Biddeford skates by Storm 4-2 in boys hockey
Biddeford skates by Storm 4-2 in boys hockey
By Emory Rounds
Special to the Leader
If there had been any lingering questions about the emergence of Biddeford High School hockey as a southern Maine powerhouse, they were decisively answered by the Tigers in their 4-2 victory over Scarborough on Jan. 6.
Not that there had been many questions to begin with.
Between the reliably stellar play of goalie Tony Dube and a powerful rotation of lines that have seen as much contribution from sophomores as seniors, the Tigers have played some dominant hockey so far this winter, leaping out to an impressive 6-1 start.
Although that did not prevent them from feeling like underdogs with something to prove against the Red Storm, who are now 6-2.
“This is about proving ourselves to the rest of the league,” said Brian Dumoulin, who scored the game-tying goal that regained the momentum for Biddeford. “Nobody gave us any respect before this game and now by knocking off one of the top teams in the state, it has given us a lot of confidence.”
And for the first two minutes of hockey on Saturday, the Tigers looked like confidence was one thing they were not short on. An overpowering opening offensive paid off just 1:08 into the period, when junior forward Tyler Fleurent connected close to the top of the stands-side circle and shot the puck past Red Storm goalie Josh Larrabee for the 1-0 lead.
“It felt great,” said Fleurent. “I just tried to get it on the net and it went in. I just saw an opening and hit it.”
But the Red Storm would not cave so easily and for the remainder of the period they shut down the Tigers’ offense, out shooting Biddeford 11-2. Scarborough coolly overpowered the suddenly cautious Tigers, and with 6:09 remaining the Red Storm would tie it up on a self-rebounded goal by freshman forward Nate Gadbois.
“We have all the respect in the world for [Scarborough],” said Biddeford head coach Jamie Gagnon. “They can play three or four lines that just come after you in wave after wave. For a period or so in this game there we weathered the storm a bit. At times they took it to us and at times it was back and forth.”
The Red Storm flawlessly handled a shorthanded situation early in the second period before taking the lead at 8:08 when senior forwards Ben Talbot and Brian York teamed up on a quick goal. York gave his team a leg up on a feed from center ice by Talbot before slapping it past Dube.
But the Tigers were not out of it.
Three and a half minutes later, Dumoulin would take it on himself to claw Biddeford back in the game. Starting at the blue line, the sophomore defenseman twisted and juked his way past three defenders before ripping a goal over the shoulder of Larrabee to knot things at two apiece. It was the turning point in the game, as Biddeford would go on to out shoot Scarborough 18-4 in the period.
“I just tried to get us back in game and get our momentum back up by scoring a goal,” Dumoulin said. “I knew that if I cut back to the middle, that it would open up my options so that I only had to beat one man. Then he kind of backed off of me and I had a clear shot right at the goalie.”
The Tigers would score again with under two minutes left in the period, this time on a slap shot power play goal by Fleurent from the blue line.
Biddeford would spend the first half of the third surviving a series of penalties that pinned them on defense. Scarborough’s opportunities were numerous, the most dangerous series coming with a little over eight minutes left in regulation, as Fleurent was sent to the box for the second time in five minutes on a questionable call for a blow to the head. Over the next two minutes, Dube would make three incredible saves, the final coming as he kicked his left leg out in an unbelievable effort to deflect what looked like a sure goal.
With the threat neutralized, Biddeford delivered the killing blow with just over three minutes remaining. Senior defenseman Sean Callahan passed down ice to Robbins, who gave the Tigers a 4-2 lead as he beat Larrabee with a shot past the goalie’s blind side.
“This was a big win for us against a tremendous hockey team,” Gagnon said. “We started playing more carelessly in the third and that could have hurt us. Credit our kids for stepping up on the kill against a very dangerous team.”
By Emory Rounds
Special to the Leader
If there had been any lingering questions about the emergence of Biddeford High School hockey as a southern Maine powerhouse, they were decisively answered by the Tigers in their 4-2 victory over Scarborough on Jan. 6.
Not that there had been many questions to begin with.
Between the reliably stellar play of goalie Tony Dube and a powerful rotation of lines that have seen as much contribution from sophomores as seniors, the Tigers have played some dominant hockey so far this winter, leaping out to an impressive 6-1 start.
Although that did not prevent them from feeling like underdogs with something to prove against the Red Storm, who are now 6-2.
“This is about proving ourselves to the rest of the league,” said Brian Dumoulin, who scored the game-tying goal that regained the momentum for Biddeford. “Nobody gave us any respect before this game and now by knocking off one of the top teams in the state, it has given us a lot of confidence.”
And for the first two minutes of hockey on Saturday, the Tigers looked like confidence was one thing they were not short on. An overpowering opening offensive paid off just 1:08 into the period, when junior forward Tyler Fleurent connected close to the top of the stands-side circle and shot the puck past Red Storm goalie Josh Larrabee for the 1-0 lead.
“It felt great,” said Fleurent. “I just tried to get it on the net and it went in. I just saw an opening and hit it.”
But the Red Storm would not cave so easily and for the remainder of the period they shut down the Tigers’ offense, out shooting Biddeford 11-2. Scarborough coolly overpowered the suddenly cautious Tigers, and with 6:09 remaining the Red Storm would tie it up on a self-rebounded goal by freshman forward Nate Gadbois.
“We have all the respect in the world for [Scarborough],” said Biddeford head coach Jamie Gagnon. “They can play three or four lines that just come after you in wave after wave. For a period or so in this game there we weathered the storm a bit. At times they took it to us and at times it was back and forth.”
The Red Storm flawlessly handled a shorthanded situation early in the second period before taking the lead at 8:08 when senior forwards Ben Talbot and Brian York teamed up on a quick goal. York gave his team a leg up on a feed from center ice by Talbot before slapping it past Dube.
But the Tigers were not out of it.
Three and a half minutes later, Dumoulin would take it on himself to claw Biddeford back in the game. Starting at the blue line, the sophomore defenseman twisted and juked his way past three defenders before ripping a goal over the shoulder of Larrabee to knot things at two apiece. It was the turning point in the game, as Biddeford would go on to out shoot Scarborough 18-4 in the period.
“I just tried to get us back in game and get our momentum back up by scoring a goal,” Dumoulin said. “I knew that if I cut back to the middle, that it would open up my options so that I only had to beat one man. Then he kind of backed off of me and I had a clear shot right at the goalie.”
The Tigers would score again with under two minutes left in the period, this time on a slap shot power play goal by Fleurent from the blue line.
Biddeford would spend the first half of the third surviving a series of penalties that pinned them on defense. Scarborough’s opportunities were numerous, the most dangerous series coming with a little over eight minutes left in regulation, as Fleurent was sent to the box for the second time in five minutes on a questionable call for a blow to the head. Over the next two minutes, Dube would make three incredible saves, the final coming as he kicked his left leg out in an unbelievable effort to deflect what looked like a sure goal.
With the threat neutralized, Biddeford delivered the killing blow with just over three minutes remaining. Senior defenseman Sean Callahan passed down ice to Robbins, who gave the Tigers a 4-2 lead as he beat Larrabee with a shot past the goalie’s blind side.
“This was a big win for us against a tremendous hockey team,” Gagnon said. “We started playing more carelessly in the third and that could have hurt us. Credit our kids for stepping up on the kill against a very dangerous team.”
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