Hockey Notebook: Messalonskee Boys, Class B North Challenger, Starts the Season on the Right Track

The Messalonskee hockey team had reason to be optimistic when it started the season with a line-up full of important comebacks and a few influences.

The game is coming, and it’s so good for the Eagles so far.

Five different players scored the season-opening win over a 6-3 Class B North candidate from Camden Hills on Wednesday at Rockport.

“Guys work really hard in practice, we have a lot of competition going on every day in practice,” said Dennis Martin, Messalonske’s sophomore. “We have boys really working hard, we’re getting better every day. With last year’s experience, the guys played, even though the season wasn’t very long. Basically, 18 of our 20 friends have returned (since last year).

Garrett Card led the Eagles by two goals, and Brady Doucette, Bryce Crowell, Owen Kirk and Andrew Beckwith also scored.

Martin said Messalonske has three strong lines coming for the season, which is a luxury for most Maine high school hockey teams, especially in the B-Class North.

“We had goals from all three of our lines (Wednesday night),” said Martin, whose team has helped move Brandon Bearce and Cody Pawson. “We have three solid lines that we can play and we don’t have to face other teams. (Each line) doesn’t fall so far apart.”

Although the Eagles have a veteran-heavy team, Martin said there is still work to be done as the season progresses.

“With last year’s COVID, we really didn’t have a lot of practice and a lot of consistent doing,” Martin said. “Right now (Thursday) exercise was already No. 12. I think we had 17 (exercises) all last year. They are used to the systems we use. As a group, it’s a lot easier, they adjust to things much faster. We don’t have to start at number one with everything. It makes a big difference. We can add to that instead of starting back and continuing. “

• • •

The Black Tigers – a girls ’hockey collaboration made up of players from Winslow, Gardiner, Cony, Lawrence, Messalonske and Brewer – is trying to regain the momentum it enjoyed at the start of the season.

The group opened the season with three consecutive wins, but has since dropped three in a row, including losses to Class A teams Lewiston and Cheverus. The latest setback came in a 5-3 decision on Thursday for Yarmouth / Freeport.

“I like the 3-0 start where we were in those first three games,” head coach Bill Boardman said. – Then we had Lewiston and Cheverus in a row, and they’re two of the state’s toughest teams. I don’t think we competed as well as we should have. We won 2-0 against Lewiston, so we were kind of excited about it, but certainly Lewiston is a very strong program, a strong team. They came back against us, and I think we were just a little flat when we fell behind and didn’t compete in the whole game. We didn’t compete in the third round, and we have to win things like that. I think it continued in the Cheverus match, where we survived a little steadily against a strong team with two solid lines that can skate and move the puck.

Winslow / Gardiner / Messalonskee / Brewer / Cony High Schools girl hockey player Jordin Williams will check out Cheverus’ Oliva Bradford away goalkeeper Emma Michaud in a match at Hallowell on Monday. Andy Molloy / Kennebec Journal

The Black Tigers have had a lot of bright spots, especially the game by junior goalkeeper Emma Michaud. Boardman has also been impressed with the play of his defenders, including Kylie Boardman, Jordin Williams, Evelyn Rousseau and Hannah Daigneault.

“We (our defenses) and our goalkeepers have been strong, I’m very pleased with that,” Bill Boardman said. – In the first three games we were able to get the puck on the ice and get it into the attack area to score goals. I think our strength so far, what I expected, was our defensive game. Definitely going to continue it. “

• • •

While most Central American boys ’hockey teams have played at least one game, Cony / Monmouth / Erskine / Mt. Blue / Richmond will begin their season on Saturday against the Capital Region – which consists of players from Maranacook, Winthrop, Spruce Mountain, Hall-Dale and Lawrence – at 8pm in Ice Vault.

Cony finished 5-4 last season, with head coach Shawn Johnson returning through his fifth pass at the helm.

The Capital Region is looking for its first win after losing a 9-0 decision to Hampden Academy on December 11th.

Dave Dyer – 621-5640

[email protected]

Twitter: @Dave_Dyer

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