The Becker brothers made the most of Wednesday’s Class A preliminary-round boys’ hockey playoff game at Troubh Ice Arena.
Nick Becker scored a goal for sixth-ranked Portland/Deering, goalie Ryan Becker sparkled in net and then they put on a postgame dance show in front of the student section after leading the Bulldogs to a 3-1 victory over No. 11 Lake Region/Fryeburg/Oxford Hills.
Portland/Deering (8-11) advanced to take on third-seeded Scarborough in the quarterfinals at noon Saturday at Lewiston.
“We were watching Sesame Street one day after school and it was ‘Elmo’s World’ and we learned how to do the dance and now, we do it after every win,” said Ryan Becker, who made 20 saves.
“We really wanted to dance tonight,” said Nick Becker. “Especially being our last game at home this season.”
Portland/Deering controlled the puck to start the game and went on top 39 seconds in as freshman Liam Fay-LeBlanc scored his first career goal, rebounding a shot from Miki Silva.
“(That first goal) helped us immensely,” said Portland/Deering Coach Jeff Beaney. “We’re traditionally a slow starting team. Liam has really helped cement his line.”
Ryan Becker stopped 10 shots in the period.
Portland/Deering had a chance to add to its lead when it started the second period on a five-on-three power play, but the Bulldogs mustered just one shot.
Each team score an unorthodox goal in the second period while short-handed.
At 10:08, Nick Becker stole a pass, skated in and roofed a shot past Dominic Zimmel to make it 2-0.
“We had the puck deep in our offensive end, Peter Gribbin chipped the puck to me and I saw Dante (Tocci) for the two-on-one and I gave him a look, but I knew that would make the goalie think, so I just shot it high,” Nick Becker said.
At 10:50, Lake Region returned the favor as Cam Lepage set up Wyatt Knightly to make it a one-goal game.
Portland/Deering restored its two-goal advantage when Nick McGonagle scored from Colby Winship at 4:23 of the third period.
Ryan Becker did the rest, denying Eddie Thurston on the power play, using his glove to save a blast from Boden Dock, then twice coming up huge on breakaways, first turning aside a bid from Caleb Micklon, then robbing Knightly.
“I was just patient and wanted them to make the first move,” Ryan Becker said. “Once they shoot, I just watch the puck into my body.”
Zimmel made 23 saves, but Lake Region (8-10-1) went 0 for 6 on the power play.
“Taking as many penalties as we did didn’t help,” said Lake Region Coach Dave Lepage. “We couldn’t convert on our breakaways.
“What I’m most proud of is we made every team we played work hard to beat us. There were no easy games against us this year.”
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