AUBURN — Cape Elizabeth’s top players came to play Saturday night.
Behind Philip Coupe’s two goals, the Capers defeated Poland/Leavitt/Oak Hill/Gray-New Gloucester 6-2 in a Class B South boys hockey game at Norway Savings Bank Arena.
Coupe is the team’s second-leading point-getter (nine goals and 17 assists). The Capers’ third-leading point-getter, Sebastien Moon, had a goal and three assists (13 goals and 12 assists). Leading point-getter Nick Laughlin (14 goals and 17 assists) had a goal and an assist Saturday night.
“Those guys are upper-echelon players and very good players,” Cape Elizabeth coach Jacob Rutt said. “What’s nice when they contribute like that, as defenseman or forwards, they aren’t sacrificing anything on the defensive end. They played the game the right way today and they were able to execute on a couple of shots.”
Kings coach Jason Rouleau said after a slow start to the game, he felt the team played its best hockey in the final 15 minutes.
“We talk about in the room overcoming adversity and we showed a little mental toughness,” Rouleau said. “We have proven we can play with the top teams in South B, and we just came out hard and started putting pucks towards the net and we put one in.”
Coupe put the Capers (14-2) up 1-0 nearly five-and-half minutes into the first period. It was the lone goal of the frame.
Rouleau credited goalie Kade Knight (23 saves) for keeping the Kings (8-7) in the game in the first.
“I thought our goaltending really saved us in the first period,” Rouleau said. “It could have easily been three, four-nothing coming out of the first period.”
Laughlin scored a power-play goal in the first minute of the second period, with Moon setting him up. The puck trickled past Knight.
Isaac Omberg answered for the Kings with a power-play tally nearly six minutes into the second stanza. Talon Langevin and Hunter Bussiere provided the assists.
Connor Goss restored a two-goal lead for Cape Elizabeth.
“We got the momentum and they took it right back; it breaks your back,” Rouleau said. “It takes a couple of shifts or a little longer to regain it.”
Moon scored a shorthanded tally about 10 minutes into the second for a 4-1 advantage. Coupe recorded an assist.
Conner Boulay tapped home a pass from Brody Emond past Capers goalie Charlie Garvin (15 saves) to cut the Kings’ deficit to 4-2 just over a minute into the third period.
“Brody Emond came down strong and hard along the wall and a nice backhand pass over to Conner,” Rouleau said. “Conner tucked it in.”
Colin Blackburn put the game away with a slap shot 11:25 into the third period. It was his team-leading 17th goal of the season.
Rutt said Cape Elizabeth was patient in the third period.
“That’s our leadership group, our four captains that we have, we just stayed calm on the bench, went about our business, and rolled our lines,” Rutt said. “We kept the game real simple.”
Coupe added his second goal of the contest on the power play with 30 seconds left.
Cape Elizabeth went 2 for 6 on the power play and the Kings went 1 for 6.
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