Based on the team records, Messalonskee would seem to have an easy first-round contest Wednesday night in the quarterfinals of the Class B North Boys’ Ice Hockey Championships.
The game, slated for 8 p.m. at Colby College in Waterville, pits the second-seeded Eagles, 15-2-2, against No. 7 Gardiner/Waterville/Winslow, 6-12 (Admission is $4 for adults, $2 for students and senior citizens).
But records can be deceiving.
Messalonskee won both games against the Tigers this season, but the margin of victory was thin each time: 7-6 in overtime in the first meeting and 5-3 in the second.
“They came out and played tough against us,” Messalonskee coach, Dennis Martin, said.
Martin said inexperience on defense proved to be a factor in the first meeting, a game that was the season opener for both squads.
The Eagles graduated their entire defense from a year ago, and the lone senior defenseman this season – Andrew Salvadori – is a first-year starter on that end of the ice.
The other starters are freshman Denny Martin and juniors Bjorn Brickett and Grayson Podey.
Martin said as the foursome gained experience during the season, the defense improved. The proof is in the results. After giving up 13 goals in the first three games, the Eagles surrendered only 16 tallies in the following 10, reducing the goals allowed per game from 4.3 to 1.6.
Offense, though, is what defines Messalonskee this season. The Eagles averaged nearly 6 goals per game and scored 5 or more goals in 12 games.
“Our offensive depth is our strength,” Martin acknowledged. “We have a lot of strength upfront, but everything goes on the team concept.”
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