LEWISTON — Lewiston girls’ hockey coach Ron Dumont has said all season that his team has shown great patience and poise, but that was put to the test Saturday night.

The Blue Devils’ perfect start to the season was put to the test as well, but a “perfect pass” led to an ice-breaking goal, and Lewiston later got a back-breaking goal against rival St. Dominic Academy in a 2-0 win at Androscoggin Bank Colisee.

“We knew it would be a tough challenge and, you know, it’s just another lesson for the kids of keeping their composure,” Dumont said. “And we played some tight games this year. You know, not a lot of them, but I think that’s great going forward, to have a game that tight.”

The two goalies kept the backs of the nets clean in the first period, with the Blue Devils (16-0) holding an 8-6 edge in unsuccessful shots on goal in the frame. Saints (10-4-1) sophomore goalie Madyson Boulet made three glove saves, including two against Lewiston defender Grace Dumont. Lewiston junior goalie Camree St. Hilaire had to make some tough saves on St Dom’s transition opportunities.

The Saints had the better chances early in the second, but the Blue Devils struck first. Gemma Landry fed Sara Robert, who fired the puck past Boulet from the left side with a tick under three minutes left in the middle frame.

“That definitely lifted some weight off of our shoulders,” Robert said. “And Gemma made that perfect pass right to me, so I was pretty excited when I scored, but it was really my linemates work down low.”

“I think we were doing really well,” St. Dom’s coach Paul Gosselin said. “We had a lot of puck possession, and unfortunately there was a breakdown and they got a goal. So it took a little bit of wind out, but I think we got it back and we kept cranking.”

The Saints came out flying and firing in the third period, out-shooting the Blue Devils 8-1 at one point.

“I just think that we were forechecking a little bit harder and breaking up their breakout pass, so we were getting the puck back in and getting it deep,” Gosselin said. “We kept forechecking back in. Loose pucks came in. We got some nice quality shots. Camree played a nice game.”

Brie Dube put the game away, halting that Saints shooting streak by putting home a loose puck that slipped behind Boulet after Leah Landry’s bad-angle shot.

St. Hilaire stopped all 22 shots she faced, while Boulet made 21 saves for the Saints, who named their goalie the team’s player of the game, according to Gosselin.

The Saints gave the Blue Devils more of a scare the second time around this season, after Lewiston won 7-1 in Auburn.

“I mean, the first time we played them it was 7-1. It’s 2-0, and I think we pretty much … well, we pretty much won most of the battles except for the goals,” Gosselin said. “So I think that overall I’m very proud of them. We’re getting closer, and hopefully in a couple weeks we get to see them again.”

wkramlich@sunjournal.com

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