Trail Blazers’ hockey falls to Lewiston in playoffs

Varsity Trail Blazers senior Aiden Hartwell stays ahead of his
Lewiston opponents during the first round of playoffs on
Wednesday, March 2 at Norway Savings Bank Arena in 
Lewiston. PHOTO BY MATT PASCARELLA

By Matt Pascarella

Ninth-seeded Windham/Bonny Eagle/Westbrook Trail Blazers had played eighth-seeded Lewiston earlier in the season and knew what to expect from them during the first round of playoffs on Wednesday, March 2 at the Norway Savings Bank Arena in Lewiston.

The Trail Blazers went hard after the puck, checked their opponents and remained aggressive throughout the contest.

Lewiston scored multiple goals in the second and third periods and defeated the Trail Blazers 6-2; but not before the Trail Blazers left it all on the ice.

“We were hoping to battle against them,” said Bonny Eagle sophomore Lucas Laforest. “We played hard; it just didn’t work out for us in the end.”

Lewiston found the back of the net early into the first period. Trail Blazers goalie, Bonny Eagle junior Porter Krause had multiple saves coupled with Trail Blazers’ defense which held Lewiston to one goal in the first period.

The Trail Blazers came into the second period hungrier than the first. Lewiston still had a bit of force, as they scored goal number two early in the period. 

The Trail Blazers kept up their aggressiveness. Windham senior Aiden Hartwell, assisted by Laforest, went around the net and put the puck behind the goalie. 3-1, Lewiston.

Going into the third period, Trail Blazers Coach Bobby Fothergill told the team this was their last hurrah. They’d come back from a similar deficit against Lewiston earlier in the season.

28 seconds into the third period, Bonny Eagle senior Bobby Fothergill scored, assisted by Hartwell. Now it’s 3-2, Lewiston.

Windham got a power play and things were looking good.

However, Lewiston put two more in the net back-to-back, then scored once more.

“We knew they were a good team, and it was going to be a grind,” said Hartwell. We never held our heads down; we were always positive with each other; we played till the final whistle.”

Bobby Fothergill said they never gave up, there were some low points, but they moved on. They took it shift by shift.

“I’m extremely proud of these guys, said Coach Fothergill. “19 games they played; the effort was there every night.

Coach Fothergill said the team didn’t get down on each other. They win as a team; they lose as a team. He thought they competed well in this game, but the two shorthanded goals in the third period killed them; it’s tough to come back from that.

He’s proud of them and the way they worked. <