WATERVILLE — On Saturday night, the defending Class B state champions looked eager to defend their title. The Waterville Senior High School ice hockey team put in a dominant effort over Hampden at Alfond Rink, taking a 12-3 win in the season opener for both teams.
The game will not be remembered for its beauty and slick play, but it will be remembered by Waterville senior Justin Wentworth and the Purple Panther fans. Wentworth scored six goals, tying the single-game school record held by Jeff Jolicoeur.
“I was pretty pumped for it,” Wentworth, who knew he was close to the record when he scored his fifth goal early in the third period. “I really wasn’t going for it. It just happened. I got it off a rebound, it worked out.”
Wentworth tied the record with a power play goal at 10:53 of the third period, scoring on a rebound of an Andrew Roderigue shot to give the Panthers an 11-3 lead.
“He worked hard, and got the opportunity to cash in on those chances,” Waterville coach Dennis Martin said of Wentworth’s record-tying night.
Wentworth scored a pair of goals in the first period to stake the Panthers to a 2-0 lead. The first came at 3:00, with assists from Roderigue and Michael Bolduc. At 7:19, Wentworth scored a shorthanded goal, with the Broncos holding a 5 on 3 advantage. Wentworth’s wrister from the right of Hampden goalie Cole Benner found the back of the net as the first penalty was ending.
“We did exactly what we wanted to. We came out and set the tone right away,” Wentworth said.
Wentworth earned his first hat trick of the game just 11 seconds in the second period, scoring a tough angle shot from the left of Benner on a rebound from Roderigue.
“I was coming down through the zone, and it was Andrew who took the shot, and it went off the post. I kind of saw that the goalie was out of his net, so I figured I’d just shoot it instead of pulling it back around,” Wentworth said.
The Panthers put the game away with five goals in the second period, pushing their lead to 7-1. Waterville dominated play throughout the game, outshooting the Broncos 48-13.
“Our guys came out flying. We got to loose pucks, and we were in control,” Martin said.
Cody Pellerin, Dalton Henderson, Jackson Aldrich, Chase Wheeler, Bolduc, and Roderigue also scored for the Panthers. Nathan Pinette made 10 saves for the win.
Marcus Dunn scored a pair of goals for Hampden and assisted on another. Benner made 36 saves for the Broncos.
Travis Lazarczyk — 861-9242
Twitter: @TLazarczykMTM
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