BIDDEFORD — Noble/Wells jumped out to a big lead against Thornton Academy in a Western Class A boys hockey game on Saturday, and it’s a good thing that the Knights did. Without the ability to get clean ice between periods, the playing surface got sloppy and so did the play on the ice, but the Knights were able to hold off the Trojans in a 6-2 victory at Biddeford Ice Arena.

The game featured 15 penalties ”“ eight on Thornton, seven on Noble/Wells ”“ with special teams playing a factor from start to finish.

The Trojans (1-6) got the first crack at 5-on-4 hockey three minutes in, but couldn’t take advantage of the power play.

The Knights (5-2) got their first shot less than three minutes later, and it took less than a minute to score with the man-advantage. Ethan Marsh took a shot from the right side in transition and Nate DeWolf was there at the left post to bury home the rebound.

Dean Pratt made it 2-0 less than two minutes later as he sniped a shot from the slot past TA goalie Andrew Huot.

The Knights scored thanks to a power play again with less than five minutes remaining in the opening period, as Evan Whitten sent a shot from the right point through traffic seconds after a Trojans penalty had expired.

“That was our focus coming into the game, is we wanted to make sure that we dictated the tempo and get some momentum out of the gate,” said Noble/Wells head coach Keith St. Cyr. “We didn’t want to give them any chances to start breathing and get some momentum at us.”

“I thought we actually played pretty well in the first period. I thought we had our share of offensive chances,” said Thornton head coach Jamie Gagnon. “And it’s 3-0 and you’re battling uphill. On this surface, that’s never easy.”

There was no ice cleaning after the first period, as the arena’s ice resurfacer was out of commission. A game that got chippy during the first period only got worse with less-than-ideal ice.

“Both teams are dealing with the same surface. You never anticipate not being able to handle the puck or the pucks get jumping. It’s like playing pond hockey again,” said Gagnon. “You can’t blame ice conditions, but the lack of continuity, the lack of flow to the game and the sloppy play, the ice was definitely a factor there.”

The Knights were able to add to their lead before the ice got too much worse early in the second period, as Pratt drove hard to the net and spun around at the left post to make a pass back in front for Ryan Marsh, who completed the play.

Pratt and Marsh each finished the game with two goals and an assist, and along with linemate Noah Pease, set the tone for the Noble/Wells attack.

“They’ve played together for two years now, all three of them. And obviously there’s some gifted goal scorers on that line,” said St. Cyr. “Those guys just need to be together and they play well together, and they know where each other is; I think over time it just becomes second nature to them.”

The Trojans broke onto the scoreboard midway through the period as Nolan Millett buried home a rebound from Reagan Wintle.

The teams combined for five penalties the rest of the period, as emotions heightened.

“I think there’s a positive and a minus to that. As hockey players, I think they have to stick up to it,” St. Cyr said of responding to emotions. “But you kind of walk that line. And I think we stepped over that line a few times, because you don’t ever want to be down and have multiple guys in the box.”

The third period ”“ played on an ever-deteriorating surface ”“ featured three power play goals. Pratt and Marsh each tallied their second goals for Noble/Wells while Chase Wescott scored for Thornton.

“It was just sloppy,” said Gagnon. “Sloppy is a good word for it, given the ice conditions and the type of game it was ”“ it was a special teams-type game. The entire game lacked flow and continuity.

“That’s tough when you’re on the penalty kill, then you’re on the power play, on the kill 5-on-3, 4-on-3, 4-on-4. Just a tough game in that regard.”

For a Thornton program that is used to perennial success, Saturday’s game was another tough defeat. But for a fledgling Noble/Wells program, it was a feather in the cap.

“We knew where we stood against them, because we played them in preseason, But as the season progresses, all teams get stronger,” said St. Cyr. “I think for us as a team, I think it’s going to help us build some character and show them that they belong out there as well.”

“We’ve had a lot of character-building experiences, so hopefully we’ll be high on character going forward. This is one of those games that certainly builds character,” said Gagnon. “But ultimately, it’s every single night you get a chance to play you got to learn from it.”

— Sports Staff Writer Wil Kramlich can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 323 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @WilTalkSports.