BANGOR, Maine — There are plenty of new faces in the Bangor High School hockey lineup this season.
That includes three transfers who will help Bangor replace the likes of Trevor DeLaite, the Rams’ top goal scorer the last three seasons, and three other productive point-getters in Ben Crichton, Cam Cota and Cam Burpee.
Offense was an issue for Bangor a year ago (3.6 goals per game), and it will be of concern again this season.
But with senior all-conference goalie Derek Fournier between the pipes and three of the top four defensemen back in the fold, Bangor may not have to score many goals.
Defending state champ Lewiston will be the team to beat in Class A North as Jamie Belleau returns a healthy nucleus off last year’s 17-2-2 team including seven of his top nine forwards.
Bangor coach Quinn Paradis considers Fournier “the best goalie in the state,” and he will be bolstered by defensemen brothers Nick Cowperthwaite and Zach Cowperthwaite along with Gary Farnham. Nick Cowperthwaite and Farnham are seasoned seniors, and Zach Cowperthwaite is a sophomore.
Nick Cowperthwaite posted seven goals and three assists during the regular season a year ago, and Farnham had two goals and two assists. Zach Cowperthwaite added a goal.
Freshman Jacob Munroe has earned a slot on the blue line, and the final two spots will be contested among seniors Derek Courtney and Noah Tappan and sophomore Nick Boudreau.
Fournier said he is confident that he will have another strong season, “especially with the defense I’ll have in front of me.”
“We should be pretty stout on defense,” agreed Farnham.
Nick Cowperthwaite said Munroe has been impressive and appears as though he is going to a valuable asset.
Fournier made 40 saves to deal Lewiston one of its two losses, 1-0 in overtime, after he had made 46 stops in a 2-1 overtime loss to the Blue Devils earlier in the season.
Lewiston finally solved him in the semifinals, topping the Rams 6-3. Fournier made 35 saves.
“He’s one of the best in the league, no question,” said Belleau.
The three transfers, Kodi Legassie and Tony Cambria from neighboring John Bapst High School and Dan Beal from Brewer High, will each be on one of the Rams’ top three lines.
Legassie will be on a line with sophomore Josh Sherwood (seven goals, five assists) and junior Charlie Budd (2 & 2). Beal will center a line between junior Alex Inman and senior Dan Webber (5 & 7). Cambria will be the right wing on a line with junior Ben Lane (0 & 3) and sophomore Hunter Neale.
There are several candidates for fourth-line duty.
“The transfers are going to be a big help this year,” said Farnham. “We also have some young guys who are stepping up.”
Fournier said Bangor won’t be relying on just one or two players to score all the goals.
“We’re going to need everybody to pitch in,” said Fournier.
Bangor, which went 10-7-2 last season, is still seeking its first regional crown.
Lewiston returns all kinds of firepower off a team that scored a league-high 105 goals.
That includes Jeromey Rancourt (12 & 18), Alex Robert (13 & 14), Sam Frechette (9 & 11), Alex Rivet (9 & 10), Joe Bisson (6 & 4 in six games) and Dustin Larochelle (6 & 3). The Blue Devils also have five defensemen and starting goalie Jacob Strout, who compiled a 1.54 goals-against average to go with a 12-2 record and a .896 save percentage.
Rancourt’s goal with 29 seconds left gave Lewiston its win over Scarborough in the state championship game, ending Lewiston’s frustrating 14-year championship famine that included six losses in state title games.
The defensemen returning are Cole Ouellette (3 & 8), Nick Bisson (0 & 8), Brad McLellan (4 & 3), Sam Story (2 & 5) and Ryan Bossie (3 & 2). All are seniors except junior Bossie and sophomore Nick Bisson, Joe Bisson’s brother.
Belleau said his team won’t take anyone lightly.
“We’ve got to focus on the things that make us successful. We have to compete on a day-in, day-out basis and make sure we pay attention to detail,” said Belleau.
He said there are a number of good teams in the division including St. Dominic Academy of Auburn, Edward Little of Auburn, Bangor and Mt. Ararat/Lisbon/Morse.
St. Dom’s, 11-8-1 last year, was hit hard by graduation and transfers, but Noah Toussaint (18 & 12), goalie Kyle Welsh and a talented freshman class should keep the Saints competitive.
Edward Little (11-9) has a number of quality players back led by Colby Bilodeau (10 & 4), Cody Woodward (8 & 5), Alex Landry (1 & 10) and Jason Cote (6 & 1). Mt. Ararat/Lisbon/Morse has a top-notch list of high-scoring returnees including Noah Austin (15 & 13), Mark Abreu (9 & 15), Tyler Halls (16 & 7) and Tyler Lacascio (9 & 13).
Fifth seed Windham/Westbrook was 13-6 a year ago, Cony/Hall-Dale/Monmouth was 12-7, and Mt. Ararat/Lisbon/Morse was 11-7-1. Lawrence/Skowhegan was 4-13-1, and Poland/Gray-New Gloucester/Oak Hill/Leavitt was 0-18.
Bangor opens against Lawrence/Skowhegan at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Alfond Athletics Center in Kents Hill.