in the offensive zone. In the defensive zone, they move the puck well. They have speed, they move the puck well. They have a good goalie. We knew it would be tough to beat them in a tough place to play and that just shows the resiliency of this group right now.”

Weed excelled with 37 saves.

“Keegan’s great,” said Kenney. “He’s a great goaltender and he’s a great captain in the locker room.”

For South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete, Curtis made 24 saves, but another agonizing loss to the Red Storm was the end result.

“It was a tough one,” Robinson lamented. “Our forecheck was great and we had them hemmed in most of the game, but we didn’t get enough quality shots. When you play good teams, it’s every shift and we had some mistakes that cost us. It’s frustrating. I can’t fault the guys. It’s not that they didn’t try or didn’t work, it just didn’t go our way tonight.”

Lewiston next

Both teams take on Lewiston in their next outing.

South Portland/Freeport/Waynflete goes to the Blue Devils Wednesday, then returns home to take on powerhouse Thornton Academy Jan. 28.

“We’re right in the thick of it,” said Robinson. “We’ve got to get some wins for sure. We have to get the puck in the net more. We’re competitive. We’ll be alright. Our work ethic and our attitudes are good.”

Scarborough hosts Lewiston Saturday, then welcomes Kennebunk Wednesday of next week.

“This hopefully will give us some momentum going forward,” said Kenney. “We’ll take it to the back half (of the schedule), then get ready for the playoffs. We’re a family in there. Everyone loves each other. We’ll just work together and have a great time.”

“If we play our game, we can play with anyone and have an opportunity at the end,” Wirsing said.