BRIDGTON, Maine — The Fryeburg Academy/Lake Region/Oxford Hills hockey team has been in more than its fair share of close games this season. Those nail-biters paid dividends in the opening round of the Class A playoffs on Wednesday night. The No. 6 seeded Ice Cats beat No. 11 Marshwood/Traip/Sanford/Noble 4-3 in four overtimes for their first career playoff win at Chalmers Ice Arena in Bridgton before a record crowd.

The contest was a thriller and both players, coaches and spectators were thoroughly exhausted at junior Owen Galligan lit the lamp with 3:46 left in the fourth overtime to advance the Ice Cats into the Elite Eight. As a great sign of respect following the game, for the first time since the COVID-19 pandemic surfaced, players for the Knighthawks and Ice Cats opted not to do the socially-distanced wave but instead returned to the traditional handshake line. It was great to see the players and coaches show a true sign of mutual respect for each other.

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