Dom Tocci scored on a backhander in the final second Wednesday night as fourth-seeded Portland/Deering advanced to the Class A South boys’ hockey semifinals with a 6-5 victory against fifth-ranked Massabesic/Bonny Eagle/Old Orchard Beach at Troubh Arena.

The winner capped a three-goal surge in the final 4:26 for the Bulldogs (11-7-1), who will meet top-ranked Falmouth (14-3-1) in the semifinals Saturday at Lewiston.

“I was in line with the scoreboard and Dom Tocci backhanded it,” Portland Coach Jeff Beaney said. “When I looked it was zero zero point one. Then everything went white when everyone jumped off the bench.”

Portland advanced to the semifinals for the first time since 2003, when the team was solely made up of Portland players, not combined with Deering.

“There was a faceoff in our zone. I was honestly just trying to push the (opposing faceoff) guy forward and have Mason (Martell) come through (for a shot),” said Dominic Tocci.

“The puck trickled out and my brother (Donnie) caught it. (His shot) was blocked and it came right to me. I just threw it (on net) and hoped for the best.”

A penalty on Dom Tocci – who missed part of an 8-6 loss and 3-3 tie to the Mustangs (11-6-2) during the season after a major penalty and ensuing suspension – allowed the Mustangs to take a late lead.

With 8:14 left in a 3-3 game, Tocci’s unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for taking a shot on goal after the whistle blew came at the same time of a Martell tripping call.

Massabesic wasted no time. Cameron Roy scored off a pass from Tanner McClure (one goal, three assists) four seconds after the penalties.

With Tocci still in the box, the Mustangs upped the lead to 5-3 only 1:08 later when Travis Marsh found the back of the net. McClure assisted.

A little more than two minutes later, at 4:26, Donnie Tocci picked up a rebound of Joe Herboldsheimer’s shot and buried a wrister. It was his second goal of the game.

“The guys were mad. They felt like things went against them there on the (two) penalties,” Beaney said. “The key was to make it a one-goal game. Massabesic was a little bit on their heels.”

After making it 5-4, the Bulldogs kept the puck in the Mustangs’ end for more than a minute. Beaney finally pulled goalie Sam Segal with 1:07 remaining with a faceoff in the offensive zone.

Miki Silva (one goal, one assist) drew the puck back to Cam King, who fired in a wrist shot with 1:05 left to make it 5-5.

“That is a good team we played. We knew it would be a battle to the end,” Massabesic Coach Loren Blair said. “I thought we had them where we wanted them. But we started to make mental mistakes and they capitalized on them. They worked hard all three periods and used every second of the game.

“We made some mental mistakes on faceoffs and not getting the puck into (our offensive) zone. It turned in a hurry.”

The teams traded goals to make the game 3-3. Silva, Donnie Tocci and Martell scored for Portland. Brandon Caron scored twice and Tyler Ouellette once for Massabesic.

“On the bench we knew it wasn’t over,” Dom Tocci said. “We were going to fight to the end. Luckily I was able to come through.

“Sometimes the puck just finds you.”

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