Cheverus-Yarmouth earned its second consecutive state Class B hockey championship by scoring four third-period goals to beat John Bapst of Bangor 5-1 at the Cross Ice Arena in Portland on Saturday morning.
The game was tied 1-1 entering the third period but the Stags erupted for four goals in a span of 5:17 to break the game open.
Cheverus-Yarmouth and John Bapst both finished their seasons at 19-2-1.
Cheverus-Yarmouth concluded its season with a six-game winning streak and eight-game unbeaten streak (7-0-1) while the Crusaders had their eight-game winning streak and 13-game unbeaten skein (12-0-1) snapped.
It was the first time Class B North champ John Bapst had won a regional title and played in a state championship game.
Cheverus’ Matthew Reed and John Bapst’s Will Bourgeois had swapped first-period goals.
Reed’s goal was his second of the season and first of the playoffs while Bourgeois collected his 25th of the season and team-leading fourth of the playoffs.
Matthew Paradis scored what proved to be the game-winner 2:30 into the third to trigger the flurry.
Junior Colby Carnes expanded the lead 3:05 later with his 14th of the season and team-high fifth of the playoffs.
Owen Cheever made it 4-1 with his first-playoff goal after he had registered 11 regular-season goals and Carnes added an insurance goal to cap the decisive flurry.
Quinn McCoy assisted on three of the third-period scores.
The five goals allowed were the most surrendered by the Crusaders, who had allowed only 17 entering the game and had held its three playoff opponents to a total of one goal.
Cheverus-Yarmouth had given up only 24 including just three in its three B South playoff games.
