St. Dominic’s Lucas Pushard moves the puck down the ice as Biddeford’s Trevor Ouellette stays on his tail during the hockey game at the Norway Savings Bank Arena in Auburn on Saturday.(Andree Kehn/Sun Journal)
AUBURN — Now matter how many skaters were on the ice, the St. Dom’s boys’ hockey team found a way to score on Biddeford.
The Saints scored power-play, short-handed, four-on-four and empty-net goals as they glided to a 4-1 win Saturday at Norway Savings Bank Arena.
St. Dom’s head coach Bob Parker was worried about the kind of energy his players would play with to begin the game.
“I thought in pregame they were all really down and stuff, and I got pretty angry with them and I was worried about how they would come out,” Parker said. “But they came out like young men, they skated hard, they passed the puck, they played great defense, and I was really happy with how we played.”
St. Dom’s found itself trying to kill a penalty five minutes into the game. Before it was over, Jaden Webster came from behind the net with the puck and flicked it over the shoulder of Biddeford goalie Owen Sullivan with a second remaining on the power play.
“It was a grinding goal right in front and when something like that goes in you take it and you smile and be happy with it,” Parker said. “It shows that we do have some depth on the team. We definitely don’t want to be in the penalty box and try to score goals, that’s for sure.”
Later in the period, St. Dom’s found its offensive stride and started putting up more and more shots on Biddeford. A penalty was called on Biddeford’s Colin Petit and St. Dom’s went to work.
After a scrum in the middle and multiple shots being taken at point-blank range, Saints captain Mackenzie Pelletier was able to squeeze the puck through the left corner for the second goal of the game.
In the second, Biddeford entered the ice firing.
Biddeford got three shots on goal within the first 40 seconds, and 20 in the entire period. However, St. Dom’s goalie Gaston Fuksa saved them all.
“I think this was very good for the whole team, not only for me,” Fuksa said. “It was a lot of offense, defense and blocked shots. All the players helped me.”
Six minutes into the period, the Saints had three great chances, including a goal that was waved off after the net was pushed off the line. That didn’t deter the home team as it found the back of the cage with two minutes remaining.
Penalties were called on both teams, causing both to be short-handed and playing four-on-four. St. Dom’s tapped the puck free and out to the left side by the blue line, where Dominic Chasse drove and ripped a liner into the top-right corner of the net to increase the Saints’ lead to three goals.
In the third, Biddeford got on the board via a shot from Petit. Overall, however, it was more of the same for the Saints as Fuksa saved 13 more shots.
Pelletier scored an empty net goal with a minute remaining to seal it.
Biddeford’s Trenton Ouellette controls the puck behind the goal as St. Dominic’s Dominic Chasse stays right behind him during the hockey game at the Norway Savings Bank Arena in Auburn on Saturday.(Andree Kehn/Sun Journal)St. Dominic’s Jaden Webster piles up with Biddeford’s Evan Paquette during the hockey game at the Norway Savings Bank Arena in Auburn on Saturday.(Andree Kehn/Sun Journal)All eyes are on St. Dominic’s William Fletcher as he stops the puck during the hockey game at the Norway Savings Bank Arena in Auburn on Saturday. Biddeford’s Logan Magnant, CJ Thorne and St. Dominic’s (Andree Kehn/Sun Journal)St. Dominic’s Mack Pelletier looks past Biddeford’s Liam Turner for a teammate to pass to during the hockey game at the Norway Savings Bank Arena in Auburn on Saturday.(Andree Kehn/Sun Journal)An early goal in the first quarter by St. Dominic’s is witnessed by St. Dominic’s Michael Cilley, on the left as Biddeford’s Liam Turner, Curtis Petit and goalie Owen Sullivan all watch the puck bounce off the back of the goal during the hockey game at the Norway Savings Bank Arena in Auburn on Saturday.(Andree Kehn/Sun Journal)St. Dominic’s Hunter Hughes keeps his eye on the puck as Biddeford’s Logan Magnant and Ian Couture move in to the play during the hockey game at the Norway Savings Bank Arena in Auburn on Saturday.(Andree Kehn/Sun Journal)
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