BRUNSWICK — Ailaina Keely scored four goals Friday night as a team made up of players from Biddeford, Thornton Academy and Wells rolled to a 7-1 victory against Mt. Ararat/Morse in a season-opening girls’ hockey game Friday night at Watson Arena.
It was the first game the girls from the three high schools have played together and the first varsity game coached by Adam Flynn, who played high school hockey at Presque Isle.
“I am very pleased,” said Flynn, who began teaching math at Biddeford High this fall following his graduation from the University of Maine, where he didn’t play hockey.
“We’ll take any win we can get. We know we’ve got some tough (games) coming.”
The Tigers held a 35-13 edge in shots but goalie Lily Schenk was magnificent in the first period to keep the Eagles close.
“She gave us a chance to try to get back in the game,” Mt. Ararat Coach Jeremy Saxton said.
Keely opened the scoring with less than two minutes left in the first period when she slid in a hard shot from just inside the left circle after Mady Belanger, who had three assists, intercepted a clearing pass.
Less than seven minutes into the second, Keely made it 2-0 on a shot from just inside the right hashmark moments after Ainsley Wescott won a faceoff in that circle.
With less than two minutes left in the second, freshman defenseman Bre Hunter scored a power-play goal for the Eagles, lifting a shot inside the right post from just outside the crease.
The Tigers took a 3-1 lead when Jaigan Boudreau scored from the top of the slot with 12.2 seconds left in the second period.
Less than five minutes into the third, Keely scored two more goals.
“She has great patience in the slot,” Flynn said. “She just waits for people to get out of position and she has a wicked shot on her, too.”
Flynn said his team had to change tactics after the first two periods.
“We had to elevate our game,” he said. “Their goalie was taking away the bottom part of the net. We had a talk on the bench and (Keely) realized she had to elevate the puck and we went from there.”
Lily Stark scored twice for the Tigers in the final seven minutes. She also had one assist.
Freshman Trinity Atwater made 12 saves for the Tigers. Half of those shots came on Mt. Ararat’s two power plays.
“We’re going to play every game aggressive and if that means having a penalty here or there we’ll take it,” Flynn said. “We practice sportsmanship, obviously, but what happens happens. It’s a contact sport.”
The Tigers have 17 players from Biddeford, seven from Thornton and two from Wells.
“It’s working out well, initially,” Flynn said. “At this point they’re just trying to mesh and get to know each other as people. (Then) the hockey part will come.”
The Eagles are coming off a winless season but Saxton was pleased.
“It’s a young team, and they’re learning and they’re giving it their all,” he said.
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