Tyler Couture, with assistance from Max Giard and Matt Verrill, scored with 1:47 left in the game and helped hand the Red Eddies a 4-2 victory over Kennebunk in a hockey game opener Saturday night at Norway Savings Bank Arena.

Walker Robinson was called for a five-minute major for hitting from behind, opening the door for Couture, who drilled the puck from about 20 feet away and sent it past Kennebunk goalie Spencer Desrochers, who made 20 saves.

“You know when you get a power play like that, obviously you want to try to score,” EL coach Craig Latuscha said. “Unfortunately, we were unable to score a goal at the start on our first 5-on-3 that we had to start the game off.

“High school hockey games are won on power plays and special teams, and which team can be the most disciplined.

“It’s a good start. It is a momentum builder. Kennebunk, as you know, went 14-2-2 last year. They have some good players out there. They are definitely going to be a playoff contender in Class B.”

The Rams also had ample opportunity with three power plays, but never could slip one by EL goalie Devin Dumont, who made 12 saves.

In the first period, Kennebunk was faced with a 5-on-3 situation when two of the Rams’ players ended up in the penalty box, but the Red Eddies couldn’t find an opening despite the advantage.

The teams hammered away at each other, but the first period ended in a 0-0 tie.

Period two was a different story for both teams, which began trading goals seven minutes in to the second stanza.

Kennebunk scored first when Boden Beveridge scored at 3:22 on assists by James Ross and Patrick Gassman.

The Red Eddies didn’t wait long to respond, with Couture scoring his first of two goals at 3:53 to tie the game at 1-1. Verrill pocketed the assist.

Then, EL’s Liam Benson took matters into his own hands and scored an unassisted goal at 6:05.

The round of oneupsmanship continued, with Ross scoring on an assist from Brenden Whitten at 6:10 for the Rams to tie the game at 2-2.

At 6:38 of the second quarter, the Red Eddies took the lead for good when Giard scored on Verill’s second of three assists in the game.

“It was a good effort by our boys,” Kennebunk coach Sean Smith said. “They certainly worked hard. We certainly have a couple of things to work on as far as defensive zone coverage and just playing our positions a little bit better.

“The effort was definitely there. It was a very good building block. But the boys fought hard right to the end. Edward Little is a good team, a good physical team, a lot of big guys. I thought they were well coached, classy.”