BANGOR – A spirited and gritty group of Bangor High School Rams gave defending two-time state Class A champion St. Dominic of Lewiston a rude welcome to Sawyer Arena after the Saints had negotiated greasy roads to make the trip.

Bobby Leavitt and Kyle Baker staked the Rams to a surprising 2-0 lead 10:36 into the game.

But lightning-quick senior center Joe Dumais showed why he is regarded as one of the premier players in the state as he jumpstarted the Saints with a goal at the 11:44 mark of the first period; assisted on Chris Manson’s tying power-play score 2:10 later and gave the Saints the lead for good with goals 2:35 apart in the second period as St. Dom’s held off the Rams 5-3 Friday night.

“He’s one of a kind,” said St. Dom’s coach Bob Boucher whose Saints are now 8-1.

Bangor senior winger Leavitt, who turned in an impressive two-way performance despite a separated shoulder, said Dumais was “awesome.”

John Huhn’s power-play goal pulled the Rams within 4-3 late in the second period but John Forestell scored on a delayed penalty 2:42 into the third period.

“That was a killer,” said Bangor coach Bill Schwarz who called his team’s performance “the best I’ve seen against St. Dom’s in my five years here.”

The 7-5 Rams, who had lost leading scorer Justin Libbey to a bruised back midway through the second period, were limited to just three shots on goal in the final period by the swift-skating Saints.

Dumais’ first goal came on a breakaway off a Forestell pass.

“I faked a high shot first and he [Bangor goalie Justin Climo] went for it,” said Dumais who tucked the puck between Climo’s left skate and the post.

Manson tied it up by skating across the high slot from Climo’s left to right and snapping a 25-footer past the goalie’s left skate.

“I thought he was going to come all the way across and then make a pass,” said Climo.

Dumais opened the second-period scoring when he calmly gloved down the head-high rebound of a Steve Roop point shot and roofed a 10-footer.

“I was lucky. I had to reach way back to get it,” said Dumais.

Dumais’ next goal was much easier as all he had to do was direct a perfect cross-ice pass from Manson into the vacant net off a two-on-one created by a Zach Tyburski pass.

Huhn scored a pretty goal off a give-and-go with Kyle Baker. Huhn gave it to Baker at the side of the net, wedged between the St. Dom’s defensemen and shoveled Baker’s pass past the right skate of Saints goalie Ben Gray (15 saves).

Forestell dashed any comeback hopes early in the third when he pounced on the rebound of a Roop shot in the middle of the slot.

“I put it between the goalie’s legs,” said Forestell.

Boucher complimented Climo (39 saves) by saying, “That was one of the best performances I’ve seen this year.”

Leavitt had opened the scoring by gathering in a loose puck near the right circle, skating in alone on Gray and beating him with a nine-foot backhander.

Baker made it 2-0 by following up a two-on-one involving Kevin Cobb and Ben Payson and sweeping the rebound of Payson’s shot into the empty net.

“Getting the next goal was important because a 3-0 deficit would have been difficult to overcome,” said Boucher.

Saints 5, Rams 3

St. Dominic (8-1) 2 2 1 – 5

Bangor (7-5) 2 1 0 – 3

First period – 1. Bangor, Leavitt (Libbey), 5:42; 2. Bangor, K. Baker (Payson, Cobb), 10:36; 3. SD, Dumais (Forestell), 11:44; 4. SD, Manson (Dumais), 13:54 (pp). Penalties: SD, Forestell, hooking, 7:53; Bangor, Franck, interference, 12:43; Bangor, Cobb, tripping, 14:36

Second period – 5. SD, Dumais (Roop), 3:32 (pp); 6. SD, Dumais (Manson, Z. Tyburski), 6:07; 7. Bangor, Huhn (K. Baker), 11:56 (pp). Penalties: Bangor, Libbey, interference, 2:52; Bangor, Schroder, holding and unsportsmanlike conduct, 6:51; SD, Roop, roughing, 10:26

Third period – 8. SD, Forestell (Roop), 2:42.Penalties: Bangor, Lever, hitting from behind and 10-minute misconduct, 10:56; SD, N. Theriault, roughing, 14:32.

Shots on goal: St. Dom’s 12-18-14-44; Bangor 10-5-3-18

Goaltenders: St. Dom’s, Gray (18 shots-15 saves); Bangor, Climo (44-39)

Power-play Opportunities: St. Dom’s 2 of 6; Bangor 1 of 3

Attendance: 200 (est.)