PORTLAND — Greely brought its ´A´ game. Scarborough brought goaltender Devan Kane.

The result was a 2-2 tie between the defending state champion Rangers and the undefeated Red Storm in a girls´ hockey game Saturday at the Cumberland County Civic Center.

It was a result that both teams might consider a win. Greely and Scarborough aren´t scheduled to face each other again during the regular season and they´re in different regions for the playoffs, so if there´s a rematch it would be in the state final.

"The girls have done a great job of taking it one game at a time, but they were excited to play Greely," Scarborough Coach Caitlin Cashman said. "We have a couple of really hard games coming up, and this is a very good example of what those games will be like."

Greely (6-2-1), ranked No. 3 in the East, was averaging eight goals per game but had lost close games to No. 1 Leavitt/Edward Little (2-1) and No. 2 Lewiston (4-2). The Red Storm (7-0-1), No. 1 in the West, were averaging five goals per game. Kane (38 saves) had not allowed a goal all season.

"This was a huge test for us," Greely Coach Nate Guerin said. "It was a good challenge, and the girls responded well."

Well enough to win?

"Yeah, probably," he said. "We had a lot of close chances against a quality goaltender, probably the best in the state."

Greely outshot Scarborough 9-4 in a scoreless first period. The pattern continued throughout the contest but Kane was spectacular, including a save on Danita Storey´s breakaway in the second period.

Alyssa Hulst broke through for the Red Storm in the second period, knocking Brenna Kent´s shot from the point past Greely goalie Meg Perry (12 saves) at 6:43.

Paige Tuller tied it early in the third on a power play when she skated past a defender and beat Kane between the pads.

"We had a lot of opportunities and we definitely should have capitalized on that," Tuller said. "(Kane) does such a great job in net. You can´t just step over the blue line and shoot."

Kristen Murray put Scarborough up 2-1 about two minutes after Tuller´s goal. She stripped a defender of the puck at center ice, broke in and beat Perry between the pads. Murray and the defender fell into the post, and Murray left the game with a shoulder injury.

Sarah Kurland tied it while the Rangers were killing a penalty. Her shot from the right circle glanced off Kane´s left shoulder and into the net.

"You can´t shoot high or straight at (Kane)," Kurland said. "You have to get a dirty goal, one that goes off a pad or off a scrum in front."

Kane was happy to take the lesson from a close game, and she was intrigued by the thought of a rematch.

"We´ve never had the drive we have right now," she said. "If we keep up the drive, I think we can go far."