GORHAM ”“ Shock, awe, disbelief, elation. All in the blink of an eye with the flick of a stick.

The stick belonging to Biddeford’s Haley Reny, that potted the game-winning goal just 37 seconds into overtime and gave the No. 4 Tigers a rousing 2-1 upset win over top seed Scarborough, in a Western Maine semifinal girls hockey clash at USM Ice Arena.

Reny, a senior captain, was lurking near the left post when she pounced on Jenna Roy’s rebounded point shot and rapped it into the open left side of the cage.

It was enough to push the Tigers into the Western Region final against the winner of the other semifinal between No. 2 Cheverus and No. 3 York.

“I can’t even explain how it feels,” said Roy, a junior, who came back to the hockey program this year after running indoor track last season. “We played hard.”

Indeed they did, even as they were outshot 37-14.

However, for Biddeford, it was that 14th shot, the one taken by Reny, that made the difference.

Reny admitted that even she never expected the remarkable turn of events that allowed the Tigers, who qualified for the playoffs by less than a Heal point, to pull off such a stunner.

“No, not at all,” she said. “We didn’t even think we were going to make it in. The math helped us out.”

And so did some physics.

Which is how Reny said she managed to stuff the puck past Scarborough freshman goalie Devan Kane.

“I don’t even know,” said Reny. “The whole game, I was focusing on positioning. So I just stayed by the post and waited for the shot by (Roy). The rebound was where it was. The puck looked small. I don’t even know how I got it in.”

Roy said she didn’t see Reny lurking near the goal.

“I knew someone would be there,” she said. “I just shot the puck in, and I was going to go for a change.”

As it turned out, no change was needed.

“They came to play tonight,” said an elated Tiger coach Marie Potvin. “We played with heart. With hustle. We told them ‘just believe in each other, and believe in the team. You can skate with anybody.”

Although outshot 25-8 through two periods, the underdog Tigers held Scarborough to a 1-1 deadlock.

Goalie Emily Brassley did her part by pulling off a succession of tough saves.

“She stood on her head tonight,” said Roy.

Biddeford, never trailed, getting the tying goal from Brandee LeClair at 4:55 of the second period. Haley Reny and Jenna Roy drew the assists.

The Red Storm goal, scored by freshman Rachel Wallace, came just 37 seconds later at 5:32.

As it turned out, it was the only shot to elude Brassley, who is in her first full year as a goaltender.

“We said, ‘we’re where we want to be, they’re probably not where they want to be.’” said Potvin.

That’s for sure, now.

— Contact Dan Hickling at dhickling@journaltribune.com.