LEWISTON — Logan Tripp scored three goals and Lewiston’s top line combined for three more in the top-seeded Blue Devils’ 6-0 victory over eighth-seeded Bangor in a Class A boys hockey quarterfinal Saturday at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee. 

Tripp scored in each period, including the first and final goals for the Blue Devils (19-0). The forward line of seniors Kurtis Pelletier, Ben St. Laurent and Ryan Pomerleau all scored, and Pelletier and Pomerleau added two assists each. 

“The senior line has been good line for us all year,” Lewiston coach Jamie Belleau said. 

“We definitely all look up to them. Once they get going, the rest of the team follows behind,” Tripp said. “They’re great. They just bring their best every game, and that’s all you can ask for, really.”

The Blue Devils next face fourth-seeded South Portland/Waynflete/Freeport (12-6-1) in the semifinals Tuesday at 8 p.m. at the Colisee.

Tripp, who played on a line with Pelletier and Pomerleau last season, opened the scoring in the middle of the first period. The Blue Devils had to find ways to get the puck past Bangor sophomore goalie Jake Hirsch, whose acrobatics in the crease kept the game scoreless for the first 6:18 — until Tripp fired a shot past him off Michael Belleau’s takeaway and assist. 

Pelletier nearly made it 2-0 just over a minute later, but video review took away the would-be goal that rang down off the crossbar. 

Pelletier later slid one in on a Lewiston power play late in the first. Hirsch made a sprawling save against Pomerleau, but Pelletier found the loose puck in the crease and pushed it in to give the Blue Devils a 2-0 lead after one period. Drew St. Hilaire had the secondary assist. 

The Rams (8-12) never found such luck near the goal. 

“First period, had a great 2-on-1, great drive, and the puck bounced over the net. I feel like that was our luck today,” Bangor coach Quinn Paradis said. “We had our chances and we just didn’t finish.” 

The Rams came out strong in the second period. Sean Hyatt, who was active for Bangor all game, put a shot on Blue Devils goalie Keegan McLaughlin in the first minute, and the Rams held a 6-3 edge in shots on goal at one point. Daniel McCarthy’s shot just past the midway point lingered loose in the crease before Lewiston’s Owen Cox cleared it away. 

‘FINDING THE REMOTE’

The Blue Devils’ top line all pitched in to grab momentum back for Lewiston. A scrum in the crease ended with Ben St. Laurent putting the puck in. Pelletier and Pomerleau assisted on the goal with just under three minutes left. 

“You got to get to the paint, right? It’s where you score goals,” Belleau said. “What do we say, they’re really good at finding the remote in the recliner. It’s the same thing as getting toes to the paint, got to get sticks to the paint.

“We take a lot of pride in getting to the net, putting a lot of pucks to the net. We did that tonight, we had some success.” 

McLaughlin made a save on David Brown’s shorthanded shot moments later, then at the other end Tripp scored off an assist from Sam Laroche on the power play to give the Blue Devils a 4-0 lead heading into the third. 

“We had a good second. We took that undisciplined penalty and it kind of just stemmed from there in the second,” Paradis said. 

Lewiston’s legs then took over in the third. After getting out-shot 8-7 in the second, the Blue Devils poured the pucks on goal to the tune of a 22-2 advantage in the final frame. Pomerleau scored off Pelletier’s assist, then Tripp scored his third goal off a rebound of Owen Cox’s initial shot. 

“Both goalies did very well with rebounds, I think. But I was able to get (Hirsch) around and finish,” Tripp said. “And it felt good to complete the hat trick, but just the momentum that it brought to us was very helpful.” 

“It felt good that the team was clicking the way it did, because obviously I wouldn’t have those goals without everyone else,” Tripp added. 

McLaughlin stopped all 16 shots he faced for the shutout, while Hirsch made 37 saves on 43 shots.