PORTLAND — The Biddeford girls hockey team hit the ground running in its season opener on Saturday, as the Tigers scored three goals in the first five minutes en route to a 5-2 victory over Cheverus at Portland Ice Arena.

It took just 1:31 for the Tigers to score their first goal of the season, as sophomore Suzette Lamoureux was all alone in front of the goal and easily beat Cheverus goalie Taylor Courtois. The play started when Brea Rivard kept the puck in the zone off a Stags clear attempt, and then fed Lamoureux between the circles.

“It was very nice, getting the lead right when we got on the ice,” said Lamoureux. “It made a big difference.”

The Tigers doubled their lead just before the three-minute mark of the opening period, as Katherine Dumoulin sent a back-hand shot from the right side into the top of the goal off a pass from Lamoureux.

“It was huge to come out and score like that on the first couple minutes of the game. It showed them that yes we can do this,” said Biddeford head coach Ashley Potvin. “It was a really good confidence-booster for the girls.”

Courtois was forced off the ice before the next faceoff, as she didn’t have a neck protector on her goalie mask. The Stags didn’t have a backup goalie, so they were forced to play with an empty net. Thirty seconds later, Cheverus’ Abby Biegel was sent to the box for checking.

After an admirable defensive stand by the Stags, Rivard finally took advantage of the open net, as she was able to get a stick on a loose puck to the right of the goal off a pass from Lamoureux and put it in the back of the net.

Courtois was finally able to get back on the ice ”“ with neck protector attached ”“ after that, and she made a tough save later in the period as Lamoureux tried to wrap a shot around the left post.

Courtois couldn’t make a save early in the second period on a soft shot from Abbie Paquette, who flipped an attempt from between the circles that slid through Courtois’ legs 2:27 in.

The Stags weren’t going to lay down at that point, however, as they scored two goals in the next 34 seconds to slice the Biddeford lead in half.

Jill Hannigan sent a shot from the right circle into the left side of the goal past Biddeford goalie Cassie Ellis 14 seconds after Paquette’s goal to put the Stags on the board. Twenty seconds later, Sam Sessler skated up the right boards and sent a low shot under Ellis to make it 4-2.

But before Cheverus could gain momentum, the Tigers took it right back, as Dumoulin scored on a pass from Dominique Lavallee 47 seconds later.

“It was huge. No lead is really safe, and I think they showed that. Cheverus is a team that will come back any time,” said Potvin.

“They started getting goals, and we knew that we had to step up and play our game,” said Lamoureux.

Hannigan did all she could to get the Stags back into it, as she was a pest all game long for Ellis and the Biddeford defense.

“She’s very shifty, very good skater,” Potvin said of Hannigan. “She was tough. She was a tough player, good skater, good with the puck. And anytime you face one of those (players), it’s tough to stop.”

Courtois also righted her own personal ship during the second and third periods, as she stuffed a handful of open shots by the Tigers. But Biddeford was content to skate away with a win over the Stags, who knocked the Tigers out of the playoffs a year ago. It was a loss that stuck in the minds of the Biddeford players, and gave them motivation in the offseason.

Now, with revenge out of the way, the Tigers can move on with a new season that is off to a promising start.

The Tigers play next on Wednesday, as they travel to Winslow to take on the Black Raiders at 4:30 p.m.

— Staff Writer Wil Kramlich can be contacted at 282-1535, ext. 323 or sports@journaltribune.com. Follow him on Twitter @WilTalkSports.