BIDDEFORD — Thornton Academy coach Jamie Gagnon felt he had seen it all before.
Recently, too, but without the consequences of a regular season defeat.
Thornton was touched by Coventry (R.I.) for four third period goals, resulting in a 5-2 loss in Maine High School Invitational tournament action at Biddeford Ice Arena Tuesday.
The scenario was not unlike the Golden Trojans’ third period cave-in a week ago in a 5-3 loss to Falmouth in their final game before the holiday break.
The similarities were a little too striking for Gagnon’s liking.
“It was like deja vu,” said Gagnon.
Pretty close.
Coventry scored four times in the final 7:21 to turn a 2-1 Thornton lead into an Oakers walkaway.
“I think the feeling in the room,” said Gagnon, “is that guys have to learn to finish games.”
This game was a matchup of state champions, Maine’s Class A titleholders and Rhode Island’s Division II kings.
And much of the contest was played at a title game pace.
“You get to see quality teams from different states,” said Gagnon, “and see what other states have to offer. For us, it’s a good introduction to hockey throughout the region. “
Said Coventry coach Ken Bird, “We played hard all game. We started out all three periods a little slow, but once the game was rolling, we were fine.”
The Trojans had the territorial advantage in the first period, but Coventry had the bona fide scoring chances.
Thornton goalie Joe Ferrante stopped the first of those, a breakaway by Brian Skorski at 9:21.
Two minutes later, a tip in by Coventry’s Devan Bane found the net, giving the Oakers a 1-0 lead.
“They had three or four lines,” Gagnon said, “and it was tough to tell where the drop off was. There is no fall off, whereas some programs, you can tell after the second line.”
Thornton rebounded in the second period, scoring both of its goals in a 54-second span.
Senior C.J. Maksut had a hand in both tallies, scoring the first on his own rebound, at 4:25, then setting up Robbie Downing for an easy tap in to polish an odd man rush, moments later.
Thornton failed to capitalize on several chances to pad its lead, having been thwarted by Oakers’ sophomore goalie Vincent Zannella.
Zannella made a paddle stop on Brett Levasseur late in the second period from point blank range, then stopped Downing on a third period breakaway.
Coventry used the lift to regain its lead, 3-2, with goals 1:50 apart from Drew Strychaz and Connor DePietro.
The Oakers added two more tallies in the final minute to put the game away.
“(Despite) the score,” said Bird, “this was really a great game. That’s what we were looking for up here.”
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