LEWISTON – More than 90 minutes before the game, a sea of orange crammed against the Colisee glass doors. Biddeford High fans couldn’t wait to enter for the Class A hockey state final Saturday night.

Once inside they enjoyed themselves — very much.

Biddeford scored two goals 57 seconds apart in the second period, then clinched it with a goal in the third to beat defending champion Waterville 3-0 before an estimated crowd of 3,000.

Biddeford (19-2-1) won its third title in four years, after championships in 2007 and ’08. Celebrating on the ice, players were sporting T-shirts proclaiming “Dynasty 2010.”

“If they want to get new T-shirts, that’s fine with me,” said Biddeford Coach Rich Reissfelder, who was an assistant in 2008.

Waterville (14-7-1) was gunning for its 21st championship.

Brady Fleurent and Ethan Pratt scored the back-to-back goals, and Trevor Fleurent iced it on a power play in the third.

Biddeford goalie Matt Roy made 31 saves, swallowing up shots and letting his defense sweep away any rebounds.

“I just kept everything simple,” Roy said. “Played my angles, came out and challenged the shooters. Didn’t do anything spectacular. Played safe and sound.

“I knew if I kept us in it, we’d win it.”

That was in doubt early. Waterville’s vaunted defense squashed Biddeford’s equally vaunted offense for half the game, closing gaps quickly.

“I was telling the boys on the bench, ‘They’re outworking you. Don’t let them outwork you,’ ” Reissfelder said.

The Tigers had little room to roam and put only six shots on goal through the first 19 minutes.

“They came out hard,” Brady Fleurent said. “They’re a big team and they got in our way a lot.”

The Fleurent brothers have been a productive combination all year, but the Panthers did their best to keep them apart.

Interestingly, Trevor Fleurent was in the penalty box — part of matching penalties — when Biddeford broke out.

Defenseman Eric Grover sent in the puck and a scrum ensued. Derek Reny and Craig Anton took whacks at the puck.

Brady Fleurent took possession, faked goalie Ryan Cormier, then slid the puck around his pad for a goal at 12:18.

“I was just right there,” Brady Fleurent said.

The physical Panthers, looking to grab the momentum back, began hitting every Biddeford player they could.

Soon after the first goal, Reny skated into the slot and three Panthers converged on him. Reny poked the puck out to a wide-open Ethan Pratt. He slapped the puck in at 13:11. The Biddeford side of the Colisee exploded, joyful and loud.

“I was shocked it found the back of the net,” Pratt said. “Bodies were all over the place and I just threw it at the net.”

The Panthers are known for their strong third periods, but Roy held off the charge, making 10 more saves.

Waterville outshot Biddeford, 31-23.

“I thought we outplayed them until the last two minutes of the second period when they scored those two goals,” Waterville Coach Dennis Martin said. “Then we came out like gangbusters in the third but their goalie did a nice job.”

Waterville made a big mistake near the end of the game, whistled for too many men on the ice at 12:19 of the third.

Trevor Fleurent skated outside the crease and roofed a backhander at 14:09.

Soon the Tigers’ sticks were dropped, the gloves went flying and in between hugs, new T-shirts went on display.

 

Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be reached at 791-6411 or at:

kthomas@pressherald.com