BIDDEFORD ”“ It ranked as an upset of the highest order, fourth seed Biddeford’s toppling of No. 1 Scarborough last Friday which got the Maine girls hockey playoffs underway in surprising fashion.

As unexpected as the Tigers’ 2-1 overtime thriller was,  perhaps the most astonished person of all was the  goalie who engineered the stunner, Emily Brassley.

Brassley, a junior whose confidence level is still catch up to her set of skills, admits to still having  trouble wrapping her mind around her 36 save gem that polished off the Red Storm.

“I was overwhelmed,” she said. “I don’t even know what happened. I thought I would take it one shot at a time.”

One became 10, which by the end of the second period had become 25, with just one shot eluding her.

It netted a win for Biddeford, and was something of a coming out party for the first year varsity goaltender, although Tigers’ coach Marie Potvin saw it slightly differently.

“You know what,” she said. “I think she’s had a coming out party all year. She’s just that kind of kid. She’s kept us in a lot of games, seeing 30, 40, sometimes 50 shots. To go from where she was last year, she’s just a great kid.”

Indeed, Brassley has come a long way in the year (plus a little) since she first strapped on the goalie pads.

Last year, when incumbent goalie Brandee Leclair moved on to play junior hockey, Brassley decided to give the crease a whirl, and spent most of the year tending nets for the Tigers j.v. Team.

“I skated out my freshman year,” she said, “and it didn’t work out. It wasn’t my place. I can play street hockey. But I can’t mix them. I just fell out of place. I just always wanted to try goaltending.”

As the old commercial said, “try it, you’ll like it.”

She did, and after a two week stay during the summer at the Pro Ambitions hockey camp, (“it was mostly guys, so they were harder on me”) Brassley came into the season ready to ride the goalie roller coaster.

“It was really challenging,” she said. “It helped me with the mental (challenge), not just physically. And it helped me figure out where the puck is.”

One point shot that Brassley wasn’t expecting came early in the season, when Leclair returned to the Tigers from her junior team.

What could have been a awkward situation was easily diffused when Leclair offered to learn to play forward, leaving the crease completely in Brassley’s gloved hands.

“I think they’re both great kids,” said Potvin. “When Brandee came back, I think she understood what it might do to a young, inexperienced player who had stepped up for her team and was looking to do the right thing. Brandee got it. She accepted the role we offered her with open arms.”

“It did affect my confidence for a while,” admitted Brassley. “But it definitely fell into place.”

Indeed it did, as Leclair scored the crucial first goal against Scarborough.

“She (Leclair) has got that hockey sense,” Potvin said. “She knows where to be and how to do the little things well. It speaks volumes about Brandee’s character.”

Now all sights are set on the task at hand, Wednesday’s Western regional final against No. 2 York, at Portland Ice Arena (puck drop 5 p.m.).

Biddeford lost both regular season meetings with the Wildcats, 3-0 and 7-0.

“We need to focus on what we’re doing,” said Brassley. “Help each other out. And believe in each other.”

Brassley’s made plenty of believers already.

Maybe even herself.