Kents Hill back after long break

Tuesday, January 3, 2006

By SCOTT MARTIN
Staff Writer

Win-Dale ends a tough opening stretch to start its season when it plays at York on Wednesday night. The Ice Dogs opened the season against four of the top teams in Western B -- Yarmouth, Cape Elizabeth, Greely and York. Yarmouth has struggled out of the gate and is currently 0-5, but the other three teams have combined for a 10-5 record. Cape Elizabeth is 4-3, while both York and Greely are 3-1.

So far, the Ice Dogs are 1-2, beating Yarmouth 3-2 in overtime in the season opener, then losing 3-0 to Cape Elizabeth and 4-1 to Greely.

Win-Dale returns from the Christmas break on a high after winning the Founders' Cup, hosted by the Kennebec Ice Arena. The Ice Dogs went to a shootout to beat Gardiner in the first round, then beat Leavitt 3-2 in the tournament championship game on a short-handed goal by Mike Fleischmann with 5:33 left. "We had a good first period and a decent second period but we took too many penalties in the third," Win-Dale coach Dave St. Hilaire said of the win over Leavitt.

Win-Dale has run the left-wing lock a lot this season to try to slow down its opponents. The Ice Dogs have been successful and have also gotten solid play from goalie Tavis Hasenfus, who has averaged 34 saves a game in the regular season.

"We find that no matter who we are up against or how well we play or how poorly we play, we are always in the game because of Tavis," St. Hilaire said.

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ICE CHIPS: One of Eastern A's top teams faces one of Eastern B's top teams when Messalonskee hosts Orono at Sukee Arena at 7:40 p.m. Saturday. . . . Jason Fitton has a knack for late game heroics. Less than a week after scoring with 22.8 seconds left to give Waterville a 2-1 win in the championship game of the Central Maine Motors Auto Group Holiday Hockey Invitational, Fitton scored with 45 seconds left to send the Panthers' game with Brunswick into overtime. (Brunswick won 3-2). Fitton also scored the game-winner in overtime against Bangor to lift Waterville to a 5-4 win in its season opener.

Scott Martin -- 621-5618

smartin@centralmaine.com