Boys Hockey: Gorham topples Kennebunk for B West win and another trip to States

Kennebunk jumped on top 2-0 early in Wednesday night’s B West final, but a pair of goals notched by Gorham’s Carl Bear powered a comeback.

Kennebunk surged ahead again as the second drew to a close, but Gorham would tie things up again – and secure victory – in the third. Travis Mansir inched the team ahead, 5-4, with just 1:20 to play, and Kennebunk’s last-ditch efforts came up short.

“From the last game we played – when we played Yarmouth, we were down one and we knew that it was possible to come back,” said Mansir of Gorham’s resurgence. “We just never gave up, and just went harder and skated faster and gave it all we got, and came out with the win.”

Kennebunk, who entered the playoffs ranked first, retires for the year at 15-3-2. When the teams closed out their schedules together, on Feb. 18 – none too long ago, in fact – Kennebunk battered Gorham, 6-0.

“We had a different strategy,” Gorham head coach John Portwine said of his squad’s approach to once again facing a team who’d so recently controlled them. “We brought the puck out differently, and our defensive zone coverage played it a little differently as well.

“I think they caught us by surprise, the first time we played.”

The result bumps No. 6 Gorham to 14-5-2 on the year and earns them another shot at a state championship – they reached the title bout in 2014, but fell hard to Messalonskee. Who’ll Gorham’s opponent be, come Saturday at 1 p.m.? None other than the Messalonskee Eagles all over again.

Look for more coverage of the B West Final against Kennebunk, as well as coverage of Gorham’s battle for the State crown, in next week’s American Journal and online at www.keepmecurrent.com/sports.

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