Entering the third period with a three-goal lead over the Northeast Generals, the Fighting Spirit put four more up in the final period for a 8-1 victory Saturday night at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee.

The Fighting Spirit improved to 6-0 to start the season.

“We always been taught, keep going, don’t stop,” Fighting Spirit forward Alexander Friend said. “It’s the mentality we all have and all love to do.”

Dylan Vrees led the Fighting Spirit with a hat trick and two assists.

“I just found open space and, I mean, I owe it all to my linemates, they are great,” Vrees said. “They give me the puck and usually I give it back or put it into the net.”

After the Fighting Spirit controlled the tempo for the opening five minutes, the Generals struck first. Kevin Perry’s stretch pass from his own zone found Kyle Hoxie, who split the Fighting Spirit defense in the neutral zone. Hoxie had Fighting Spirit goalie Claes Endre in his sights and went top shelf to give the Generals a 1-0 lead at the 5:05 mark.

Endre made two key saves right after giving up the first goal, including one at the 7:29 mark when the puck was turned over right in front of him.

Endre only needed to make 15 saves for the victory while Steven Murphy made 45 saves for the Generals in the loss.

The Fighting Spirit peppered Murphy the entire period. He had to make two or three saves in a row multiple times throughout the first period.

Vrees finally broke the ice when he put home a Colby Siering rebound as the puck was sitting in the crease after Siering’s partial breakaway. The goal came with 2:49 remaining in the opening period.

The Fighting Spirit opened the scoring up in the second period. David Fish put L/A up 2-1 when he picked up the loose puck in the slot and fired it past Murphy’s glove hand 73 seconds into the the middle frame. Alexander Friend picked up the lone assist.

“(Murphy) drops early, Fish had a real nice goal over the top of his glove,” Fighting Spirit coach Rod Simmons said. “The kid went down and gave up a lot of the net there, and I think Vrees had two shifty moves on the two shorthanded goals that might have been five-hole.”

Friend, who had two assists, was doing the things that don’t get recorded on the scoresheet.

“I was just doing my job, going into the corners, hitting bodies and grinding it out,” Friend said. “Doing what I do best.”

A little over minute later after a Siering penalty for interference, Vrees scored a shorthanded goal on a partial breakaway. Brady McNulty was credited with an assist. Cam DuFault stretched the lead out to 4-1 midway through the second period as he picked the puck up in the neutral zone and went all alone on Murphy. 

“Our coach teaches us to be aggressive and I was playing aggressive like I normally do,” Vrees said of his shorthanded goals. “They were a little sluggish back there and coughed it up, I was able to put it home.”

Vrees completed the hat trick with another shorthanded goal after Fish went off for a five-minute hitting-from-behind penalty, for which he was also given a game misconduct. Vrees’ third goal came with 4:56 to play in the period.

The Fighting Spirit took advantage of their power play opportunities. Nick Hudson’s blast from the tight point stretched the lead to 6-1 midway through the third. Simon-Richard Corriveau and Friend set the goal up. Vrees and Friend found McNulty for the second power play goal. With seven minutes remaining Vrees and Siering found Thomas Kuntz at the left point who blasted it past Murphy.

“Even thought it was a little lopsided with the score, we need to keep the foot on the gas,” Simmons said. “The guys need to know how to win. You can’t get comfortable, you play until the whistle blows. That’s what we are trying to do right now.”

The Spirit were 3-for-8 on the man advantage while the Generals were scoreless on their five chances.

nfournier@sunjournal.com