BIDDEFORD – They came into Wednesday night’s game with a deceiving 8-5 record and looking for something — anything — to provide a spark to their season.

The Trojans of Thornton Academy needed a quality boys’ hockey win and got it, beating Falmouth 7-3 at the Biddeford Ice Arena.

Because of the tier scheduling in Western Class A, the Heal points don’t reflect who are the best teams.

Tier I teams like Falmouth (6-5-3) and Thornton (9-5) play tougher schedules, so their records don’t show they are the best teams in Western Class A after undefeated Biddeford.

Thornton can claim to be second-best, for now. The Trojans are 6-2 in their last eight games, with the losses coming to two unbeatens.

“We had some close losses to Lewiston and Biddeford,” defenseman Tyler Danley said. “Having a big win like this was good for the team.”

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Thornton Coach Shawn Rousseau believes he saw a side of his team that had been lacking.

“It’s the first time all year I felt like we were the opportunistic team,” Rousseau said. “We played very steady. The first period was good, the second was great and the third even better.”

Falmouth led 2-1 before Jonathan Herlihy tied the score at 12:11 of the period.

The Trojans scored three goals in the second and two in the third.

Three goals came on power plays as the Yachtsmen couldn’t stay out of the box, especially in the third.

Falmouth Coach Adam Nicholas declined to comment.

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The Yachtsmen played stellar defense in their previous seven games, allowing a total of seven goals while shutting out three opponents, including a 0-0 tie with Lewiston last Saturday.

Falmouth outshot Thornton 30-24, but the Trojans capitalized on their chances.

Jon Pate scored two goals, with the others coming from Herlihy, Nicholas Chen, C.J. Maksut, Sam Canales and Ryan Locke. Dakota Matthews and Andrew Carignan had two assists each.

Trojans goalie Joe Ferrante made 27 saves.

Cam Bell scored twice and Brandon Tuttle once for Falmouth. Mitch Tapley had two assists.

Pate began the scoring after a turnover in the Falmouth zone along the right boards. He fired in a shot through traffic at 6:45.

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Falmouth made some crisp passes to set up its first two scores, enjoying point-blank shots on open nets.

But Thornton then tied it and took over in the second, the go-ahead goal on a power play with Chen burying the shot set up by passes by Matthews and Carignan at 5:48.

Brandon Veilleux then found Maksut for a breakaway goal at 5:48.

Falmouth closed to 4-3, but the Trojans got another breakaway goal with Carignan zipping a pass to Pate at 11:03.

“Two big goals,” Rousseau said of the breakaways. “That was a big step for us, finding the poise to score the big goals.”

Falmouth spent too much time on the penalty kill in the third to catch up.

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The teams will meet again Feb. 19 in Falmouth.

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

kthomas@pressherald.com

 


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