BIDDEFORD — It wasn’t exactly a sense of panic that had settled over the capacity Biddeford Ice Arena throng during Tuesday’s playoff tilt between Biddeford and South Portland.

Neither was there an epidemic of calm confidence.

Indeed, the emotional needle flicked at a point somewhere in between.

After all, the No. 8 Red Riots had played the Tigers, unbeaten and with a state championship to defend, to a dead standstill.

Not a goal on the scoreboard, a scenario that played right into South Portland’s hands.

Through poking, prodding, and sometimes pounding, the Red Riots had managed to keep Biddeford off its game, and lure a few Tigers into the penalty box.

“They’re a talented team, but they’re not as deep as they used to be,” said Biddeford coach Rick Reissfelder. “So it could get frustrating at times. Their plan was to be physical and see how we would react. We reacted just the way that they wanted us to in the first period. Some of our best players were in the box because of penalties.”

One scoreless period paved the way to another, or that’s how matters rolled out, which was just fine with South Portland coach Joe Robinson.

“We worked on a couple different forechecks, trying to throw something different at them and keep them on their toes,” said Robinson, a Biddeford resident. “And it worked for a while, but we just ran out of gas.

Putting a big puncture in the can was sophomore Stephen Comar, whose goal at 7:24 of the second sparked Biddeford’s run of six unanswered goals. Three in the second, three more in the third.

“The first period, we learned that we can’t play short handed for half the period,” said Reissfelder. “We knew five on five we’d be fine. It was just a matter of being mentally tough and staying out of the box. We did that in the second. That was the key period.

It was the first goal of the season for Comar, who transferred this year from Massabesic.

“Well, I knew he was going to finish sometime,” said Brady Fleurent, the state’s top goal getter, and Comar’s classmate. “He had so many chances. Now he’s finishing at the right time. Just when we need it. So it’s good to know that he came prepared.”

Bryan Dallaire, who center’s Biddeford’s top line, said the energy provided by Comar’s goal shot through the BIA like a fire cracker.

“You could feel the excitement,” said Dallaire. “Everyone just stood up. It all just clicked from there.”

Now that he’s got one goal in the books, and a playoff game-winner at that, Comar is hungry for more.

As in more goals, and more importantly, more playoff triumphs.

“They come easier once you get that first one,” he said.

Next up for Biddeford is Saturday’s date with No. 4 Falmouth in the Western Maine semifinal.

— Contact Dan Hickling at dhickling@journaltribune.com,  or follow on Twitter @DanHickling.