AUBURN – Edward Little knew it would have to come to play to earn its second straight Gipper’s championship, even though a Class B school was all that stood in the way.

But Cape Elizabeth isn’t just any Class B school. The Capers are the defending state champions, and were 2-0 against their Class A foes heading into Saturday night’s final of the 9th annual Gipper’s Holiday Classic.

“We knew that they had beaten some traditionally very strong Class A schools, so there was no question in our mind that we were going to have our hands full,” said EL coach Jamie Belleau. “It was important for us to come out and skate very hard and according to our game plan from when the puck’s dropped.”

Defending Class A champion EL tallied two early goals in the first period, withstood a second period charge, then pulled away in the third for a 6-2 win.

Kyle Smith led EL’s typically explosive offense with four goals and an assist. Colby Gilbert added a goal and three assists. Kris Bennett stopped 28 shots in net for the Eddies, who outshot the Capers, 33-30.

Smith and Gilbert teamed up on the Eddies’ first two goals. Gilbert spotted Smith skating through the slot from the left circle for the first marker at 3:38. Smith then returned the favor 1:48 later by setting up Gilbert for a 2-0 lead.

Smith made it 3-0 6:18 into the second period on the Eddies’ only power play of the night, knocking home a rebound of a Bill Parker shot.

Cape got back into the game with some help from Bennett, who didn’t discard a broken stick while turning back a couple of tough bids by the Capers. Cape scored on the resulting power play as Garrett Currier poked home a second chance to make it 3-1.

“Cape Elizabeth is a very strong club. They’ve got a lot of speed up front,” said “I was a little disappointed with the penalties we took. They’re very talented on the power play. I think the difference was when we we five-on-five, and certainly Kris came up with some big saves.”

None bigger, perhaps, than a stop on a Drake Livada one-timer later in the second that could have pulled the Capers within one.

Instead, the Eddies had a two-goal cushion to build on entering the third period, which is when Gilbert and Smith hooked up again to make it 4-1 at 5:22.

“I think that deflated us a little, and then they got that fifth one real quick,” said Cape coach Steve Ouellette, whose team had beaten Cheverus earlier this year and knocked off Lewiston Friday night to reach the final.

Smith and Gilbert teamed up for the final time at 10:53 to put the game away. Jackson Keene tallied the final EL goal, while Bryan Holden added the second Cape score.

In the consolation game, Lewiston got four goals from Scott Geoffroy to clobber Gardiner, 10-0. Eric Grenier added two goals and two assists and Colby Dufour netted a goal and two assists for the Blue Devils, who outshot the Tigers, 27-6, on the night. Brian Nason picked up the shutout.

rwhitehouse@sunjournal.com

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