The Gorham boys’ hockey team knew its was going to take some lumps this season because of inexperienced roster.

The Rams had a three-game losing streak to start February but finished the regular-season strong by winning their final three games to earn the No. 3 seed in the Class B South playoffs.

And now, for the first time since 2015, Gorham is headed to the regional final after a 3-1 victory Saturday over second-seeded Kennebunk/Wells at Troubh Ice Arena.

“You know, we’re a young group,” Gorham coach Sean Sullivan said. “We have a lot of young guys, so we knew at the start of the year, you know, there’d be a lot of growing pains, and I think as the season went on, we kind of found our way, and everything’s just kind of clicking at the right time, and that’s what we want.”

Defenseman Jacob Shvets said everybody has trust in each other.

I think just success and just believing in each other,” Shvets said. “Everybody just works off of each other. Not one person puts the team on their back. We all just grind.”

How did Gorham win?

• Gorham struck in the first minute of the game and mounted offensive pressure throughout the first period. The Rams had opportunities to extend the lead with two power plays, but Kennebunk/Wells kept the deficit to 1-0 after 15 minutes.

• Kennebunk/Wells only had four shots in the second period, but one of them got past Gorham goalie Chris Cheseboro to tie the game. Gorham’s top line answered late in the period when Levi Wagner scored, assisted by Landan Anctil.

“On my first goal, I just gave it to (Anctil), and I went center drive like Coach Sullivan always tells us, and the puck just happened to hit me, and it goes in the net,” Wagner said.

• Gorham survived Kennebunk/Wells’s early offensive attack in the third period. Cheseboro’s best save came with 3:20 remaining when he stopped the puck while falling backward.

• Kennebunk/Wells got a second chance to tie it up after Stephen Connolly missed an empty net with under 90 seconds remaining, but a penalty put Gorham on the power play. Then, Kennebunk/Wells was frustrated when no penalty was called after a collision in the neutral zone before Wagner scored an empty-netter with under 10 seconds remaining.

They said it

• “Yeah, it was huge for us seeing that puck stay out of the net the whole game, and it really helps us believe in (Cheseboro) back there, and it gives us confidence on the other end.” — Levi Wagner

• ” I mean, really just an all-around team game. We knew our systems; we played hard defensively and executed offensively when we needed to. It was just a good game all around, and credit to Kennebunk, they played a great game, too. So it was a good battle.” — Sean Sullivan

“And we’ve had so many games this year where we’ve come from behind, battled back and pulled them out and been on the other side. Tonight, it just didn’t work that way.” — Kennebunk/Wells coach Bryan Page

Statistical leaders

Gorham: Wagner (two goals), Shvets (goal), Cheseboro (24 saves)

Kennebunk/Wells: Cooper Samson (goal), Richard Pocius (27 saves)