Presque Isle hockey team hoping for return to playoffs

    PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — They are the defending Eastern Maine Class B hockey runners-up, but the Wildcats suffered some major personnel losses and coach Carl Flynn said the team will need to work hard to have a chance to return to the regional championship.

Presque Isle went 12-5-1 last year, was second in the Heal Point standings and made it all the way to the finals, beating Waterville in an exciting semifinal at Sukee Arena in Winslow before falling to Messalonskee, 8-3, in the title game at Alfond Arena in Orono.
“I think we exceeded our preseason expectations,” said Flynn, who is beginning his 10th season as the team’s head coach.    Gone are Tyler Seeley, a 100-point scorer during his career and the runner-up for Eastern Maine Class B Player of the Year, as well as first team EM all-star defenseman Andrew Michaud and Trevor Levesque, Ryder Soucy and Mikey Michaud.
“All will be big shoes to fill, especially on the defensive end of the ice,” Flynn said.
Presque Isle does bring back plenty of talent and leadership. Senior Alex Michaud, another 100-point scorer who had 19 goals and 29 assists last year, is back and will serve as captain. Classmates Daniel Boucher (four goals and two assists in 2013-14) and Joseph Patenaude (five goals and 14 assists) and junior Cooper Madore (five goals and 16 assists) are the assistant captains.
Also returning are goaltenders Jillian Flynn and Oliver Gerrish. Both are juniors and have been a tandem the previous two seasons as well, with Flynn getting a majority of the playing time.
“I’m hoping that our returning players are able to have learned from last year and especially the playoffs, and perhaps we will perform similarly this year,” said the coach, whose teams have qualified for the post-season his previous nine years and have reached four regional finals, including a title in 2009.
Flynn plans on having Michaud center Madore and sophomore Austin Bouchard on the first line, with Patenaude centering Boucher and junior Jack Andrus, a newcomer who moved in last year from Toronto, on the second line.
Freshman Colin Daigle, senior Megan McKnight and freshman Isaac Madore make up the third line.
Defensively, sophomore Denny Young and junior Reece McDougall are the only returnees to the back line. They will be joined by sophomore Alex Brewer, who is moving to defense after playing forward last year.
Freshmen Eric Benson, Devin Ireland and James Kinney will also be expected to make contributions on that end of the ice. Kyle Plourde will serve as the Wildcats’ third goalie.
Darren Carlisle returns for his fifth season as an assistant coach. The manager is Alaina Sweetser.
“I expect Messalonskee to be strong again this season, but their head coach resigned to take a coaching job at Colby College and that will take its toll on them,” said Flynn, who added that Waterville will be strong again and that Winslow, Houlton-Hodgdon and Old Town-Orono should all be much improved.

Wildcat roster

Hockey schedule

 Home games in bold