AUBURN — Special teams made all the difference for St. Dominic Academy on Wednesday. 

The Saints’ power-play unit scored on their first three opportunities of the night, netting a goal with the extra skater in all three periods as they skated to a 5-1 victory over Thornton Academy at Norway Savings Bank Arena. 

“It really came in clutch,” St. Dom’s senior Caleb Labrie said. “We have a lot of guys down right now, especially on our top two lines, so to be able to get three out of four (on the power play) tonight was clutch, especially because we were having trouble getting a lot of shots on net tonight.” 

The penalty kill unit was just as strong, killing off all four Trojan power plays. That included a 5-on-3 opportunity that lasted for 1:57 mid way through the third period with the Saints leading 4-1. Thornton managed just one shot while skating 5-on-3. 

While 60 percent of St. Dom’s goals came with the man advantage, its first was at even strength. Chris Laverdiere, who got the start on the blue line, scored his first goal of the season with a shot from the blue line that deflected off a Thornton defenseman in front and got by goaltender Andrew Huot. Laverdiere got the start on the blue line with the Saints (9-1-1) battling through injuries.

“It’s gotta be that next man up mentality right now with guys getting a lot more regular shifts than maybe they did earlier in the year,” St. Dom’s coach Steve Ouellette said. “A lot of them are stepping up and pretty much some good team defense and doing some simple things, getting the puck in deep. Some of that is the depth showing of having some of those older guys.” 

The Saints’ next two goals came on the power play. Following a tripping penalty to Thornton’s Eric Profenno, St. Dom’s converted on an odd-man rush, ending in a one-timer by Labrie. Adam Poulin skated in on net before finding Labrie at the left circle for a 2-0 lead with 1:17 left in the second period. 

Labrie was involved in the Saints’ second power-play goal of the night, this time as the primary assist. Less than a minute into a tripping penalty by Chandler Bilodeau, Labrie dished the puck to Brad Berube in the slot. Berube redirected the pass over Huot’s shoulder to give the Saints a 3-0 advantage. 

“I wish I could say we’ve been practicing (the power play) a lot, but it really hasn’t,” Ouellette said. “We’re running different guys in different spots. What we’ve been preaching is patience and good puck movement, making better decisions.” 

Thornton’s Nolan Millett got the Trojans back into the game momentarily as he beat St. Dom’s goaltender Ridge Servidio five-hole 16 seconds after Berube’s tally. Millett’s goal was answered 1:30 later when Cooper Richard lit the lamp. 

St. Dom’s power-play unit took a back seat to its penalty killers in the third period. The Saints took three consecutive penalties to start the frame, culminating in a lengthy 5-on-3. Labrie was whistled for interference behind the play with 8:36 left and Poulin went to the box for tripping on the ensuing faceoff three seconds later. 

“The five-on-three was really big for us,” St. Dom’s sophomore Noah Toussaint said. “We had to kill that off because once the momentum changes they can come back and change the game.” 

The Trojans (1-8) couldn’t muster any quality shots on Servidio. Only one shot got through to him and he blocked it aside. 

“Certainly anytime you’re not able to execute on a five-on-three there is that momentum shift regardless of whether or not you want to think it’s a swing of the game,” Thornton coach Jamie Gagnon said. “It does shift momentum back in their direction as opposed to if we had gotten one there it changes the complexion of the game.” 

Eleven seconds after killing off the 5-on-3, the Saints went back on the power play and again found the back of the net. Toussaint did it all on the play, deking his way past the Thronton defense before lifting a backhander past Huot for a highlight-reel goal to give the Saints a 5-1 lead with 5:54 remaining. 

The Saints outshot the Trojans 26-15. 

Servidio earned the win in net for the Saints, making 14 saves. Huot finished with 21 saves.

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