Even though the youngish Brunswick High School boys hockey team qualified for the playoffs last season with a freshman-dominated lineup, the Dragons still struggle with their youth at times.

Take Thursday’s Eastern Maine Class A tussle with the tri-team of Maranacook/Hall- Dale/Winthrop, a 6-3 loss for Brunswick at Bowdoin College’s Sidney J. Watson Arena.

The Dragons allowed two shorthanded goals, a pair of power-play tallies and committed costly turnovers that led to two more goals in a 6-3 loss, falling to 0- 2 on the young season.

On the other side, 14-yearold freshman Kyle Woodruff appeared to be the best player on the ice for Brunswick at times, scoring a pair of goals in the loss.

“We made a lot of rookie mistakes tonight, and we put ourselves in a hole with those shorthanded goals against, just a dagger for a young team like this,” said Brunswick coach Mike Routhier, whose squad will try to get things going on Monday at home against Edward Little (7:30 p.m.). “Kyle was the best player on the ice for us tonight. It was good for him and nice to see, but we need to have others step up, especially when we are missing one of our two seniors (Blake Bodwell, out after receiving a game misconduct in Saturday’s 6-1 loss to Bangor).

“Plus, we lost Dwayne (Palmer) in the second period to an injury, a player that has been a spark plug for us so far.”

Don’t blink

Before several patrons were comfortable in their seats, the Hawks jumped out on top, getting a goal from Tyler Bryant just 2:40 into the contest.

Both teams skated end-toend in the fast-paced period, with MHW holding a 14- 13 shot advantage.

The Dragons tied things at the 4:07 mark when Woodruff scored his first varsity goal off a rebound of a Parker Wild shot, and Dylan Towle’s gift goal off a Hawks’ defenseman three minutes later gave Brunswick a 2-1 lead.

But, the visitors tied it at 10:36 when the puck caromed to unmarked Nick Lacasse, who flipped the puck past Brunswick netminder Blake Alexander.

Just 47 seconds later, the Hawks took the lead for good. Skating with a man advantage, Brunswick turned the puck over at its own blue line, allowing Matt Plourde to slip in alone on Alexander, with his wrister finding the top of the net for a 3-2 edge after a period.

“We preach for the powerplay unit to go all out, but tonight we just didn’t seem to do that,” said Routhier, who watched his team fall behind 5-2 in the second period.

MHW made it 4-2 just 1:14 into the middle frame on the power play, courtesy of a Dan Condon unassisted marker, and Condon’s second goal while shorthanded at 11: 08 put the Hawks up by three.

Woodruff came through with 22 seconds left in the period, wrapping the puck behind Hawks netminder Tyler Plante to make it a 5-3 contest after 30 minutes.

The teams combined for 53 shots (27-26 shot advantage for the Dragons) in the first two periods, but both squads came out more conservatively in the third, with the Hawks trying to protect their lead by clearing the puck and standing up at the blue line.

Brunswick managed just three third-period shots, the best chance coming on a Tyler Niven wrister that glanced off the cross bar and out of play with 4:53 remaining.

MHW finished things off on an empty-net goal by Bailey Clark with 15 seconds left, again on the power play as the Hawks finished 2-of-5 with the man advantage while holding the Dragons to just one power-play marker on six chances.

Alexander turned aside 28 shots as the Hawks finished with a 34-30 shot advantage.

Plante had 27 stops for the victory as MHW improved to 1-2. Condon finished with two goals and an assist, while Plourde, Lacasse, Jason Laporte and Mitch Gurette each picked up a helper.

MHW 6, Brunswick 3

At Sidney J. Watson Arena
MHW— 321—6
Brunswick— 210—3
First period — 1. (MHW) Tyler Bryant
(Nick Lacasse), 2:40; 2. (B) Kyle Woodruff
(Parker Wild), 4:07; 3. (B) Dylan Towle,
6:56; 4. (MHW) Nick Lacasse (Jason
Laporte), 10:36; 5. (MHW) Matt Plourde
(Dan Condon), sh, 11:23. Penalties —
(MHW) Jason Laporte (slashing), 10:44;
(MHW) Tyler Bryant (contact to head),
12:31.
Second period — 6. (MHW) Dan Condon,
pp, 1:14; 7. (MHW) Dan Condon (Matt
Plourde), sh, 11:08; 8. (B) Kyle Woodruff,
pp, 14:38. Penalties — (B) Dylan Towle
(high sticking), :43; (B) Ryan Maciejewski
(roughing), 5:44; (MHW) Zach Bessette
(roughing), 5:44; (B) Jacob Parent (interference), 11:55; (MHW) Nick Lacasse
(tripping); (MHW) Ian Palmer (contact to
head), 12:59.
Third period — 9. (MHW) Bailey Clark
(Mitch Gurette), pp, 14:45. Penalties (B)
Clay Parent (contact to head), 9:00; (B)
Dylan Towle (roughing), 12:51; (B) Kyle
Woodruff (tripping), 14:38.
Shots on goal — MHW — 14-12-8 —
34; (B) 13-14-3 — 30.
Saves — (MHW) Tyler Plante 27; (B)
Blake Alexander (28).
Power play opportunities — MHW 2-5;
Brunswick 1-6.
Records — MHW 1-2, Brunswick 0-2.
Next for the Dragons — Monday at home
against Edward Little, 7:30 p.m.

On Wednesday at Rockport, host Camden led 3-2 after a period and scored two third period goals to pull away for the victory.

“They’re a very good team top to bottom,” said Mt. Ararat coach Mike Bishop after his team dropped to 1-1 and is slated to play in the Gipper’s Tournament tonight in Auburn against Edward Little at 8:45 p.m.

Connor Toothaker and Josh Richards, assisted by Eric Stuckey scored for the Eagles.

In goal, Zach O’Connor turned aside 36 shots for Mt. Ararat, which received solid contributions from forward Justin Grant and defenseman Ian Pinette.