LEWISTON – There was no question that Scott Geoffroy had an edge to him in high school.
The 2004 Lewiston High School graduate was a member of his school’s state championship hockey team in 2002, and he played his final season as the team’s defensive captain, leading the team in penalty minutes.
Last year, when fans gathered to discuss the top defensive hockey players in the state, the first name from many mouths was St. Dom’s junior Mike Carpenter.
Carpenter, 18-years-old by league rules, and Geoffroy, 19, are the latest locals hopeful of cracking the lineup with the Lewiston Maineiacs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.
“I might as well,” said Geoffroy, who played last year with the Ottawa Junior Senators in Canada. “I’ve wanted to do this since last year, but I realized last year that I wasn’t ready. I figure I’ve improved over last year, and I figure I have a better chance than I would have last year.”
Geoffroy is willing to forego his college eligibility if it means having a chance to play for the Maineiacs.
“The coaching staff told me that I am coming to try out,” said Geoffroy. “No slacking and no leaving. To me (college eligibility) isn’t a big deal, because this is a chance to play better hockey.”
Carpenter, meanwhile, still has a year of high school eligibility left at St. Dom’s.
“If it doesn’t work out, obviously I can still go back,” said Carpenter. “I can always go to juniors after that, I guess.”
If Carpenter leaves the team following Thursday’s intra-squad game, he retains his eligibility.
The coaching staff, led by general manager and head coach Clem Jodoin, was at least mildly impressed by both skaters Wednesday.
“It’s a big step if they want to play here,” said Jodoin. “They have to be competitive on the ice and they were competitive tonight, but mileage is going to be the key.”
In Wednesday night’s intra-squad game, both players fought and at least came out even. Geoffroy bloodied Pierre Mouton and sent him sprawling in the first, and Carpenter took down forward Karl Prefontaine in the third. Carpenter also had an assist on a goal by Pierre-Luc Champagne.
Last year, Edward Little graduate Colby Gilbert made the team, but he was not invited back this season.
“I don’t really know if that whole thing affects us,” said Carpenter. “It could be a good thing or a bad thing, but it’s nice to know that we at least have a shot. We wouldn’t be here now if we didn’t at least have that.”
Neither player is thinking about Option B’ yet, either. After one practice and one game Wednesday, both continued to be optimistic.
“I felt OK out there really,” said Carpenter. “I spent some time this summer training with Mathieu Aubin up in Canada at a camp just like this one, and I got used to the pace of it. I was a bit slow on the first couple of one-on-ones, but I felt OK after that.”
Geoffroy, meanwhile, also appeared to fit right in after his nerves calmed.
“I really think I have a chance to make the team,” said Geoffroy. “It might be one of the last spots available, but anything could happen. I just have to keep going and try my best.”
Comments are no longer available on this story