HOULTON, Maine — It has been a rough start for the Houlton-Hodgdon-Southern Aroostook-Katahdin cooperative hockey team in the early part of their season. The Black Hawks have skated well in their first four games, but are continuing to search for that elusive first victory.
The team opened the season Dec. 8 with a 3-0 loss to Camden Hills and followed that up with a 2-2 overtime tie with John Bapst/MDI/Bangor Dec. 10. On Saturday, Dec. 15, the Black Hawks traveled to Old Town, where they lost 6-1 to Old Town/Orono.
And on Wednesday, Dec. 19, the squad suffered a 9-2 loss to Presque Isle at the Northern Maine Forum. In that contest, Black Hawk goalie Elijah Matheson made nine saves on 46 shots.
Presque Isle jumped to a two-goal lead in the first period as Jonah Roy scored 55 seconds into the game with an assist by Jake Stevens. Thomas Patenaude scored less than two minutes later unassisted. Houlton added a goal four minutes into the period when Nate Deluca scored with an assist by Josh McGillicuddy.
In the second period, Patenaude scored 35 seconds in, Gage Letourneau scored one minute later. Roy and Riley Kinney picked up assists on each goal respectively. Logan Swallow scored for Houlton with assists from Alex Dunn and Alex Wilde. Presque Isle’s Connor Demerchant scored an unassisted goal to round out the scoring in that period.
In the third period, Demerchant scored two goals and picked up an assist on a Colby Carlisle goal, and the other goal was scored by Bailey York with Colby Bonville and Quinn Demerchant getting the assist.
The Black Hawks have two games during the Christmas break, hosting Waterville/Winslow, Thursday, Dec. 27, at 6 p.m.; and traveling to Maranacook Friday, Dec. 28, at 6 p.m.
