BIDDEFORD — Most National Hockey Leagues have trouble cobbling two or three fully functional forward lines (we’re looking at you, Bruins) much less four of them.

And at the high school level, a strong second line is a coach’s luxury. So the fact that Biddeford bench boss Rich Reissfelder can throw four forward units at an opponent ”“ let’s say, Thornton Academy, or Waterville, whom they’ll meet Saturday in the state championship game ”“ without a noticeable drop off, is nothing short of remarkable.

It was that unit that produced Biddeford’s second goal against Thornton in Tuesday’s Western Maine championship game.

Junior winger Travis Guay, who missed all but a handful of games due to injury was the triggerman on what some say was the game’s decisive moment.

“The second goal was an unbelievable lift,” said Reissfelder. “We’ve talked all year about the four lines. That can all play. It’s hard to get them all in. Especially in a key situation. But they played so well (in the Western semifinal against South Portland), that I was looking for an opportunity to put them in.”

The unit, which also features juniors Sam Green and Travis Leblond, certainly answered the call, when Reissfelder dialed their number, midway through the first period.

“I wanted an offensive zone face off,” he said. “I wanted it on a certain side of the ice. We were able to get them out there and get that exact situation. Travis Guay, who has played three games all year because of an injury, comes out an hits an absolute laser to make it two-zip. And the play before by Travis LeBlond, blocking the shot was unreal. The whole bench had such a huge lift. When you know that your fourth line goes out and buries a goal against the best goalie in the state (Thornton’s Rick Hebb).”

Said top line anchor and Tigers’ leading scorer Trevor Fleurent, “We’ve been saying all year that the fourth line’s going to have to step up. And they stepped it up.”

Guay said that he and his linemates play with a great deal of pride.That particular shift proved that much.

“It just showed how our fourth line is just as powerful as our first line,” he said. “We’re not just a one line team.”

Or two, or three, either. And how many teams can say that?

— Contact Staff Writer Dan Hickling at dhickling@journaltribune.com.