FALMOUTH — It took Lewiston a whole game to score two goals when the Blue Devils faced Falmouth at home on Monday night. They equaled that in just two ticks over four minutes in the rematch on the road Saturday afternoon, and scored the elusive third goal before the first period had elapsed.

And that wasn’t even the most action-packed period of the game.

The Yachtsmen came storming back in the third, only for the Blue Devils to break their hearts — and their penalty kill — in a 5-4 Class A boys’ hockey victory at Family Ice Center.

Rarely did shots sneak by Falmouth goalie Spencer Pierce during a 3-2 Yachtsmen win in Lewiston at the beginning of the week. The junior stopped 44 shots in that game.

It took the Blue Devils (10-1) just four shots to beat Pierce on Saturday, and the next one also made it past him. Alex Rivet and Jeromey Rancourt scored just 15 seconds apart by the 4:02 mark of the first period.

Rivet made it 3-0 on a power play 11:04 into the period, with Rancourt assisting on the goal.

The Yachtsmen (7-2-1) responded right away. Reece Armitage found Brendan Hickey in the slot, and Hickey fired an open shot past Lewiston goalie Jacob Strout.

All three Lewiston goals came on quick shots in front, with passes from either below the goal line or from the left corner.

“We’ve worked on all kinds of offensive situations, including (that),” Lewiston coach Jamie Belleau said. “I think we’re trying to find ways to generate offense, and if that works then it works.”

The intensity picked up in the second, even if the scoring didn’t. The teams combined for no goals, but seven minors were called — four for Lewiston, three for Falmouth.

The Blue Devils’ best power-play opportunity came after a back-and-forth four straight minors midway through the period. The man advantage lasted only 1:08, but that was enough time for Lewiston to send five shots at Pierce, who stopped them all.

Strout did the same during an extended Falmouth power play in the final six minutes of the period. The Yachtsmen were only able to put one dump-in shot on the Blue Devil netminder during a 64-second 5-on-3, but did finish up the man advantage with four good shots at Strout, whose left-handed glove was on point.

Strout was left stranded three times in the third, however, and the Yachtsmen took advantage. Hickey scored on a wide-open shot from the right circle two minutes in to cut the deficit to 3-2.

“It’s almost like we fell asleep a little bit after we got that three-goal lead,” Belleau said.

The game was at its chippiest in the third. After 11 minors were called through the first 35 minutes of the game, a tripping major was called against Falmouth after Rancourt went hard into the boards.

“A game like this, I don’t think you get away from (physical play),” Falmouth coach Deron Barton said. “It’s a tough game for the officials to get right on every, single play. And I just think that you’ve got to go into that game expecting to have to kill penalties, and you’ve got to build a system that supports that. There’s just no other way around it.”

Barton added, “I hate to see any kid get hurt,” with Rancourt briefly leaving the ice.

It was the Yachtsmen who first took advantage of the long penalty — Robbie Armitage specifically. The senior captain twice pounced on lazy Lewiston turnovers before skating in on breakaways and beating Strout.

“I think (Robbie’s) game gets elevated when the situation presents itself like that,” Barton said. “That’s the type of player he is. He delivers when we need it. And that’s leadership.”

Two similar scores gave Falmouth a 4-3 lead with just under six minutes to play, and forced Belleau to call a timeout.

“It’s really just trying to maintain their composure, and give them a little bump to make sure they understand there’s some time left and not to panic,” Belleau said.

The Blue Devils responded, getting a 5-on-3 goal from Cody Doyon to tie the game with 4:29 left, then a 5-on-4 goal from Joe Bisson (assisted by Rancourt and Rivet) with 4:04 left for a 5-4 lead.

“I think that they were running out of gas a little bit, so we had a little bit more time and space than we might have otherwise,” Belleau said.

Strout made one last save on a delayed Lewiston penalty with three seconds left. The Blue Devils then pulled the puck out of safety on the ensuing faceoff to hold on for the victory.

“A lot to work on,” Belleau said. “Good to get a ‘W.'”

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