LEWISTON — Pucks clanged off posts and the crossbar. Biddeford could not score.

What few shots the Tigers could get were being stopped, or hit metal and bounced out.

Biddeford, the defending Class A hockey state champion and the top seed in Western Maine, could have become frustrated.

But the Tigers simply kept at it. They scored early in the second period, got another midway through the third, then added an empty-netter to beat Falmouth 3-0 in a regional semifinal Saturday afternoon at the Colisee.

Brady Fleurent and Tyler Audie each recorded a goal and assist. Tyson Nadeau scored the final goal, and Jon Fields made 19 saves.

Biddeford (17-0-3) advanced to the regional final Tuesday night at the Colisee against second-seeded Thornton Academy.

Fourth-seeded Falmouth finished at 10-7-3 under first-year coach Adam Nicholas.

“I couldn’t have asked for a better effort out of these guys,” Nicholas said. “I don’t think there is anything else we could have done.”

Falmouth, which gave Biddeford one of its ties this season (2-2 on Dec. 22), held the Tigers scoreless in the first period and outshot them, 7-5. The teams ended up tied with 19 shots each, and true opportunities were rare.

Going into the locker room with his team tied after one period, Biddeford Coach Rich Reissfelder played it cool.

“It’s nothing-nothing after one. Big deal,” Reissfelder said he told his team. “We’re not going to fold. We’re not going to start panicking. We’re just going to keep building and building and take care of stuff in our zone.

“Falmouth has a ton of great players and great goaltending. (It’s a matter of) staying patient.”

If Biddeford was supposed to be patient about scoring a goal, that didn’t happen. The Tigers took only 26 seconds into the second period to break through, as they countered a Falmouth rush. Fleurent fed Audie with a back-door pass, and he scored.

“Just a mental breakdown,” Nicholas said.

In the third period, Biddeford defenseman Nick Gagne hit the crossbar with a shot. Audie gathered the rebound and got it back to Gagne, who shot again. The puck bounced around near the crease until Fleurent got a stick on it and knocked it in at 6:32.

“Whenever Brady is around the net, he’s going to find the puck,” Gagne said.

At 12:35, Falmouth got a power play and called a timeout. Nicholas pulled goalie Dane Pauls for a six-on-four advantage.

Biddeford withstood the pressure, and Scott Callahan sent a clearing pass to Nadeau for his clinching goal at 14:02.

“We just got beat. It happens,” Nicholas said. “We played physical. We played with them.”

And now the Tigers face a familiar foe in Thornton Academy. Biddeford has won two previous meetings this season, 5-1 on Jan. 5 and 6-4 on Feb. 5.

“It will be another classic TA-Biddeford battle,” Reissfelder said. 

Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be contacted at 791-6411 or: kthomas@pressherald.com