BIDDEFORD — It wasn’t a good start to the game for the Thornton Academy boys hockey team, but by the end, it looked like business as usual for the two-time defending state champions. After watching the newest championship banner get raised before the game, the current Trojans put on a show in their home opener, routing Gorham 8-3 at Biddeford Ice Arena.

It was a shaky start for Thornton, as new starting goalie Andrew Huot allowed a goal to Gorham’s Chris Hardy just 35 seconds into the game.

“We talked in the pregame that we were going to hit adversity at some point in the game. It just so happens that 35 seconds in we’re down 1-0, and took a little bit of a punch to the mouth early,” said Thornton head coach Jamie Gagnon.

Instead of folding, however, the Trojans got back up and dusted themselves off.

“It was more of a pick-up,” said TA’s Steve Comar, who admitted that the team may have had some jitters going into the game.

The Gorham lead didn’t last long, as Comar scored four minutes later on a power play, beating Justin Broy on a slap shot from the right point.

After a couple of near misses thanks to the post and Broy’s glove, the Trojans took the lead just before the first intermission. Carter Davis brought the puck behind the net and found Owen Lamoine open for a goal.

Gorham began the second period on the power play and nearly netted the equalizer. The Rams got into a 3-on-1 situation off the opening faceoff, but couldn’t get a shot off. They sustained an attack for more than a minute, but Huot came up big with a couple of stops.

That gave the Trojans momentum, and they took advantage of it. Tyler LaPointe scored five minutes into the period on assists from Comar and Lamoine. Then Owen Elliot scored in a 4-on-4 situation a minute later.

Jacob Verreault scored another Thornton goal with five minutes to go in the second, as the Trojans took a 5-1 lead. The Rams then sandwiched a pair of goals around a Thornton goal by Alex Fallon, and it was 6-3 Trojans after two periods.

The third period was all Thornton, as Comar scored another power-play goal, and Eric Profenno scored the final tally with less than two minutes to go.

“We were just trying to get the puck in the net, and get going on the season,” Comar said after the game, and the team more than accomplished that goal.

The game was as chippy as it was exciting. The two teams combined for 18 penalties (nine a piece) to go along with 11 goals and 56 shots.

“It’s an emotional night. It’s opening night,” said Gagnon.

— Contact Wil Kramlich at 282-1535, Ext. 323 or follow him on Twitter @WilTalkSports.