The girls' hockey program at Assabet Valley in Concord, Mass., has produced numerous collegians and several U.S. Olympians, as well as many national youth hockey championships.

Sunday, a trio of Maine girls helped Assabet Valley add to its championship legacy.

Katherine Pate of Saco and Kara Violette of Greene played on the U12 team that won the national title, as Violette scored in the eighth overtime to beat Team Pittsburgh, 2-1. And Ashley Salerno of Harpswell was a defenseman on the U16 team that beat the Connecticut Polar Bears 2-0 a few hours later.

"Those three girls are all pretty good players," said Dennis Laing, who coached both teams. "Maine should be proud of them. Who knows, you might see one of them on the national team some day if they keep working at it."

Saturday's U12 game is already legendary.

After Pittsburgh's Stephanie Lemieux – yes, Mario's daughter – scored with 51 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 1-1, the teams played through seven 10-minute overtimes before Violette scored her second goal of the game on a breakaway. She had been stopped earlier on a breakaway, but this time she deked to her backhand and lifted the puck into the net 2:42 in overtime No. 8.

"It's not the first time I've seen her do that, but that was the prettiest goal I've ever seen from her," said Laing. "It was wonderful."

The game started at 8 a.m. and didn't end until 12:15 p.m.

"I was just really, really tired," said Violette. "Everyone was. And they kept saying, 'I love you Kara. I love you Kara.' I couldn't believe it went in."

Pate, who played in the nationals last year for a team from Biddeford, said she was just happy the game ended. Laing was giving her extra shifts in overtime. "I don't know how much longer I could have gone," she said.

The game was draining for everyone, including the parents. "I think about the second overtime you want to throw up," said Jim Pate. "But by the end, you're just so emotionally drawn it's a shame somebody has to lose that game."

Violette, who makes a three-hour-plus drive to practice at least twice a week, was the leading scorer in the tournament with six goals and four assists.

The U16 game wasn't as dramatic, but it was certainly just as meaningful to the players. Salerno, who played on a U12 national championship team, knows what it's like to play in this tournament and not win it. She was on Assabet's U14 team that finished third last year.

"I think it's going to take a few days to really settle in," she said. "This one means a lot. Last year was heart-breaking. This one's definitely worth it."

Staff Writer Mike Lowe can be contacted at 791-6422 or at:
mlowe@pressherald.com