After a scoreless first period Wednesday, Cheverus/Windham girls’ hockey coach Scott Rousseau reminded his team of something he’s been reminding them all season. It’s a 45-minute game, so don’t worry about a scoreless first 15.

“If we were going to win the game, it was going to be from behind the net,” Rousseau said. “We had to get into the cycle game because we weren’t going in transition. Luckily we were able to do that.”

Maddie Doherty shows off her medal after Cheverus defeated Gorham 6-2 in the South regional final. Derek Davis/Staff Photographer

The Stags scored three goals in the second period and three more in the third, taking a 6-2 win over the Gorham co-op team to win their second straight South division title at Troubh Arena. Cheverus, now 18-1, will face Yarmouth/Freeport in the state championship game at 6:10 p.m. Saturday at Norway Savings Bank Arena in Auburn. It’s a rematch of last season’s state final won by Cheverus, 3-2.

Cheverus and Yarmouth/Freeport split a pair of regular-season games.

“We definitely need to work hard because it won’t be easy,” said junior Lucy Johnson, who scored her second hat trick in as many playoff games, of the rematch with the Clippers.

No. 2 Gorham ended the season at 14-7.

It took the Stags a period to adjust to Gorham’s neutral zone trap, which bottled the Stags up in the middle of the ice and slowed them in transition.

“Can’t give (Gorham) enough credit. We played them two weeks ago and they unveiled that neutral zone trap, so we were able to use film from that game to prepare,” Rousseau said. “Though we were getting through, the game was being played at their pace.”

Gorham Coach Mary Vaughan said the trap was designed to preserve her team’s stamina as much as it was to slow the quick Stags.

“We tried it in the last couple games to save our legs. We run eight skaters. It works well. We played with the numbers we had. We run three (defenders) and five forwards,” Vaughan said.

Cheverus broke though at 3:42 of the second period, when Mikayla Talbot poked in a rebound for a 1-0 lead. Johnson’s power-play goal, on a long rebound off Gorham goalie Emily Beal (20 saves), gave the Stags a 2-0 lead at 9:24 of the second.

Emerson Homa scored a power-play goal at 10:58 for Gorham to cut the lead to 2-1, but Johnson’s second goal of the game, from the left circle at 13:06, gave Cheverus a 3-1 lead heading into the third period. Getting into its breakout quicker was a key to finding the scoring touch, Rousseau said.

“Just staying calm and making sure we weren’t all rattled. I definitely think being quick but not rushing is one of our biggest talents,” Johnson said.

Caroline Rousseau, Talbot and Johnson added third-period goal for Cheverus, and Homa scored her second for Gorham at 10:26. Talbot had three assists to go with her two goals, and Rousseau also assisted on two goals. Brynn McKenney had a pair of assists for the Stags and Ella Lemieux made 18 saves.

It was the second straight regional final loss for the Rams, who graduate three seniors.

“Our girls showed some serious heart and grit, and played to the very last minute, and that’s all you can ask. It’s disappointing for us because we expected more from ourselves,” Vaughan said.

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