BANGOR – Hat tricks are difficult enough to get. Four goals? Now that’s something. So when a guy scores five – in a playoff game no less – that’s rarefied territory.

Nick Payson entered that territory Monday night as he scored every goal in Bangor’s 5-1 Eastern Maine Class A quarterfinal win over No. 6 Messalonskee of Oakland at Sawyer Arena.

“We had someone shadowing him in a way, but this was just a tremendous game,” said Eagles coach and former UMaine player Mike Latendresse. “When you score five goals, at any level and especially this time of year, you’re for real.”

It was a career-best game for the Rams’ sophomore forward.

“We were worried about them marking him, but he’s no secret. He’s the best player on the team,” said head coach Dan Kerluke, whose No. 3 Rams advance to a semifinal game with No. 2 Lewiston Saturday at the Central Maine Civic Center in Lewiston. Bangor is now 15-5-1.

For his part, Payson couldn’t offer much insight into what went into his breakout game.

“I don’t know,” said Payson, who now has 36 goals this season. “I guess it was just being in the right place at the right time. I guess it was just that simple.”

Yeah, simply dominating.

Payson’s first goal may have been the most crucial one of the game as it came almost 41/2 minutes into the game with Messalonskee on a power play. Up to that point, the Eagles had outshot Bangor and missed a couple chances to score a goal.

After a Bangor clear-out sent the puck to the left corner on Messalonskee’s end, Payson controlled it, moved behind the net, spun away from a defender, shot forward and tucked it into the left side of the net. The play snapped Messalonskee’s momentum while at the same time ramping the Rams’ up.

“They made a couple of plays and that short-handed goal didn’t break us, but it was unexpected and kind of a bad goal to give up, so it deflated us somewhat,” Latendresse said.

With 1:51 left in the first, Payson struck again, this time off a play-of-the-day pass from brother Ben Payson from the boards in front of the penalty box. Ben Payson delivered a bullet from the right side all the way over to just in front of the left circle, where Nick got it with his stick and shot to the net’s right side for the score.

Payson’s third goal came midway through the second period on a slap shot from the right circle. Jason Eremita and T.J. Vanidestine assisted.

Vanidestine also assisted on the next one, a slap shot from the right side about 12 feet away. Eremita notched his third assist on Payson’s final goal – which he stuffed in off a scramble near the net with 34 seconds left in the second.

Almost lost in Payson’s offensive heroics was the solid play of Bangor junior goalie Aaron Buzzell, who frustrated numerous solid attempts by the Eagles to score and stem the Rams’ crimson red tide.

Buzzell made 25 saves, including two in the third period – when the game was already on ice – worthy of the highlight reel. Buzzell stopped a point-blank shot off a rebound midway through the third and stopped two breakaway shots, one of which was preceded by a fake that he partially bit on.

The Eagles broke their scoring drought via Jamie Bonnell’s shot to the right side on the fly during a power play early in the third period. Bert Marston assisted on the shot that ruined Buzzell’s shutout bid.

“I wasn’t even worried about it.” said Buzzell, who had 25 saves. “A shutout’s nice, but I’d rather have the W.”

Senior Ben Conti stopped 26 of 31 shots for the 11-8 Eagles.

RAMS 5, EAGLES 1

Messalonskee (11-8) 0 0 1 ? 1

Bangor (15-5-1) 2 3 0 ? 5

First period ? 1. Bgr., N. Payson 32 (Eremita), 4:21 (sh); 2. Bgr., N. Payson 33 (B. Payson), Penalties: Bgr., Vanidestine, hooking, 3:39

Second period ? 3. Bgr., N. Payson 34 (Eremita, Vanidestine) 7:25; 4. Bgr., N. Payson 35 (Vanidestine) 9:46; 5. Bgr., N. Payson 36 (Eremita) 14:26. Penalties: Bgr., Eremita, holding, 3:50; Mess., Fabian, charging, 9:59; Bgr., Vanidestine, roughing, 10:19; Mess., Marston, elbowing, 10:19; Mess., Perry, roughing, 10:19

Third period ?. 6. Mess., Bonnell (Marston) 1:45 (pp); Penalties: Bgr., B. Payson, interference, 0:34; Mess., Fabian, slashing, 2:54; Mess., Furbush, roughing, 5:18; Bgr., Silver, roughing, 5:18; Bgr., McPike, holding, 5:40; Mess., Patten, high-sticking, 7:25; Bgr., N. Payson, cross-checking, 7:25; Mess., Fabian, slashing, 9:21; Bgr., McPike, roughing, 9:21; Mess., Bonnell, high-sticking, 9:41

Shots on goal: Messalonskee 8-4-14?26; Bangor 8-15-8?31

Goaltenders: Messalonskee, Conti (31 shots-26 saves); Bangor, Buzzell (26-25)

Power-play opportunities: Messalonskee 1 of 4; Bangor 0 of 4

Attendance: 250 (est.)