LEWISTON – The second period is one the Maine Nordiques would like to forget.

The Fairbank Ice Dogs scored six times in the middle frame en route to a 7-3 victory at the Androscoggin Bank Colisee in front of 1,119 fans.

“You can’t give up six goals in a period to win a hockey game, right?” Nordiques coach Nolan Howe said. “We won two out of the three periods, but you can’t lose a period like that.”

Howe said he will make sure the team knows a game can’t be won in one period, but as Saturday night showed, it can be lost in one period.

For the second night in a row, the Nordiques jumped out to a 1-0 lead as Tristian Thibeault chipped the puck in the air that landed in between the legs of an Ice Dogs defender at the Nordiques offensive blue line. Trent Grimshaw lifted the stick of the defender to take the puck, giving him a breakaway and that he finished by beating Fairbanks goalie Mattias Scholl (20 saves) just before eight-minute mark.

The scoring started early for the Ice Dogs in the second period. They took a 2-1 lead after Oliver Kjaer and Tyler Deweese scored 49 seconds apart early in the stanza.

Laker Aldridge, who had assist on Deweese’s goal, gave Fairbanks a 3-1 lead just past the six and half minute mark.

“When you have a little momentum, it’s important to carry that,” Fairbanks coach Trevor Stewart said. “We put some shifts together, made a couple of plays on the power play, it was a good second period for us.”

The game was put out of reach in the final four minutes of the second period.

Matt Koethe, who had two assists Friday, found the back of the net for a 4-1 lead. The fifth goal, potted by Mason Plante, ended Nordiques goalie Avery Sturtz’s (20 saves) night with 1:40 remaining in the second period. After Marco Duronio (21 saves) relieved Sturtz, Jack Johnston scored the final goal of the period on a power play with 23 seconds remaining.

The Ice Dogs weren’t finished. Kjaer scored his second goal of the game three minutes into the third period to stretch the lead to 7-1.

Stefan Owens potted the Nordiques’ second goal of the game midway through the third. He later capped the scoring with a power play goal with under two minutes remaining.

“I think (associate head coach) Cam (Robichaud) said it best: Whenever we have a gut-check moment, Owens seems to come through for us,” Howe said. “He’s an awesome competitor, and I think he takes a lot of pride in what he brings to the table.

“When your back is against the wall, there’s certain guys you can count on, and he’s proven time and time again, he’s one of those guys.”

Maine was 1-for-2 on the man advantage, while Fairbanks went 2-for-3.

Backup goalie Austin Ryman came in for the final three and half minutes for the Ice Dogs and made four saves.

The Noriques look to snap their four-game losing streak Friday when they host the New Jersey Titans at 7 p.m. The two teams also play Saturday at 7 p.m.

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