Biddeford, ME – If there were any doubts that Thornton Academy is a force to be reckoned with prior to this game, their performance tonight should quiet those doubts.

The defending state champions came out with all cylinders going, macerating the Portland Bulldogs for 60 minutes as Thornton Academy outscored Portland, 8-1, Wednesday night at Biddeford Ice Arena.

Thornton entered the game in first place in the Class A West where they would remain as they improved to 10-1-1. Portland would fall to 0-12-0 on the season.

Thornton Academy started the scoring early. Thirty-two seconds into the game, TA forward, Andrew Carignan sent a shot at the net from the left circle, and it bobbled over Portland goalie, Jon Gatti’s shoulder, and into the net to put Thornton up 1-0.

Portland managed to keep Thornton off the scoreboard for a while, until Filip Takac received a pass from behind the net, and stuck it between Gatti’s legs to put Thornton up by a pair, 2-0.

The scoring was certainly not done after one period, however, as Thornton added another four goals in the second frame.

Thornton won an offensive face off, and Bryan Dallaire took a slapshot from the point where C.J. Maksut would get a stick on it as Thornton Academy took a 3-0 lead at the 3:50 mark of the second period.

They would score twice more before Portland struck back. The first was scored by Greg Lodge on the power play, while the second goal was scored by Maksut on the penalty kill.

After 31 minutes, Portland got on the board. Portland’s Mike Fuller passed across the crease to Chris Eye, and Eye made sure that the puck went in with a solid wrist shot.

Unfortunately for Portland, the one goal did little to stop Thornton’s offensive prowess.

Thornton would go on to three more goals between the end of the 2nd period, and the entirety of the 3rd.

For Bulldogs coach Andy Gildart, this season is a rebuilding season for Portland.

“We’ve had some success over the years, but I mean we’ve got the defending state champs on the schedule twice with a young team with only three seniors, and one of them has only been playing hockey for four years. Defensively we’re running different systems, so down the road when these guys are in a lot of the competitive games when they’re a lot older they’ll be able to switch it up. It’s basically like rebuilding process for the future.”