LEWISTON – One shot was all it took.

With the first shot of the game Wednesday evening, the St. Dom’s hockey team got a hint that it might not be a good night.

Kennebunk’s first shot of the game found the back of the net, and the Rams had a two-goal lead before the game was two minutes old. Things got no better for the Saints in a 6-2 loss.

“We knew it would be a tough game going in,” said St. Dom’s coach John Pleau. “But we were still in the locker room in the first period. We came out of the locker room in the second period. We didn’t show up in the first period. It was just an atrocious period of hockey for us. It probably was our worst period all year.”

Kennebunk struck net in the first 30 seconds of play and were up 2-0 at 1:34 on its way to a 3-0 lead in the opening period. The Saints regrouped a bit for the final two periods but couldn’t overcome the early hole.

“If you could do that every time and come into an opposing team’s house and score right off the bat and score two goals, it doesn’t always work that way for you,” said Kennebunk coach Don Hill, whose team won the first meeting 4-0.

Marcus Smith had a pair of goals. Matt Tucceri, Cullen Finn and David Horan each had a goal and an assist for the Rams (7-3). Goaltender Mark Airoldi had 28 saves and had his shutout bid broken up early in the third on a Simon Hebert goal. Spencer Teixeira also had a goal for the Saints (5-6).

Despite the woeful start, the Saints tried to make amends in the final two periods. After being outshot 17-7 in the opening period, the Saints were even with the Rams for much of the second. Then St. Dom’s played its best period of the night in the third. The Saints outshot Kennebunk 13-5 in the period.

“I was proud of the way we came back in the third period,” said Pleau, whose club was ranked eighth in the latest Western A Heal Points. “We were in their zone for a good seven or eight minutes. It’s tough to comeback from a deficit like that.”

The fifth-ranked Rams had two goals in the first 1:34 and three by the time the period was half over. Just 30 seconds into play, Tucceri burst down the left wing. He fired a shot from the circle that snuck inside the left post. Then at 1:34, Horan was at the same circle and spotted Smith charging in on the far wing. He centered a pass for Smith, who finished it for a 2-0 lead.

“We knew we were facing a tough team in their building,” said Hill. “We knew they were a fast team. We wanted to keep it on the offensive zone and keept it down low.”

The Saints best bid of the opening period came shorthanded when C.J. Bergeron broke in alone for a backhander that Airoldi stopped. Moments later, Noel Grayden put in a rebound for a power-play goal with 7:11 left.

“C.J. had some great shorthanded opportunities,” said Pleau. “He’s got eight shorthanded goals this year.”

Kennebunk added to the lead just 3:08 into the second. Horan finished off a Joey York pass at the right side. Then with 2:42 left, Finn put in a rebound of a Patrick Graydon shot for a power-play goal.

The Saints finally got on the board at 1:27 of the third. Hebert converted a Bergeron pass in front. St. Dom’s created other quality scoring chances in the final period but were foiled by Airoldi.

“He made a couple of real nice saves,” said Hill. “St. Dom’s did a nice job of battling back. They came after us hard.”

Teixeira got the second St. Dom’s tally with 5:50 left, but Smith netted his second of the game soon thereafter.

“We’ve done this all year,” said Pleau. “We’ve been very inconsistent as far as quality periods. This was an indication of that. It’s a good lesson learned.”