Players know their team may have more shots on goal and more chances to score than their opponents, but all that matters is what’s on the scoreboard at the end of the game. The Cape Elizabeth hockey team outshot Leavitt 17-8 after the first period and 36-25 overall, but still wound on the losing end of a 3-2 contest on Monday evening at the Cumberland County Civic Center.

Cape (3-1) had won their first three games of the season (Gorham, Greely, and Cheverus) and they entered the Class B encounter with plenty of confidence and momentum. Leavitt made the trip from Turner with a chip on their shoulder and something to prove – to themselves and the rest of the league.

“They wanted it more than us,” said Cape Elizabeth hockey coach Jason Tremblay about visiting Leavitt. “My hat’s off to Leavitt. They played hard.”

The Hornets may have had fewer opportunities in the first period, but they took advantage of the chances they had. A goal four minutes into the game gave the visitors a 1-0 lead, and Cape was unable to get the equalizer in that opening 15 minutes of play.

Cape Elizabeth goalie Lincoln Jordan kept his team within striking distance with a pair of pad saves in the closing minute of the period.

Cape tried to weather a Leavitt attack at the start of the second period with Sether Hanson, Peter Kelley, Zach Breed and Matt Roy turning in a solid defensive shift on the ice. The Hornets’ pressure eventually paid off as they pulled ahead by a 2-0 margin just 1:15 into the middle frame.

The Capers responded immediately with Vinny Dell’Aquila firing a shot on net from the blue line. That blast was turned away at the Leavitt net, but the rebound was stuffed home by Zack Labbe to get the Capers within one at 2-1. (Sam St. Germain also assisted on the Labbe score.)

A shot from the point by Zack Breed was nearly tipped in by Max Foner as Cape nearly pulled even with the visitors. And at 5:06 of the second period, the Capers did knot the score at 2-2 with Dell’Aquila taking a pass from Sam Hallowell and burying a shot into the Leavitt net.

Cape had a power play midway through the period with Foner, Colby Pearson, Tanner Tremblay, Kelley, and Griffin Rockwell getting some decent chances at grabbing a lead. But the Leavitt defense hung tough and they killed off the penalty without any damage.

Leavitt scored what proved to be the game-winner near the end of the period as the Hornets took a 3-2 lead into the final 15 minutes of play.

The Capers dominated the first half of the last period with several players getting shots on net. Sean Eubanks may have had the best opportunity to score when his wrister from in close was stopped by the Leavitt goalie as it was earmarked for the far side of the net.

Cape went on another power play with seven minutes remaining but Leavitt’s bend-don’t-break defense turned away all shots at their net.

A pair of frustration penalties on the Capers in the closing two minutes of the game made it even more difficult to get the game tying score and Leavitt held off the Capers final rushes down ice.

“The bottom line is if you don’t play hard for 45 minutes, this is what happens. We didn’t finish (around the net) like we should have,” said Tremblay. “We’ll get back to work. We have a tough week coming up.”

Cape hosts Class A Portland at the Portland Ice Arena on Thursday evening in an 8 p.m. start and they travel to Falmouth on Saturday to take on the Yachtsmen at the Family Ice Center beginning at 6:10 p.m.

All of the local high school teams take a break from their regular season schedules during the vacation period with many squads playing in holiday tournaments. Cape will resume their regular season on January 5 when they host Kennebunk at 9 p.m.

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