AUBURN — The Leavitt/Edward Little/Poland Red Hornets had a quick start Wednesday evening at Norway Savings Bank Arena and parlayed it into an 8-2 victory over the Winslow/Gardiner Black Tigers at Norway Savings Bank Arena.

Saige Arseneault, Kaylee Younk and Mariah Vaillancourt each had a pair of goals for the Red Hornets, who improve to 4-1-1 on the season.

Offense was clicking for both teams in the first period. The Red Hornets jumped out to a 3-0 lead with goals from Arseneault, Taylor Callier and Alison MacKenize.

“I think every game this season we had a slow start,” Red Hornets coach Shon Collins said. “It’s one of the things we really wanted to focus on is coming out with some good energy and generating some chances aright off the bat. I thought the girls really did. We came out with good energy and put them on their heels a little bit.”

Arseneault’s goal was on the power play 3:09 into the game, and was the Red Hornets’ first official shot on goal.

Anna Chadwick put the Black Tigers on the board when she picked up a loose puck in front of the crease at the 4:57 mark.

“I thought both teams skated extremely hard,” Winslow/Gardiner coach Chris Downing said. “Their talent really came through.”

Younk, who assisted on the opening two goals of the contest, stretched the lead at the 8:01 mark for the Red Hornets.

“I think honestly, I think this is one of my worst games,” Younk said. “I think my teammates helped me out the most.”

The Black Tigers, scored a power play goal of their own with four minutes remaining in the period. The offensive zone faceoff to the left of Red Hornets goalie Maranda Guimond was won back to Evelyn Hinkley, who blasted the puck in from the point.

Assists went to Sarah Morgan and Julia Hinkley.

The Red Hornets had another quick start in the second period. Haley Frohlich found Vaillancourt for the sixth goal of the game.

Things started to quiet down for both teams for most of the middle frame. Arseneault picked up her second goal of the game on the Red Hornets’ second power play. Madison Simard set the goal up at the 12:49 mark.

“We knew they were a stronger team this year,” Collins said. “They came out and found their legs a little bit and started evening the ice out and bringing it to us. I thought our girls were still doing good things, but they turned it up a bit on their side.”

The Black Tigers came out strong in the third, getting the first five shots on goal, but Younk padded the Red Hornets’ lead with her second goal of the game when a shot deflected off her hip and fluttered over Winslow/Gardiner goalie Cassandra Demers for a 7-2 lead.

“I though we came out real strong in the third period,” Downing said. “The first half of the third period was a good effort on our part. It shows our girls didn’t quit and that’s all you can ask for is for the girls not to quit.”

Vaillancourt picked up her second goal of the game at the 11:28 mark of the third period.