Defense helps coach Capuano win> Former UMaine hockey player is also assistant GM for Pee Dee Pride

Jack Capuano may be adding a little “Ya’ll”to his thick Rhode Island accent after being promoted from coach and director of hockey operations to coach-assistant general manager with the first-year Pee Dee Pride of the East Coast Hockey League.

The team used to be in Knoxville, where Capuano went 7-8-1 after replacing the fired Barry Smith last season, but was moved to Florence, S.C. this season. Capuano was an All-American defenseman when he played for the University of Maine in the late 1980s.

Capuano, who has former Black Bear Jay Mazur as his captain, has led the Pride to first place in the Southeast Division. Despite being 23rd in offense Pride is 26-13-9 thanks to its third-best goals-against average of 3.08 and a 20-1-3 home record.

“Jack has done a great job,” said Warren Payne, an owner and the team’s CEO. “He has been everything we were looking for in a coach. And he has been good in the community.”

That has resulted in good crowds and happy advertisers, said Payne.

The Pride have averaged 5,126 per game, good for 10th among the ECHL’s 25 teams.

Capuano called it a “great honor” to have his position upgraded and to receive a three-year extension.

“My wife [Donna Stevenson of Bangor], my kids [Adriana and Anthony] and I are really enjoying it down here,” said the 32-year-old Capuano. “There are 50,000-60,000 people in the city and it’s the only show in town. I really enjoy small communities. That’s one of the reasons I went to Maine. The team has taken the city by storm. They really enjoy ice hockey.”

Capuano said he had to scramble during a “nerve-wracking” summer to put his roster together but everything has worked out well.

“I’ve been a little surprised by our success. We don’t have a scorer among the top 30 in the league,” said Capuano. “But our team has great leadership and they believe in each other. We have only two players back from last year’s Knoxville team but the guys have worked hard and have played with grit and discipline.”

Capuano stresses defense and Mazur said Capuano is “well-liked” by the players.

“We can joke with him but he knows when to step in [and exert his authority],” said C-RW Mazur, who leads the team in goals with 21 and is third in points with 41 in 47 games. “And he’s lively. He gets us going emotionally behind the bench.”