PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The puck dropped on a new season Tuesday, Dec. 14, for both the Presque Isle Wildcats and Houlton-Hodgdon-Southern Aroostook-Katahdin Blackhawks.
Playing at the Forum in Presque Isle, the Wildcats came out on the offensive, and defeated the Blackhawks, 5-1.
As soon as the puck hit the ice during the first period, Presque Isle immediately took to the offensive. For an early season match, the team’s coordination was precise and calculated, repeatedly taking shots on the goal.
Quinn Demerchant started the team’s momentum in the first period, netting a goal at 8:14 off an assist from Jonah Roy.
In the second period, the Wildcats demonstrated their ferocity, scoring their second goal just over a minute into the period at 1:01 by Dawson Kinney, with an assist from Roy and Demerchant. At 6:41, the Wildcats struck again, with Kinney scoring once again with assists from Roy and Demerchant.
Houlton proceeded to bolster its defenses throughout the game, but Presque Isle’s Garett LeTourneau scored the fourth goal for the Wildcats at 10:30 with assists from Ethan Carlisle and Isaac Staples. Less than a minute later, Breygan Mahan gave the Wildcat’s their final goal of the game at 11:14, with an assists from Hiwatha Paul and Ethan Shaw
In the third period, Houlton kept Presque Isle out of their goal and retaliated. They played more aggressively and got one past the Wildcats to net a goal at 5:04 by Josh McGillicuddy with an assist from Riley Fitzpatrick. Despite the increased efforts and bolstered defensive play, the Blackhawks could not close the gap with Presque Isle, ending the game at 5-1.
Presque Isle keeper Connor Bell had a total of eight saves out of the nine shots taken on goal. Houlton keeper Dawson Cole was busy in the net making 38 saves on 43 shots.
“I think in the first period, we came out with speed, but didn’t have a lot of control over the puck,” said Presque Isle hockey coach Carl Flynn. “The second period I think we played the way we are capable of playing, towards the end we really started playing the whole bench. Our top couple of lines were losing their momentum, but everyone got to play. A lot of kids got a lot of experience tonight.”
“It’s the first game of the year, and obviously Presque Isle took it to us there during the first period,” said new Houlton hockey coach Karl Enroth. “They outplayed us in the first and second periods, but in the third we competed a lot better. Our awareness of the puck in the defensive zone wasn’t where it needed to be. We had guys in the right position, but the read and react wasn’t what it needed to be. During the last week and a half we have only had 6-7 guys on the ice unfortunately due to Covid, so we just got everyone back on Saturday and haven;t had a lot of time to skate as a group”
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — December 14, 2021 — Houlton’s John Cumming (left) and Presque Isle’s Quinn Demerchant (right) collide while chasing after the puck during a hockey game on Tuesday. Presque Isle won 5-1. (David DiMinno | The Star-Herald)
PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Presque Isle’s Charlie Peers taking a shot on the goal against Houlton at a hockey game on Tuesday. Presque Isle won 5-1. (David DiMinno | The Star-Herald)
