PRESQUE ISLE, MAINE — After a slow start, the Wildcat hockey team put together a strong second half of the season.
The reward is a berth in the Class B North regional tournament, which gets underway with the quarterfinal round this afternoon as Presque Isle makes the trip to Brewer to play the Witches at Penobscot Ice Arena at 5 p.m.
The Wildcats, with a 9-9 final regular season record, go in as the No. 6 seed, while the Witches (11-6-1) are No. 3.
Presque Isle started with a 3-7 record, but then reeled off six consecutive wins before dropping its final two contests.
The Wildcats lost twice to Brewer on the season by scores of 8-1 and 7-2.
PI coach Carl Flynn said the physicality of the Witches makes them a difficult matchup.
The winner of tonight’s game plays No. 2 Old Town/Orono in the semifinal round March 4 at Winslow’s Sukee Arena.
Presque Isle closed out regular season play Feb. 21 at home against Hampden Academy. The Wildcats fell 4-2, allowing a pair of goals in the third period after the score was tied after two.
Connor DeMerchant put PI on the board in the first period off assists by Devin Ireland and Isaac Madore. Riley Kinney tied the game at 2-2 late in the second period thanks to Riley Kinney’s goal off assists from Denny Young and Colby Bonville. Andre Daigle saved 25 of 29 shots in goal for PI.
“We never gave up,” Flynn said. “They were older and faster than us, but we fought hard until the very end.”
Young, a senior defenseman, leads the Wildcats in scoring with 11 goals and 18 assists. DeMerchant, a freshman, is the team’s top goal scorer with 14, with sophomore Thomas Patenaude tied with Young for second with 11. Kinney, also a sophomore, has registered six goals and eight assists.
