BIDDEFORD ”“ Working behind opposing benches, the Rousseau Brothers, Shawn of Thornton Academy and Scott of Falmouth, are no strangers to sibling conflict.
Some, maybe many, of those fraternal skirmishes ended unresolved.
Just like the one engaged in by the teams they coach, a contest that ended in a 1-1 overtime tie, Wednesday, at Biddeford Ice Arena.
Uncannily, both brothers independently expressed the identical sentiment following the high tilt affair.
“Mom will be happy.”
If so, then the proud matriarch of the Rousseau clan is likely a fan of goaltending, and the show put on by Thornton’s Rick Hebb (26 saves) and Jay Hurdman of Falmouth (37 stops).
Both made big saves throughout the contest after each allowed one first period goal.
Thornton drew first blood, when, at 3:45, sophomore winger Andrew Carignan stretched his stick out to poke in a loose puck past Carignan.
That was answered with a power play goal by Dixon Pike of the Yachtsman.
Manning the right point, Pike blasted in a shot that Hebb had no chance of stopping.
“That was a great shot,” said Shawn Rousseau. “But I felt like we settled in a little bit. We didn’t play with the kind of energy we’ve gotten used to.”
Still, when they were faced with an extended two man shortage early in the third period, the Trojans were able to summon up enough energy to kill the penalties without damage.
“You try to treat it like any other game,” said Thornton senior defenseman Michael Herlihy. “Of course, our emotions were high. But we just had to keep our cool. Stay in control of our emotions and play our normal game.”
Hebb made perhaps his biggest save of the game with just 10 seconds left in regulation, when he stoned Falmouth’s Julien Clement from point blank range.
Neither team scored in overtime, even though each picked up a power play, and both had to settle for the tie.
“We know each other pretty well,” said Scott Rousseau. “I don’t think we’re going to surprise each other. It was just a low scoring game.”
Just the way Mom likes it.
Thornton’s next start will be Saturday, when St. Dom’s will pay a visit to BIA. Face off is set for 8:10 p.m.
— Contact Dan Hickling at dhickling@journaltribune.com.
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