PORTLAND — The Cheverus/Kennebunk/Old Orchard Beach girls hockey team beat the visiting Biddeford girls 5-3 in the South Regional Quarterfinals Wednesday night.

Lilly Wolff led the Stags with two goals and Caroline Ray, Sophia Giancotti and Jill Hannigan each added a score. Goalie Anna Smith recorded eight saves.

The Tigers received goals from Suzette Lamoureux, Taylor Turgeon and Angie Fitzgerald. Goalie Rebekah Guay made 36 stops on the evening.

The Stags pressured the Tigers defense from the first puck drop, immediately pressing the defenders and Guay.

At the 10:15 mark, Guay made a kick save to the left, resulting in a rebound that was knocked in by Ray. Less than two minutes later, Wolff took a close range shot that deflected off of the right leg of Guay and into the net, giving the Stags an early 2-0 lead.

Biddeford continued to struggle offensively as the Stags kept the puck in the Tigers’ zone for most of the first. Biddeford did not get a shot on goal until the 6:05 mark in the first.

With six seconds remaining in the opening period, Lamoureux took a shot from the blue line, sending a low puck into the Stags goal, bringing the Tigers within one heading into the second.

Cheverus/Kennebunk/Old Orchard continued to press Biddeford in the second period. As the shot total mounted, momentum was strongly in favor of the Stags, but it would be the Tigers striking first in the period.

At the 8:48 mark, Turgeon chopped a rebounded save into the Stags net, tying the score at two while giving the Tigers a much-needed boost.

It was then the Stags’ turn to get a late-period goal, with Giancotti knocking in a goal from a scrum in front of the net with seven seconds remaining, giving them a 3-2 lead heading into the final period.

Biddeford responded quickly in the third when Fitzgerald took the puck down the right wing and sent a wrist shot in the net, tying the score at 3-3.

As both teams battled, neither could gain steady traction.

At the 8:01 mark, Wolff was able to send in a wrist shot of her own past Guay, giving the Stags a 4-3 lead midway through the period.

With three minutes remaining, Hannigan added an insurance goal in the top left corner of the net, putting the Stags up two goals late in the period and securing the victory.

Stags coach Kent Hulst felt that experience helped his team rebound after the shaky second period.

“It was a little nerve racking, but we dealt with that during the year. We had some ups and downs, but with experience they became more confident and in the playoffs that sometimes happens,” said Hulst.

Hulst admitted the importance of the second intermission for his team, and felt that the adjustments made were the difference in the game.

“They buckled down. It was good to have that intermission so they could re-energize and refocus on our game plan. They came out and played hard, they wanted to win and they wanted to win for each other,” said Hulst.

Biddeford coach Ashley Potvin was proud of her young team’s accomplishments throughout the year.

“Every piece of adversity that this team faced this year, they handled it in fantastic fashion, they came in today to win,” said Potvin.

Potvin has also noticed a sense of maturity with her club.

“The thing I am most proud of is thinking back when I first took this team over a few years ago, if one goal went in, the game was over,” said Potvin. “I think this was a big game for them mentally to know that they can be down two and they can claw their way back.”

Despite the loss, Potvin was proud of her team’s performance and was pleased with the progression of her players.

“The development has been huge. I remember the first day on the ice, I thought we had some work to do. They did the work, they were very coachable, they have a lot to be proud of. They have come such a long way in such a short amount of time,” said Potvin.

— Sports Staff Writer Alex Sponseller can be reached at [email protected] or at 282-1535 ext. 323. Follow the Journal Tribune Sports Department on Twitter @JournalTsports.