PORTLAND — The Lewiston Blue Devils can always count on a Leah in big games.
Leah Landry scored two goals to power Lewiston to the 2022 Maine Principals’ Association girls hockey state championship with a 3-0 win over Scarborough at Troubh Ice Arena on Saturday.
“It put the bookends for Leah Landry,” Lewiston coach Ron Dumont said. “She’s quite a player, she gets the first one and, open net or not, she gets the last one.”
Wednesday, another Lewiston Leah, Leah Dube, boosted the Blue Devils into the state title game with a hat trick in a 3-0 win over Edward Little/Leavitt/Poland in the Northern regional final. Dube also scored the overtime winner against Cape Elizabeth/South Portland/Waynflete in the 2020 state championship game.
Lewiston now has four state championships (2009, 2015, 2020 and 2022), more than any other girls hockey program in Maine.
Landry said she’s happy to contribute to the win.
“It’s really important for us to be able to show up every game, and it’s great we can have different (players) score for us, depending on the game, and step up,” Landry said. “Leah Dube did that the other night and then Lilly (Gish) and I happened to score tonight. That felt great.”
Scarborough coach Taylor Fowler was pleased with the Red Storm’s effort.
“I am proud of the kids. We are upset not to win, but we are proud we made it this far,” Fowler said. “At the beginning of the season, we did not think we’d get this far.”
The Blue Devils (17-2) controlled most of the first period Saturday, but neither team scored. Landry got off a point-blank shot that was denied by Scarborough goalie Ariella Swett.
Lewiston goalie Kim McLaughlin made a couple of saves in the opening period, helping her get into a groove early.
“I remember one of the shots, (I saved) it with my glove,” McLaughlin said. “Saving it, I knew I was in the game because I kind of get scared facing (rising) shots like that. Once I caught it, I knew I had it.”
The Red Storm (12-6-1) had the game’s first power play in the middle of the first period but didn’t capitalize.
Lewiston broke the scoreless tie early in the second period when Landry skated to the right circle and roofed her shot past Swett for a 1-0 lead.
“That first goal, that was sniped,” Lewiston coach Ron Dumont said. “She can evaluate (the puck).”
Soon after a Scarborough timeout with about six minutes remaining in the second period, Lewiston went back on the attack and scored its second goal. Lilly Gish’s initial shot was deflected, but she quickly regained the puck and ripped it past Swett. Toree St. Hilaire was credited with an assist.
“The Scarborough goalie, she’s very good, you have to shoot for corners,” Gish said. “She’s not going to let up that first initial shot, and we knew we had to crash the net and pick corners.”
Lewiston shut down Scarborough’s attack the first 10 minutes of the third period. The Red Storm, though, had two power-play opportunities in the final five minutes.
“We knew, early on in that period, (Scarborough) was going to make a push,” Dumont said. “I told the kids, you will have to mind your manners, they will be tough, you can’t get sticks up in the air. We did get a few (penalties) at the end.”
Dumont said the penalty killers did a good job of clearing the puck down the ice and not allowing the Red Storm’s power play to set up. McLaughlin made six saves in the third period.
Lewiston players pose for a photo with the championship trophy after defeating Scarborough in the Class A girls hockey state final at Troubh Ice Arena in Portland on Saturday. Gregory Rec/Portland Press Herald
McLaughlin finished with 15 saves in the game and earned a shutout. She heaped the credit on the defense in front of her.
“I would be nothing without my defensemen,” McLaughlin said. “They carried (me) the whole game. All my teammates, I couldn’t do anything without them. My defense is a tough piece of work to get by.”
Landry finished the scoring an all but locked up the win with an empty-net goal with 85 seconds left.
Swett was pulled with 1:32 remaining. Fowler said the timing wasn’t right to make the move any sooner.
“We thought about it, but possession wasn’t in our favor,” Fowler said. “We knew Lewiston kept getting (the puck) down and kept getting opportunities. It was just tough to pull (Swett).”
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