Presque Isle Boys Hockey Ready For Semifinal Matchup with Messalonskee

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine (WAGM) - The Presque Isle Wildcats boys hockey team was back on the ice today preparing for a semifinal game against Messalonskee. The Wildcats advanced to the next round with a 7-3 win over Old Town Orono. Jonathon Eigenmann says the team is ready to take on the Eagles on Saturday at Colby College in Waterville.

Dawson Kinney, Presque Isle Senior: " We’re feeling really good, were just trying to focus on the next game and the crowd last night for us was big, it was our last home game, especially for us seniors so it meant a lot. Just having a town behind you, especially as an athlete you know being 15,16,17,18 years old. It just shows how much support and how many people are there for you”.

Wednesday the wildcats and the black bears put on a scoring clinic in the first period, with a score of 3-3 going into the second period and seeming to turn out like their last matchup. But the difference this time around was team defense, which is something they will continue to work on.

Carl Flynn, Presque isle coach:” Our talk between the first and second period was that our goalie needed to stop fighting the puck and let the puck come to him and just play natural and relax. You know for these high school kids you know some of them playing in their first playoff game or having a big role in a playoff game, there was a lot of nerves in the first period. I didn’t think we played great defensively but the second and third period they never scored another goal, we tightened up defensively and in practice today that’s going to be what our focus is going to be is team defense, because defense wins championships not offense.

The Wildcats will have a tough task ahead of them when they travel to Colby College on Saturday for a 1:30 p.m. semifinal matchup against the Messalonskee Eagles, a team they have lost two games to on the season. and One thing Coach Flynn Wants to build up in the next couple of days is their confidence

Carl Flynn, Presque isle Coach:” The kids are physically prepared for the playoffs ; we’ve done all that we can do. Strategy-wise their prepared as well, they’ll know the game plan for Saturday. Its psychological. This team does not play well when they think the other team is better than them, they play very well when they feel confident that their better than the other team. And that’s what we need to work on in the next 48 hours is to build our confidence toward Messalonskee so that we can step on that ice realizing that we have just of good of a chance winning that game as they do”.

This season, saying any team could win it all this year couldn’t be truer. and with a playoff win under their belt, the Cats hope to be that team that wins it all.

Jonathon Eigenmann, newssource sports.

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