‘Cat icemen skate past Bangor

15 years ago
By Kevin Sjoberg  
Sports Reporter

    After suffering losses to Brewer and Winslow in recent weeks, the Presque Isle hockey team was in need of a quality victory, both for confidence and improvement in the standings. 

    The Wildcats got exactly that Saturday, beating the Bangor Rams, the No. 3 team in Eastern Maine Class A, by a score of 5-4 in a game played in Bangor.
    Senior forward Brennen Shaw had a hand in all five PI goals, as the Wildcats picked up their 10th win of the season against three losses and moved to second place in the Heal Point standings for EM Class B.
    “This win I think will open a lot of people’s eyes as it relates to our potential to repeat as Eastern Maine champs,” said PI coach Carl Flynn.
    Presque Isle started strong, with Shaw scoring just 11 seconds into the game and Mitch Davis converting off assists by Brennen and Connor Shaw with 1:41 left in the opening period to make it 2-0.
    The Rams tied it early in the second period, but the Wildcats showed resiliency by scoring two goals in a 48-second span. Brennen Shaw had the first one 4:59 into the period off assists by Connor Shaw and goalie Josh MacFarline, while Jacob Buck scored off a Brennen Shaw feed at the 5:47 mark.
    To begin the third period, the hosts scored two quick goals to tie the game at 4, but Brennen Shaw’s unassisted goal midway through the period proved to be the difference.
    “Brennen was by far the best player on the ice,” Flynn said. “Bangor played very defensive-minded when Bren was on the ice and very offensive-minded when he wasn’t.”
    MacFarline had a strong game in goal for the Wildcats, stopping 38 shots as PI was outshot by a margin of 42-21.
    Presque Isle trails Brewer in the standings and moved ahead of Winslow, who is third. The two teams play in Winslow Saturday at 1 p.m. It is a rematch of last year’s EM championship game, won by the Wildcats. When the two teams met in Presque Isle Dec.  30, the Black Raiders pulled out the 4-2 win.
    PI also takes on Hampden Academy Friday in Brewer.