LEWISTON — If Thursday night was the last time the L/A Nordiques took the ice on their home rink at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee this season, they certainly gave the fans a memorable finale.

A three-goal second, including two power-play goals, paced the Nordiques to a 5-1 victory over the Northeast Generals in Game 1 of the NA3HL Coastal Division finals.

“Seconds are usually our better periods,” L/A coach Cam Robichaud said. “I feel like we have pretty good legs, and we’re conditioned pretty well. So we try to really pounce on teams in the second, and it played in our favor today.”

The Nordiques can wrap up the best-of-three series and clinch a spot in the Fraser Cup championship tournament with a win in Game 2 at Northeast’s home rink in Attleboro, Massachusetts, on Friday at 7:30 p.m.

“Road hockey is not pretty, so just get the job done,” L/A defenseman Cole Ouellette said. “We know it’s going to be a battle. They’re really good in their rink.”

L/A went on its first power play less than a minute into the game, but couldn’t get much going with the man advantage. Zack Mullen scored the lone goal of the opening period, tipping in a Ouellette point shot with less than four minutes left in the frame.

Nordiques goalie Andrew Ghimpeteanu wasn’t tested much in the first, stopping seven mostly harmless shots, but he had to step up early in the second. He stonewalled Thad Marcola less than four minutes in, then made a couple more saves before the Nordiques were able to flip momentum their way.

That came in the form of a 2-on-1 that Josh Malone finished all by himself. Malone kept the puck, then slapped a shot from the left circle past Generals goalie John Driscoll. Alex Rivet started the play from the defensive end and was credited with the assist.

“It’s a huge swing because it gets us up by two, rather it being a 1-1 hockey game,” Robichaud said. “I guess you see that often, right? A goalie makes a big save on one end, quick transition, and I’d say it was the best goal I’ve ever seen out of Josh Malone. You know, a hard shot to the net and it was well-placed.”

“Had ton of pressure, really came out flying and buzzing and cycling the puck, and doing exactly what we kind of tried to dictate to the kids to do,” Generals owner/GM/assistant Bryan Erikson said, “and then Malone scored a beautiful goal right off of probably our best pressure of the game.

“And, to me, that was the game.”

Rivet was on the scoring end of the Nordiques’ next goal, and Ouellette was once again in the giving mood. The defenseman dished off to his former Lewiston High School teammate just inside the blue line in the early moments of a power play, and Rivet ripped a short-side shot past Driscoll 5:38 into the second.

A third Nordiques power play created little opportunity, but they capitalized again on their fourth late in the middle frame.

JP Chauvin hit the post with one point shot, but his second try moments later went in, as Sergei Anisimov was setting the screen. Ouellette had the primary assist, and Joshua Sanchez the secondary with 1:58 left before the second intermission.

“We worked power play a lot in practice, and we knew we had to cash in on our opportunities against a good team like this,” Ouellette said.

L/A defenseman Donovan Tehan met Ghimpeteanu in the crease at the end of the second, saluting the goalie for a big period that included 12 saves.

“He was our backbone at times tonight,” Robichaud said.

Rivet made it 5-0 midway through the third by going to his backhand to finish off an assist from Chauvin.

Joshua Dimond ended Ghimpeteanu’s shutout bid with 1:58 left, firing a point shot in during a delayed penalty. Preston Phelps and Carson Asper had assists.

Still, Ghimpeteanu stopped 24 of 25 shots for the win. Driscoll made 28 saves for the Generals, who now must win at home to keep their season going.

“As an organization, we would like to think we got the kids that when their back’s up against the wall they do a good job,” Erikson said.

wkramlich@sunjournal.com

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