FALMOUTH — Falmouth showed why they’re defending state champions in Class A boys’ hockey.
Brandon Peters scored a goal and added an assist, lifting the Yachtsmen past St. Dom’s, 3-1, Thursday at Falmouth Family Ice.
Neither team gained an offensive advantage through the first period as Falmouth held 7-4 lead in shots over St. Dom’s in a tight-checking contest.
St. Dom’s took the early lead on goal by Brad Berube as the puck bounced off the end board to sophomore forward for an easy tap-in at the seven-minute mark of the second period.
The Yachtsmen battled back to even the game late in the period after Matt Edmonds snapped a quick shot by Saints’ goalie Caleb Dostie with only 49 seconds left in the period.
After that goal, it was a series of events that led to the unraveling of the Saints beginning with a penalty by Dillion Pratt for hooking in the neutral with less than three seconds left in the period.
“We were there for two periods,” St. Dom’s coach Steve Ouellette said. “At the end of the day, it came down to the mental toughness. It was about 13 minutes left in the period in the second period. They get the tying goal and it changed the momentum.”
Falmouth didn’t need much time at the start of the third period to take advantage of the penalty as Jake Grade, who finished with two assists, fired a shot on net, stopped by Dostie, but he couldn’t get corall the rebound as Peters banged home the go-ahead goal only 52 seconds into the period.
“We took a late penalty in the neutral zone that we shouldn’t have taken and give up a power play goal in the third, and mentally we just didn’t react well,” Ouellette said. “That’s what it came down too.”
At 6:29, Isac Nordstrom chipped a shot off the post into the net, giving Falmouth a 3-1 lead.
With less than five minutes remaining in the game, St. Dom’s would get an extended five-on-three for 1:02 and had several quality chances to score, but Dane Pauls stood tall, making the saves as part of his 16 stops on the night.
“We had our chances on that power play,” Ouellette said. “We brought pucks to the net and tried to do some good things. We just couldn’t bang one in.”
Dostie kept the game within reach for St. Dom’s, stopping 23 of 26 shots.
“I think our goalie stepped up and showed his best effort so far this season,” said Ouellette.
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