The old hockey adage of a two-goal lead being a dangerous one rang true for the Maine Nordiques on Tuesday, with a two-score cushion evaporating by the end of the first period of a 7-2 loss to the host Johnstown (Pennsylvania) Tomahawks.

Stefan Owens gave the Nordiques a 2-0 lead just 4:23 into the game after Manny Sanchez’s opening goal just over three minutes in. Jack Strauss and Kevin Pitts had assists on Sanchez’s score, while the newcomer Ignat Belov had the primary assist on Owens’ tally and Isaiah Fox had the secondary assist.

Things began to unravel for Maine when Christian Gorscak converted a Tomahawks penalty shot and Andrew Murphy scored a shorthanded goal (with goalie David Tomeo assisting) to tie the game with five minutes left in the opening period.

Brendan Blair scored for the first of his three points to give Johnstown the lead 2:15 into the second. Gorscak made it 4-2 less than a minute later, with Spencer DenBeste notching the first of two assists and Blair adding the secondary assist. Max Kouznetsov scored on the power play to make it 5-2 after two, with DenBeste and Gorscak assisting on the goal.

Tristan Poissant scored unassisted, and Murphy and Blair assisted on Sean Bauchens’ goal to round out the scoring.

Tomeo stopped 26 of 28 shots the Nordiques sent at him, while Marco Duronio made 34 saves for Maine.

The Tomahawks were 1-for-8 on the power play, the Nordiques 0-for-6.

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