BANGOR – It’s the first year for the Maine Freeze, a youth hockey team bringing talented and competitive kids together to play in a division called Competitive Zone 5.

The youngsters travel all over Maine and different parts of New England. The 14- and 15-year-old Bantams use Alfond Arena in Orono as their home ice, but also practice at arenas in Bangor and Brewer.

Recently the players won their first tournament of the year, the Blackcat Tourney, in Hooksett, N.H. They will travel from Marlboro, Mass., to Saint John, New Brunswick, throughout the season, but most league games will be played against teams from Casco Bay, Lewiston, Biddeford and Waterville.

The Freeze competed against 10 other teams from New England in Hookset, defeating last year’s champion, the 92 Mocharchs from New Hampshire, 2-1 in overtime of the semifinals.

The Maine youth then won the championship game, also 2-1, over another New Hampshire team, the Glades.

Brett Hale, Dale Cross and Chris Tanis coach the Maine Freeze, who will play 35-40 games this season, not counting tournaments.

For more information on the team, call Hale at 974-9972 or 973-4500, or visit the Web site under www.PVHCHockey.com