Sports Reporter
Coach Carl Flynn knew Brewer would be the one of the team’s strongest opponents this season. However, he didn’t expect his Wildcats would allow 10 goals to the Witches.
That is what happened at the Penobscot Ice Arena in Brewer Monday afternoon, as Presque Isle surrendered five second-half goals on its way to a 10-5 loss.
The victory was the second of the season for the Witches over the Wildcats. In their Dec. 5 meeting at the Forum in Presque Isle, Brewer earned a 3-1 victory.
This one was a much different game. After PI had tied the game at 3 one minute into the second period, the Witches took advantage of several Wildcat penalties and scored five unanswered goals. Three came as the result of power plays within a five-minute stretch. One of the other two Brewer scored in the period was also with the man advantage.
“Brewer was much more physical and rather than letting them be physical and taking penalties, our players took it upon themselves to play physical and we got the penalties,” Flynn said of the second period.
Flynn said his team’s goalies, Josh MacFarline and Nic Davis, both had rough outings. The coach said that is a facet of the game that must improve in the second half of the season.
Despite the final score, the coach said “had we not had penalty trouble and had our usual quality goaltending, then we could have won.”
Brennen Shaw scored four goals for the 8-3 Wildcats and “was clearly the best player on the ice,” according to Flynn. Jason Martin scored off a Zac Campbell assist for the other Presque Isle tally.
Brewer outshot PI, 40-35, with Eric White and Adam Cossette handling the goalie chores for Brewer, now solidly the No. 1 team in Eastern Maine Class B with a 7-1-1 record.
The Wildcats won their other road two contests last week on lopsided shutouts. In the 8-0 win over Orono Friday, Brennen Shaw had three goals, Connor Shaw two and Mitchell Davis, Jason Martin and Jacob Buck one apiece. Brennen and Adam Flynn each chipped in with two assists.
At Old Town last Wednesday, PI won by a 6-0 score with six different players netting goals. Connor Shaw, Brennen Shaw, Campbell, Isaac LaJoie, Martin and Davis all found the back of the net, while Brennen Shaw picked up three assists to lead the way in that department.
