Wildcats face Broncos in Class B title contest

Matt Gregg played on the last and only Presque Isle High School hockey team to play in a regional final.

It was 1995 and the Wildcats lost to Brewer 4-1 in the Eastern Maine Class B championship game.

Now Gregg is coaching the Wildcats and they will be facing Hampden Academy in Wednesday’s EM Class B championship game at the University of Maine’s Alfond Arena. Game time is 7 p.m.

The Wildcats are 17-3 and the second seed while Hampden Academy is 19-3 and the top seed. The Broncos won the two regular-season meetings, 7-3 and 5-1.

“There are quite a few comparisons between this team and our ’94-95 team,” said the 26-year-old Gregg. “The kids get along well and they really want to win.”

The Wildcats tied a school record by winning 11 straight games and sophomore goalie Sean Daigle set a school mark with four shutouts.

This is the 12th year of the Presque Isle program.

Hampden Academy is in its 10th season and will be playing in its first EM title game.

“Our team has been pretty consistent,” said Gregg, who has coached several of his players since they were 6 years old. “Some people thought it might be a bit of a building year because Darren Carlisle graduated. He was the Player of the Year last year. But we have quite a bit of talent.”

The Wildcats’ top two lines feature leading scorers Joe Flenner and Trevor Graves at center. Flenner is flanked by Ryan Cyr and Joe Collins while Graves is surrounded by Ben Sirois and Sam Shaw.

They also have a grinding third line with Brad Baker between Brandon Berube and Steve Currier.

A stay-at-home defense corps is composed of seniors Tom Gregg (Matt’s brother), Eric Dionne, Matt Carvell and junior Ben Lynch.

“We’re very good, offensively, but I’d say we’re just average defensively,” said coach Gregg.

He feels his team will have to play “good positional hockey in the defensive zone and break the puck out quickly” to beat the Broncos tonight.

“And we can’t lose our cool if we fall behind,” added Gregg.

One major concern for the Wildcats will be the Bronco line of Greg Taylor (25 goals, 19 assists) between Adam Standley (28 & 16) and Steven Boutin (11 & 14).

However, Standley could miss the game with a heel injury.

That line has combined for six goals and five assists in HA’s two playoff wins: 7-1 over Stearns of Millinocket and 5-4 (two overtimes) over Gardiner.

The line of Andy Caldwell, Kevin Dunham and Chris Bearor has also been productive in the postseason with six goals and four assists. But Mike Brown, who missed both playoff games with the flu, will return to that line and Dunham will play with Kevin Brooks and Danny Mangano.

Bearor has 13 goals and 13 assists on the season and Brooks has 14 & 10.

Mobile defenseman Chris Standley, Adam’s brother, suffered a leg injury against Gardiner but will probably play according to fourth-year Bronco coach Tom King.

Ian Lee, Lance Ingerson and Chris Pease are the other defensemen and senior Garrett Macgowan will start in goal.

“We’re going to have to bring a load of intensity because Presque Isle is very intense,” said King. “They’re a real good hockey club. They’re quick and aggressive. We’re going to have to win the races to the puck.”