ICE HOCKEY

Coach: Wayne Neiman

Returnees: Seniors Seamus Coleman (Fryeburg), Julian Brito (Fryeburg), Neil Heath (Oxford Hills), and Marshall Tibbetts (Oxford Hills); Juniors Dilen Drew (Fryeburg), Brody Patenaude (Lake Region), Conner Richard (Oxford Hills), Bryce Gallo (Oxford Hills), Hunter Campbell (Oxford Hills), Garrett Wooster (Oxford Hills) and Harlan Kory (Oxford Hills); Sophomores Charlie Herrick (Lake Region), Forest Lemery (Lake Region), and Gunner Truman (Oxford Hills).

Top Newcomers: Senior Gabe Grace (Fryeburg); Junior Jokubas Mostavicius (Fryeburg); Sophomores Kiefer Gilligan (Fryeburg) and Abe Grace (Fryeburg); Freshmen Jacoby Boyce (Oxford Hills), Caleb Aker (Lake Region), Hayden Heath (Oxford Hills), Everett Helvie (Fryeburg), Grady Pierce (Fryeburg), and Dayne Brooks (Lake Region).

Q. What do you like best about your team?

Coach Neiman: The best thing about our team is we are young group of mostly underclassmen and we have great upside for this year and years to come for the program.

Q. What have you seen as the biggest difference from last year and this year?

Coach Neiman: Biggest difference is depth and how many kids the last two years we have had play solid varsity time and this year we have many players stepping up from JV or being asked to play bigger roles on the team. Lot of young talent we will have to navigate the season early.

Q. What seems to be the biggest question marks?

Coach Neiman: How fast our inexperience can turn to experience and pay off. We have a lot of players willing to put the work in and work hard, and some just need to gain confidence and trust to use as building blocks for each other’s success.

Q. What has been the main focus in preseason?

Coach Neiman: Understanding systems we want to run and positional discipline. Along with this is doing many reps and skills we can do to help prepare us for first game of season against St. Dom’s on Dec. 7.

Q. What will need to happen for the team to be successful?

Coach Neiman: We will have to find our identity fast and be the more disciplined team and use good hockey IQ to put us in position to win games this season. The quicker our young guys can gain trust and confidence that will help them support our other players in the game plan weekly. We have many freshmen and sophomores playing varsity minutes and others who we are hoping are ready to play and take roles on during the season.

Q. Complete the following, “I would consider this season a success if…”

Coach Neiman: …We make the playoffs. Lots of good solid teams with older kids who have been playing together. It will be a tough task but our group will be ready to compete each night. 

Opening Night: The Ice Cats open the season Saturday on the road against St. Dom’s at 8:30 p.m.

Home Games: First home game is Monday, Dec. 16 against South Portland at 7 p.m. at the Chalmers Ice Arena, located on the Bridgton Academy campus.

Jan. 11, PLOG, 6 p.m.

Jan. 14, BOOM, 5 p.m.

Jan. 20, Marshwood, 7 p.m.

Jan. 25, Kennebunk, 4 p.m.

Feb. 5, Kents Hill, 4 p.m.

Feb. 15, WWBE, 4 p.m.

Feb. 20, Scarboro, noon