Boys' hockey: Lewiston edges St. Dom's when Kurtis Pelletier scores in final minute

Derek Wolverton, left, of Saint Dominic Academy makes contact with Kurtis Pelletier of Lewiston during the first period in Auburn on Saturday. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)

AUBURN — The boys’ hockey rivalry between Lewiston and St. Dominic Academy picked up where it left off last season, which ended with a third straight state title for Lewiston after surviving St. Dom’s in overtime in the regional final.

The first meeting of the regular season between the two neighboring perennial powers Saturday night was another thriller, with Lewiston capitalizing on a late extended power play for a 3-2 victory at Norway Savings Bank Arena.

The game was tied 2-2 with the clock ticking under four minutes when Saints (2-2) goalie Gaston Fuksa made a 2-on-1 save on Lewiston’s Logan Tripp, who crumpled to the ice after circling around behind Fuksa and the net. After a brief skirmish between the teams around the downed Tripp — who Lewiston coach Jamie Belleau said after the game was OK — subsided, Fuksa (26 saves) was handed a five-minute spearing major and ejected from the game.

“A decision was made by the refs, and I didn’t agree with it too much, but, you know, you have to live by it,” St. Dom’s coach Bob Parker said.

Junior backup goalie Alex Roy came in and stopped the first five shots he saw during the penalty kill, but couldn’t stop Kurtis Pelletier’s rebound chance with 29.8 seconds left.

“He came in cold, very cold off the bench, and did a fantastic job,” Parker said.

While Roy was trying to get his team to overtime, the Saints’ skaters were trying to win the game for both their goalies. Will Fletcher had the best chance, but Blue Devils (4-0) goalie Jacob Smith (14 saves) stopped him with 47 seconds left.

Pelletier’s game-winner came after Willie Blanchette’s initial shot was stopped by Roy.

“Look, we had a man-advantage for the last four minutes of the game, give or take, and you never know what’s going to happen. We knew they were going to pressure with some of their forwards, and they had a couple good chances,” Belleau said. “The execution (on the power play) was good, the composure was good.”

The Saints, after surviving 11 Lewiston shots on goal in the first period, took the first lead of the game on Zack Pelletier’s power-play goal 2:33 into the second.

“You try to take everything as a learning moment. So we’re down 1-0 against our archrival in their building. We know that they really want this, this is a big game for them,” Belleau said.

“That’s what we said on the bench, ‘I told you in the first that something bad is going to happen in the game, and it’s how we respond and how we conduct ourselves, and whether we keep focused on our jobs,’” Belleau added.

The Blue Devils responded exactly three minutes later when Ridge Field scored off a faceoff.

Lewiston scored the first of its two power-play goals less than three minutes later. Caden Smith put home a rebound of a Nick Pomerleau shot.

The Saints wasted no time tying the game back up in the third period. Michael Cilley’s shot from the point found its way in 62 seconds into the final frame.

It was just the start of a solid third period for the Saints, before the game turned on its head with 3:54 to play.

“I was just telling one of my players — actually Lucas (Pushard) — about the how we felt, and how hard we worked in the third period is how we want to start our hockey games,” Parker said.

Lucas Pushard (22) of Saint Dominic Academy, Ben St. Laurent of Lewiston, Jaden Webster of St. Doms and Drew St. Hilaire of Lewiston compete for the puck during the first quarter in Auburn on Saturday. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)

Kurtis Pelletier of Lewiston focus on the puck after being tripped up by Michael Cilley of Saint Dominic Academy during the first period in Auburn on Saturday. (Daryn Slover/Sun Journal)