WINSLOW — Neither a long layoff nor the Brewer Witches could slow the Messalonskee hockey team in an Eastern B semifinal Saturday evening.

And that was clear from the get-go before a large crowd at Sukee Arena.

Brandon Nale and Jake Dexter each scored four goals — including first period hat tricks — and the top-seeded Eagles took another dominant step forward in its quest for a second straight Class B state title with a 12-1 blitzing of Brewer.

“We were ready to go,” Messalonskee coach Joe Hague said. “We had the foot on the pedal and we kept going.”

Did they ever.

Jared Cunningham had a goal and a whopping seven assists as the Eagles (18-1-0) — playing their first meaningful game in about two weeks — shook off any proverbial rust and put this one away early.

The defending Class B state champ Eagles will play No. 2 Waterville (13-4-1) or No. 3 Winslow (13-6-0) in the regional final Tuesday night at 7 at the University of Maine.

“We like to get out to a fast start,” Cunningham said. “We want to get the lead and never look back. We don’t like to come from behind.”

The Eagles (18-1-0) haven’t been in that situation much this season, and Saturday was certainly no exception.

They exploded for four goals in the opening 10 minutes before No. 4 Brewer (9-8-3) answered with its lone goal, courtesy of Zach Duncan.

Of course, it was too little too late, even with more than two periods left to be played.

“We played really, really well,” Nale said. “We got the start we wanted.”

Nale scored the first of his four goals with 10 minutes, 33 seconds left in the first, when he buried a shot past Brewer goalie Tyler Friel from the high slot. The goal came just 31 seconds after Friel robbed Nale on a breakaway.

“I had to bury that one,” Nale said. “He had just stopped me so I wanted that one.”

Nale pushed the Eagles’ lead to 2-0 on a great individual effort along the right dasher with just under eight minutes left in the period. The tough and shifty forward stole the puck off the boards, skated into space and ripped a low shot past Friel to the far left post.

“Felt good,” he said.

Dexter would score a pair of goals about a minute apart later in the period, the second right after a Brewer timeout, and the Eagles were well on their way to their fourth straight trip to the Eastern B final.

His first came on a one-timer from the slot after a he took a nice centering pass from — who else — Nale with 5:10 left in the period.”I’ve had a few of these games but this felt good,” Dexter said.

Messalonskee carried a 6-1 lead into the second period before Nale struck again just 2:20 into the second.

“It went quick,” Hague said. “We just got rolling and didn’t stop.”

The Eagles scored five more goals in the third, including ones from Shea McCann and Dylan Burton. Messalonskee goalie Elija Tuell finished with 18 saves.

Bill Stewart – 621-5618

bstewart@centralmaine.com

@billstewartmtm