Will the third time be the charm for the Bangor High School boys hockey team?
The Rams have never won an Eastern Maine Class A hockey championship dating back to the start of the program in 1983.
But they have played in the last two EM championship games and have posted a 33-8 record during the past two seasons.
The Rams lost to Lewiston 5-1 in the 2013 final and to St. Dominic of Auburn 3-1 last season.
The Rams have graduated four of their six defensemen, including Travis Roy Award finalist Justin Courtney, and goalie Rye Powell.
The Travis Roy Award is presented to the state’s best senior player.
Courtney had 10 goals and 19 assists last season.
They also lost two of their best forwards in Cam Dickson and Jordan Tracy.
Dickson has graduated while Tracy decided to pass up his senior year at Bangor to play for the Portland Junior Pirates’ under-18 team.
But sophomore goalie Derek Fournier was chosen the most valuable player in the annual John Bapst exhibition tournament last weekend, and the Rams have a talented group of forwards back led by Trevor DeLaite, a 20-goal scorer in 2013-14.
They also have a pair of seasoned defensemen in Sam Huston and Ben Crichton.
“I think this is the year we can get over the hump,” third-year Bangor coach Quinn Paradis said. “Getting to the state championship game is our goal. We have another great senior class and some great players behind them (in the other classes).
“We have some holes to fill, but I’m looking forward to an exciting year,” Paradis added.
“We have been so close. And now, having won the baseball state championship (last spring), we know how it feels,” said DeLaite, who pitched and played the outfield for the high school team and is one of four members of both teams. “We want to prove we’re one of the best teams in the state. A lot of people don’t think we’re good enough.”
“We want to be the first Bangor team to win a state championship in hockey,” Huston said. “If any team can do it, it’s us.”
“We have a real good core group of seniors. We’re all dedicated, and we’re all really hard workers,” senior left winger Sam Kenney said. “The majority of us have been around since we were freshmen. A lot of people feel we suffered some big losses, but that just gives us a bigger chip on our shoulders to win.”
The most significant holes for the Rams to fill are on the back end with Fournier taking over for Powell and four inexperienced defensemen joining Huston and Crichton on the blue line.
Senior Brennan Lane missed a healthy chunk of last season with an injury and wound up seeing time on the JV team along with sophomore Nick Cowperthwaite and junior Cameron Burpee. Cowperthwaite and Burpee also will see regular service on defense.
Junior Brandon Rios, another JV last season, and sophomore Gary Farnham, who didn’t play last winter, will rotate in as the sixth defenseman.
“We may have a few gaps on defense, but as the season goes on. And with the dedication of our (inexperienced) defensemen, it won’t be a problem at the end of the season,” Kenney said.
“We’ll be strong on defense,” Paradis predicted. “The guys have really improved from Day One.”
Huston, who is likely to log a lot of minutes, said he has full confidence in his younger defensemen.
“They’ll be able to step in and help us a lot,” Huston said.
Fournier has impressed people with his early play.
“Derek’s a very good goalie,” Kenney said.
“He’s one of the best around,” DeLaite added.
The Rams should be able to put the puck in the net.
DeLaite will center a line between Kenney and senior Andrew Elston. That line played together last season and was highly productive.
The Rams also will have a dangerous all-senior line comprised of Owen Trundy between Jake Fournier and Nick Graham. They played together at times last season.
Two more seniors, center Alec Coleman-Pray and left wing Nate Bach, will be on a line with junior right wing Cam Cota.
Burpee, in addition to his role on the blue line, will center the fourth line between sophomore Dan Webber and junior Drew Powell.
“Our forwards will be one of our team’s strengths,” Kenney said. “We have a pretty multi-faceted team.”
Kenney, Jake Fournier and Graham also scored at least 10 goals apiece last season along with DeLaite.
DeLaite said he is looking forward to another strong season.
“I’m going to do the same things I did last year: crash the net hard and try to make plays,” DeLaite said. “I’m not going to press. I’m going to stay focused and trust my teammates.
Paradis and his players feel the Eastern Maine Class A championship again will be decided among themselves, Lewiston and St. Dom’s.
They feel it is their turn to hoist the crown.
Bangor will open on the road against Edward Little High of Auburn at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.