The Brunswick High School boys hockey team came into this season with high expectations.
Consider, last year’s youngish lineup, dominated by freshmen, made an appearance in the big dance, the Eastern Maine Class A tournament, and had nearly everyone back, one year older and hopefully wiser to the ways of the tough sledding in front of them.
The Dragons head to second seeded Bangor (13-5) for a 6:10 p.m. faceoff at Sawyer Arena, a building Brunswick opened its season in with a 6-1 loss to the Rams as Zach Papsadora scored three goals and netminder Chris Howatt turned away 22 shots for Bangor.
“Though Bangor is young on defense, they have good forwards and a grade-A goaltender who kept them ahead of us when we went up there to start the year,” said Routhier. “Bangor played all the iron in the league, so they are tested.”
Routhier will turn to goaltender Blake Alexander, who came on late in the season, posting a 3-3 mark with a 3.38 goals-against average.
“ Blake has gotten more confidence and is calm back there,” said Routhier of Alexander, who also has received solid play in goal from Jason Blier (4-7-1, 3.90 GAA). Brunswick allowed an average of 3.7 goals a game this season.
Offensive struggles
Brunswick’s struggles on offense has been most problematic, averaging a mere 2.3 goals a game, having been kept off the scoreboard three times and held to one goal on four other occasions.
“We had some key injuries, with Dylan Towle and Cam Heatley out, but all are back now,” said Routhier, who feels his team can build on its season closing 4-2 victory over Poland/Gray-New Gloucester. “We know we have the talent to score. Now we have to do it.”
Towle leads the Dragons with 21 points (six goals, 15 assists). Matt Brooks (9-9-18) and Ryan Maciejewski (8-3-11) have provided sparks on offense, while defenseman Tyler Niven, and his rocket slap shot, has a team-leading 10 goals and has dished out nine assists.
Defensemen Rudy Dumont, Parker Wild, Heatley, Niven and Blake Bodwell will have their hands full with the Rams, who averaged 3.6 goals a game, led by Parker Sanderson’s 17 goals and 10 assists. Connor Griffin (9-9-18), Papsadore (9-7) and Carl Farnham (7-8) have been the big scorers for the Rams.
In goal, Howatt was 11- 5 with a 2.12 GAA and .927 save percentage.
The Rams certainly faced the cream of the crop in Maine high school hockey. Bangor handed Brewer (17-1, top seed in Eastern B) its only loss and defeated the likes of St. Dom’s, Biddeford, Falmouth, Presque Isle and Cony as part of its Tier I schedule.
On the other side, Bangor lost to top-seeded Lewiston twice and dropped three of four late in the season, a 7-0 loss to defending Class A champion Thornton Academy followed by setbacks against St. Dom’s ( 2- 1) and rival Brewer ( 6- 4) in the rematch.
Routhier feels for Brunswick to have success, a concerted team effort on defense will be a necessity.
“We have to keep the play in front of us and not get beat in the neutral zone,” said the coach. “Our forwards must hustle back to put on some back pressure.
“A good first period is key. We have been unlucky in opening periods, so we need a couple key saves and an early goal or two.”
In other Eastern A quarterfinal matchups, top- seeded Lewiston entertains No. 8 Skowhegan, which downed No. 9 Gray- New Gloucester/Poland, 2-1, in a play-in game on Saturday; No. 3 St.Dom’s hosts sixth-seeded rival Edward Little; and No. 4 Cony, which played its home games at Kents Hill after the collapse of its former home, the Kennebec Ice Arena, last year, plays fellow Kents Hill resident Maranacook/Hall- Dale/Winthrop, the fifth-seeded squad.
East hockey
Eastern A hockey playoffs
Today schedule
No. 8 Skowhegan ( 8- 9- 2) at No. 1
Lewiston (13-4-1), 8 p.m.
No. 7 Brunswick (7-10-1) at No. 2 Bangor, 6:10 p.m.
No. 6 Edward Little (10-7-1) at No. 3 St.
Dom’s (12-6-0), 5 p.m..
No. 5 Maranacook/Hall-Dale/Winthrop
(9-9-0) at No. 4 Cony (14-4-0), 7:30
p.m.
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