BIDDEFORD – Nate Crepeau is hoping his first-period performance Wednesday night is a harbinger of good things to come.

The Biddeford junior forward scored once and added three assists in the opening 15 minutes to stake the Tigers to an early 4-0 lead on their way to a 6-3 victory over York in a boys’ high school hockey game at Biddeford Ice Arena.

“It was electrifying to come out like that,” said Crepeau. “Our first periods haven’t been that great, but I think we all played together and realized the first period is the biggest period of the game. We just put it all together and everything was clicking for us.”

Taylor Reuillard of the Tigers scored off a clean faceoff win by Crepeau just 2:20 into the game to give the home side a 1-0 advantage. Biddeford quickly stretched its advantage to 4-0 by scoring three times in a span of 2:39. Tyson Nadeau began the uprising when he scored twice in nine seconds. The first came after he slipped past a York defender at the blue line to break in alone on York goaltender Jared Posternak. Seconds later he pounced on a turnover to make it 3-0. Both goals were assisted by Crepeau and Stephen Comer.

Crepeau capped the period when he pounced on a rebound at the edge of the crease to give the Tigers a 4-0 lead after one. Comar and Reuillard assisted.

“We had a little bit of a bad first period on Monday (in a 3-3 tie against Greely) so we focused on that tonight,” said Biddeford Coach Rich Reissfelder. “We really wanted to come out aggressively at both ends of the ice and just apply as much pressure as we could. It paid off with some classic chances.”

Biddeford continued to dominate in the second.

Just 2:11 into the period, Nik Lemieux put the Tigers ahead 5-0 when he cruised in on a two-on-one and beat Posternak top shelf. The goal ended Posternak’s night. He allowed five goals on 16 shots and was replaced by freshman Eric Lindbom.

The Tigers scored again before the end of the second when Comar, who collected three assists in the opening period, beat Lindbom on a penalty shot with just under five minutes left in the period. The goal gave Biddeford a 6-0 lead heading to the final period.

To its credit, York came out hard in the third. The persistence paid off in the final four minutes when the Wildcats scored three times to spoil Biddeford’s shutout bid.

Conor O’Brien scored the first two goals, both on the power play. Derek Neal completed the late rally.

Jon Field started for the Tigers and turned aside all 15 shots he faced in the first two periods. Brandon Daigle was between the pipes for the third and allowed three goals on 17 shots.

Lindbom finished with 13 saves on 14 shots.