GORHAM — The Cheverus/Kennebunk girls ice hockey team improved to 7-1 after scoring two goals in the last three minutes of a contest with Scarborough to earn a 2-0 win on Wednesday night at the University of Southern Maine Ice Arena.
Abby Lamontagne, a junior at Kennebunk, opened the scoring with 2:28 left in the third period. When Sophia Pompeo tossed her the puck, Lamontagne slid the puck behind the goalie to produce a 1-0 score.
“I was just coming down. I knew that I needed to get one. Sophie gave me the puck. I moved across the defender and I knew the goalie would shift over so I threw it back where I came from and it went in,” said Lamontagne.
Scarborough head coach Caitlin Jordan was impressed with Lamontagne’s goal.
“It was a great game. Abby Lamontagne is a very talented player. We were keeping an eye on her trying to track her all game so it’s what she does to go out and score. She’s a finisher. She knew she needed to score and she took advantage of that opening and put it in. I give all the credit to her,” said Jordan.
Two minutes later, the Stags would score again. This time, Pompeo would place the puck in the net and Lamontagne provided the assist to create the final 2-0 score.
“I think we’re learning to play in a different style. I think we’re just going to keep learning and I’m sure we’ll hit some road blocks, but I think there are a lot of ways to win hockey games and I think we’re just finding new ways to win hockey games now and play a bit differently and certainly a bit more conservatively because of our short bench but the girls are buying in. They work very hard and I like where we’re at,” said Cheverus/Kennebunk head coach Scott Rousseau.
The margin of triumph would have been much larger if it wasn’t for the incredible play of Scarborough goalie Ariella Swett. The freshmen stopped 24 tough shots throughout the game.
“(Swett) did amazing. We give out stickers for ‘Players of the Game’ and all that type of stuff and she definitely earned hers today. We couldn’t ask her to do any better then what she did,” said Jordan.
Rosseau agreed with Jordan.
“(Scarborough’s) a good hockey team. They passed very well. They controlled the puck very well. They were able to break up in the middle of the ice and that really gave us a lot of problems,” said Rosseau. “I thought we had some really good chances in the second period, their goaltender made some saves and we had to just be patient and grind it out.”
Cheverus/Kennebunk goalie Trinity Atwater made 12 saves in the win.
Cheverus/Kennebunk will travel to Cape Elizabeth/Waynflete/South Portland on Saturday for their next game at Troubh Ice Arena.
“It’s a different team from last year. It’s a new year, but we’re definitely still in it this year,” said Lamontagne. “We have to really always be there 100 percent to get through games.”
— Sports Writer Sienna Barstow can be reached at sbarstow@journaltribune.com or at 780-9018. Follow the Journal Tribune Sports Department on Twitter @JournalTsports.